[...] But there is another, wiser than I, who struggles with the same thing as my dear, sweet husband.  TECHNOLOGY!!!  My DH struggles with wanting the latest and greatest in all forms of technology.  But it looks like JD from Get Rich Slowly, I just love that name, has been wanting a new iPod and he bit the bullet and did it.  Good job.  The biggest killer of thrifty living and frugal spending is totally killing your desire for new things.  The success to thrifty living and frugal spending is making those new purchases with cash and not credit when available and determining if you want it or you need it.  That was my grandma used to ask. [...]

That’s the get rich slowly way: changing our habits little by little so we can achieve the goal of finantial independence.

I’d recommend to take the ipod as a trophy. The way you felt about buying it shows your success. No just don’t repeat it .

So for me, the VALUE that an item gives me is inversely proportional to how bad I feel purchasing it.

j/k. That’s, imho, the bigger worry about buying a new gadget — that there’s always something better just around the corner, if you can just wait a couple months.

So the obvious question I have is — Did you get the applecare plan?

The answer: Handbrake.

http://handbrake.m0k.org/

Now I just need to figure out how to convert my favorite Seinfeld episodes (e.g. “The Marine Biologist”) from my DVDs to iPod format.

Perhaps I should note that the store gave me $20 worth of gift cards because this radio was a floor model and it’s missing the remote control (which I won’t need)….

Ultimately, we should allow ourselves to buy *some* medium- or big-ticket items once in a while. Instead of seeing the funding of your IRA as the opportunity cost, perhaps the real opportunity cost is a weekend getaway which you won’t take now, or a couple of fancy dinners in 2007 which you won’t have. If you are saving and investing what seems to be an adeuate amount, why worry about it?

I understand the worry, though…. I’ve been planning to buy a digital camera for months now, and still haven’t done so. I have the $300+ set aside to make the purchase, but it’s just hard to let go….

http://www.strengthradio.com

* Not that this one was or wasn’t, just curious if you ever experience the same thing.

I find that by strict on what I buy, I tend to be a lot happier with the things I get because I have done the research, I know exactly what I want and I get a lot of use out of it. I don’t buy things that I use once and put away, that is simply not possible because I know exactly what I want and what it’s going to be used for.

Good purchase, I’m jealous my (Gen 4) iPod is looking a little old now but I know it suits my needs perfectly and I have no reason to upgrade. I use it every day and it still works fine.

It did remind me of an article I saw by David Sedaris. I’m sure you’ve seen it, but just in case:

http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060508fa_fact

It sucks doesn’t it?

If your wise choices to this point have allowed you this luxury, you should feel free to enjoy the benefits of those wise choices.