I often peruse SlickDeals.net for a great deal on something that I am in search for. Lately, it’s been the Logitech Z-5500, 5.1 speakers for the computer. I was searching for it because I thought my current speakers were dying, due to crackling heard everyday. But because of this, I end up reading on other things, such as Western Digital’s My Passport Essential Portable HDD and the Back-to-School promotion ending tomorrow by Apple.

The Passport Essential I actually do need, but the deal wasn’t as great, so … after placing the items in my cart not once, but twice, I decided to forget it. I told myself that a better deal would come along, and only until people rate the deal five stars would I bite. The Apple promotion is to buy a MAC and to receive an iPod Touch free (new generation). I’ve always wanted a Mac and even though I’d be selling the iPod Touch, there was no reason whatsoever for me to purchase one and especially right now. So, there again, I found myself placing the items in my cart, but  ended up just closing the browser as well.

Self-control. Self-discipline.  On Friday, I came across two excellent financial blogs – Get Rich Slowly and Free Money Finance, both blogs stressing frugality as being the best way to grow the cash in your wallet. Both blogs talk about ways to save money and creating a budget. After reading a few posts, I was convinced I would be wasting my money on items that certainly are overpriced. It also prompted me to transfer more of my paycheck from my checking account to my money market fund, so I would only have 18% of my paycheck to play around with. Honestly, I rarely ever use over 18% per month which is whyI’m thinking that’s still too much. Because the less I have in my checking account, the less inclined I would be to whip out my credit card and waffle over purchases. I’ve now added those two links to our blogroll.

Also this weekend, I went back to listing some of the no longer needed items laying around my house on eBay. Not only will I be making some extra money, I’ll also clear out some of this clutter that never seems to go away.

Are any of you feeling the urge to spend? What have you guys been doing to stop it?

ASUS EEEPC, $399
MyPower Universal Rechargeable, approx $129
Tokina Wide Angle Lens $450
Palm Tungsten E2 $72 (Ebay)
Wrestling Tickets $300 (Anniv. present)
Plecodict Software $119

Plus other miscellaneous items in the past three months. I don’t regret buying any of the items except for the MyPower which I may end up selling on ebay. I thought it would be useful in powering my laptop, my DS, my camera, but when it came to it, I realized that the only thing I would really use it for was my laptop during an airplane flight. I used it twice. But I just don’t travel very much. I have enough gadgets to keep me fairly occupied on a long flight.

What I do regret however, is buying them in such close vicinity together at their given prices. I tried to rationalize each of the purchases – the ASUS EEEPC being a terrific travel companion when travelling in Taiwan – which it was. The MyPower Battery for the airplane (which it wasn’t). The Tokina – a lens I had told myself I would purchase after going to Europe and missing that wide view, went to Taiwan, still found I really missed it on so many shots that I immediately came back and purchased the Tokina so I wouldn’t miss it for futher trips. Palm + Plecodict – hey, I need to learn Chinese after purchasing a Chinese novel. And wrestling tickets – couldn’t think of anything else as an anniversary gift! Everything had its rationale but at the same time, none of it was rational.

I’ve often prided myself on being frugal with my money, but lately, I’ve been missing the ball and it’s frustrating to me. I list all my expenses in a spreadsheet to help me budget, but lately, even looking at the numbers add up in my spreadsheet, it hasn’t prevented me from really stopping on the gas so to speak. I always tell myself “next month, next month I will do better” when I overstep my bounds in the current month. I’m not in debt or anything, but I’ve always thought being more simple brought me the same amount of happiness. In fact, I spend so much time charging my gadgets, syncing them, organizing my pictures, correcting my pictures, uploading my pictures, burning files. Most of my leisurely time is spent organizing and maintaining instead of enjoying. I sometimes think about how much more social I might be if I had nothing at home that it would force me to go out and interact with my peers and heaven forbid, meet new people.

I find writing this right now truly is keeping in check. So today, as I write this, I vow not to spend more than $200 next month (this month I’ve already failed) not counting gas but including going out to eat.

Have any of you been having one of these months as well? Where you tell yourself to stay within a limit, but you not only go over but way over? What makes us do things we know we will regret? Where’s our discipline? Don’t we consciously know that we won’t really receive any direct happiness of long-term pleasure from what we are purchasing but just very short term or superficial?