In response to your original question, I think you’re right about needing some balance. I tend to think a little too hard about what I buy. Life’s too short!

It just amazes me that bloggers use themselves as an example of something, ask people’s opinions on what they did and then get upset because people judge them. If you’re asking someone to comment on something you did, how is it not going to get personal?

I enjoy reading this blog, and I enjoyed this post and seeing the alternative points of view it generated. I just hate to see Kristy focusing on the negative comments when I think she’s done a good job of getting people to discuss the issue.

Multiple, “I’m sorry”s, especially of the “I’m sorry, but” variety is just classic.

However, if you’re looking to talk about an issue like this, then negative comments are a good thing! (Debates aren’t one-sided, after all). If you use yourself as an example then your actions are going to be what gets discussed. I’m sorry, but to say “you don’t know me” after you’ve already asked for an opinion (knowing full well that you’re asking strangers who don’t know you at all) just sounds like you’re dismissing views that don’t agree with yours.

I’m sorry the other comments put you on the defensive, but isn’t that a good thing?

Ok, for those of you who are against my little trip, I understand where you’re coming from. The triggers that came into play were a problem, I freely admitted that in the post. It’s also why I put them in the post and pointed out that they cause problems if they become habit.

In reference to the car and student loan debt, which some of you seem to think is a huge problem, the car was paid off two days ago. As I mentioned in the article, I was just a couple of payments away from having that paid off. It is now done. As for the student loans, I allocate a large portion of my check each month to pay student loans and I had already paid my payment for the month at the time of this trip. I could have put the $750 towards the student loans, but it wasn’t going there in the first place. It was going to a fun account, I merely transferred the purpose from one fun activity to another. As for how I’d feel about it if I lost my job tomorrow, I’d feel fine. If you want to get into the nitty gritty of my finances, I have approximately 9 months of expenses in my emergency fund, which I could stretch out even further between unemployment and cutting expenses, I have another 10 months worth of expenses in a regular high yield savings account, I have two CDs that are lattered and total about 6 months worth of expenses, and I have sizable investment accounts. Not counting my investments, I could live quite comfortably without a job for at least two years. I will likely pay off the student loans within the next 6 months or so, just waiting until I can consolidate them into one lower lower interest rate as I currently have four different “lenders.” I’ve saved enough within a school account that I can finish paying for my degree out of pocket.

I appreciate everyone’s input and you have made some valid points, but consider the fact that you don’t know me or my personal finance situation. It may be prudent to withhold judgmental comments until you do.