The Big Splurge

In so many ways, I can’t believe the day has arrived when I can officially write this post. Graham and I have achieved a goal that we have worked at since the start of our marriage.

Before I get to the goal achieved, let me give you some back story. Pre-Graham I was a blissful spender. I wanted something, I bought it. I wanted to eat somewhere, I went. A last minute trip, I flew there. I never went into debt but I never ever saved a single penny. I thought saving was for the birds and that it would all work out. I was also in my young twenties living in New York, where they encourage rampant spending in the pursuit of fabulousness. And you know what? I’m perfectly fine that I got swept up in the tide because it was one hell of a ride.

When I met Graham at the ripe age of 23, he wasn’t exactly spending money on clothes. On our second date, he wore a skater sweatshirt that he boasted to me he had since high school. When Graham and I first went to meet my parents, we pulled up to the driveway in Graham’s 1982 Volvo station wagon, complete with comfy sheepskin seats. After the dinner, I asked my parents what they thought. My dad said, “I really like Graham. I love the questions he asks and the real interest he takes in people. And I really like that he drives an old car” My dad wasn’t one for flashy cars; hence, my parents still owning their 1982 suburban. Here was my new boyfriend, working at a nice hedgefund (at the time), surrounded by possessions dating back to his high school days. For the record, Graham did eventually upgrade his car, but he has forever regretted it. If there were someway I could get him back his old Volvo, I would.

If you’re a long time reader, you’ll quickly know whose spending habits won out. After some resistance and retail therapy rehab, I began to mend my ways. I actually came around to Graham’s way of thinking. This post way back in March of 2010 shows how I started thinking of purchases as the percentage of house that I was going to lose out on. So, paying $100 for a pair of shoes meant losing out on 1/10th of a square foot of a home (joy of expensive California real estate).

I’ll admit, there were many times when it was exhausting. I know what’s in style (and it aint my closet) and lord knows I’m tempted daily with decor pieces. I’d avoid looking into our actual savings account because that just felt so tempting to me to go spend the cash. It was better for me to “believe” we were living paycheck to paycheck, even though, every month, Graham was stashing away into our investment portfolio.

Well finally all those pretty shoes, dresses, chairs, sofas, wallpaper and spa days that I resisted have paid off. And more importantly, all of the hard work and countless hours Graham has put into his career has rewarded us. We splurged people.

We bought a house!!!

I couldn’t be more proud of our gorgeous home that is all ours. It is a stunning home. One that our dreams were made of, in a beautiful community with the nicest people. We feel very lucky and blessed.

We’re back into savings mode while we pay the bank and do glorious things like bolt the foundation. But, hey I’ll take it any day of the week. Volvos and sweatshirts are good for the soul.

We took this photo on Monday morning after signing the deed. It was a momentous, glorious and slightly nail biting day. That is not our house in the background. Because I’m paranoid, I’m not going to share the exterior of our home on the internet. But, it’s a beautiful spanish style home in the Burlingame area, just outside of the city and much closer to our parents. It has a beautiful backyard that makes it so easy to envision our kids happily playing around in. We are so excited to make lasting memories of our home. And while, I wont be showing the exterior, you can come along with me as I decorate the interior, on a budget.