Trading up

Yesterday, after lots of debating and discussing, I decided that I would upgrade my phone.  Here's the whole story. 


I reluctantly joined the wireless world in 2006 when my family expressed concern about my long days to and from NYC.  I got the cheapest plan and picked a free phone.  I had not changed anything, including my phone number, since 2006.  When we moved to Tennessee, I kept planning to change the number, but by the time I was ready to take action, it was obvious that we wouldn't be staying.  I decided to wait until the house sold to change my number and upgrade my phone.


The house sold and the holidays ended so I started thinking about my wireless options.  Then, last week my iPod decided to croak while I was at the gym.  So, my cell was dying, my iPod was dying, and I had been wanting an ereader for traveling (traveling to Spain and the Christmas holidays created this desire).  I started thinking about an iPhone.  Being frugal, I really waffled on this.  I could justify paying for the device, but could I justify the extra $30 / month on a data plan that I didn't need?  For the record, Mike was extremely supportive and unhelpful.  He kept saying, "If you want one, let's just go get it."  Ugh, honey, help me think this out!  "What's to think out?  You want one; we have the money.  Let's just go."  It's never that easy for an over-analyzer. 


Yesterday I had a lovely chat with a dear friend.  She boiled it all down:  "Rhonda, you're very frugal. You don't spend a lot of money on things.  You've had a terrible couple of years.  Sure, it's a toy but life is short, and if you'd like this toy, I say go for it."  Well, I guess it was the encouragement I needed.  I decided to get an iPhone.


Today, after receiving a discount for long time service with a crappy phone, I walked out of the store with an iPhone 4S (16GB - what do I need a bigger one for???).  I am happy with my new toy, and both Mike and I have played with it.  I do feel a little guilty still.  I mean, I don't work.  I don't have a job that requires me to keep in touch with the world at all times.  Plus, Mike has a pay-as-you-go phone.  He just refuses to upgrade, even after I begged him.  Fortunately, I can use my toy as a phone, iPod, Kindle, camera and more.  Even if I ditch the phone plan in two years, it is a convenient little device.


Sometimes it feels like 2012 is the year to blow money, but that's really not the thought process.  I feel like Mike and I have made do with a lot of things so we could save our money.  We still had our dishes from college when we moved here.  Wow!  I guess I just want to bring us up to date.  We bought new dishes, we bought a few things to make life here more comfortable (like shelves at a garage sale!), and now I have a new phone (I really wish Mike would have relented and gotten one too).  Of course, there are other upcoming changes:  we're going to buy slipcovers for the sofas, a new mattress for our bed, and I might get lasik.  These are all things we've been discussing for years.  While we have no house responsibilities, it's time to upgrade.


So, are there things you need/want to upgrade?  Do you ever feel guilty about upgrading?