Money and Spending

I have been very good about saving my money since moving to Peoria.  And then, BAM, I've been spending it like crazy lately.  I went to the eye doctor (hurray for new prescriptions after my lazy non-fuctioning eyeballs consistently regressed for two years!) and bought new lenses and contacts.  It was only after I wrote the check that I realized I could have held off on one or the other to use yearly insurance on each.  Oops.  Live and learn and all that.

And apparently you have to renew your license plate every year?  For $100?  Lame.

I can see that I am quickly having to pay for everything an adult pays for except for rent.  And car insurance.  And cell phone bills.

Okay okay, no more complaining.  I'm incredibly privileged.

But anyway, what it comes down to is a camera.  I've been thinking about getting a nice camera, since I sometimes get paid to take pictures, I feel underqualified showing up with a common digital camera.  The pictures are not super awesome.  And also I like to travel, obvs, and it would be cool to take totally awesome photographs of the places I visit.

One day I saw my TN brother was advertising on facebook that he wanted to sell his very nice fancy camera.  We talked and planned, and I said I'd buy it for $800.  I'll pick it up when I visit Jackson in May, but in the interim, I'm starting to freak out.

I have the money.  But.  I've been so good at saving, and not buying anything unless the previous thing dies/falls apart/is ruined.  This would be a fun thing.  Is that okay?  What if I buy this and then suddenly am overcome with the desire to buy more and more?  It this a materialistic purchase?  I'm an all-or-nothing sort of girl; I'm not sure how to deal in middle ground issues.