Day 4, July 2, 2015

12:20 pm

I am on a very good sleeping schedule these days. I mean, I am sleeping less and am still active throughout the day instead of dousing every few seconds. I sleep after Fajr which is 4:00 am in the morning and than wake up at 10:30 am.

Here is the problem though. I haven't been productive like I always dream to be. By that I mean, I have been watching Scandal. That is all I have been doing for the past four days. I would not mind it in normal circumstances but when your life is on the line, it kinda becomes important.

I do not know how to stop. The only way I know is to finish it.

4:38 pm

It was suggested today that I am a big spender. Unlike a loyal obedient wife, I don't save every tiny penny that comes out of my husbands pocket. Instead, I get late night ice creams and eat out on weekends. I buy shoes, clothes and books. I indulge in things that I shouldn't. I spend money when instead I should be saving it to buy property, build houses in Pakistan and buy Gold as a means of saving. Property that will sit there as some sort of back up, houses I will never live in and Gold that will sit in a bank locker only to be weighed and paid Zakat for, every year.

First of all, I don't think that I am a big spender. If I look back on this year, my biggest expense would probably be my books. All of whom are paid by the pocket money I receive. I have bought one pair of shoes, that also in sale. Its not because I could not. Its because I did not need any more shoes. I already have a lot.

The one thing I did go all out on was Abdullah's wardrobe. And trust me, that needed updating. Because it looked like a homeless person's wardrobe where half the clothes didn't fit him and half weren't even his. So, yes. I did buy a lot of stuff. Because I like men to be well dressed. They deserve to.

I am pretty proud of myself for the fact that I have controlled the way I spend money and have bought things that I know I will use. So when you hear someone tell you that what you are doing is wrong. It hurts like a bitch.

It makes you realize the mistake you have made of considering your husbands money as your own. It makes you hate yourself for getting married before finishing your studies, before standing on your own feet, before being independent enough to not listen to someone slap you across your face with words.

The worst part is that we did save money. And we spent it, doing something good for them.

People say that I don't have responsibilities. That's why I can spend money on things like food and clothes. As if living with In laws was not the biggest responsibility ever.

Nonetheless, let me make one thing every clear.

Even when I am responsible for feeding, clothing and educating my family, I am not going to spend money buying houses in places I do not know whether I will live in or not. Instead, I will continue eating out on weekends. And watching movies. And going bowling. I won't buy heaps of gold to add to my stash. Instead, I will be taking a vacation. Somewhere out of country, where my kids will get to experience different cultures and acquire knowledge. I will be spending on Disneyland tickets, ice skating rinks and seeing the view from top of the Burj Khalifa. That is how I will be fulfilling my responsibilities.

And if need be, I will be okay to cut down on all these things. But don't for a second think that I will deprive myself and my family the chance to live a life in the moment in order to make a life in the future.

I have been blessed enough that I was given a lot of things on my wedding. And I intend to keep those as my saving. I don't need a lesson in saving money for the hard times. I don't need to be told to keep it in control.

If there was one thing I was taught, that was to spend what is my budget. And believe me when I say that, even when I am buying a double scoop ice cream, I know that its in my budget. You can set your own budget. You can set rules for how you have spent your life and want to continue doing so.

But please, I don't agree with your views. Please, let me set my own budget. For once, let me do what I want. Let me be who I want to be.

Adieu !

SAP
............

Day 3, July 1, 2015

Here is the thing. I love birthdays. I love buying flowers, blowing up balloons, spending 5 hours baking and decorating a cake, buying the perfect gift, wrapping it Pinterest worthy and then surprising the person in question. I love all that. And I try to do that for everyone. At least family members.

The problem is fitting these celebrations has become a challenge in my budget. Not that I ever have a budget. I try to be all sophisticated and save money. But I end up using Abdullah's card on everything then. Technically that is still saving. Anyway, I was just figuring out in my head the various upcoming birthdays, welcome backs and congratulations. And it dawned upon me that I am going to end up in debt even before the month is up.

Story of my life.

I do not know why I am in love with it. But I am. And I would not have it any other way.

I didn't do much today. I went to Ikea and ended up coming back empty handed. Which is no small accomplishment, I tell you. I love Ikea. My first visit was to the one in Jeddah as a tween. I loved it back then and I still love it now. I love how you can take so many individual pieces from all across the shop and create something beautiful out of it. It is one of those shops that lets your creative side free to dance around and throw paint on the wall.

I have a weird obsession with house makeovers. It is like a guilty pleasure. Looking at different people's personality through how they decorate the room is a fascinating thing. Although, you would never know that it is my room if you looked at the one I have now. Me and Abdullah always joke that we are like a bunch of lazy laid back people who live in a grey/black/white themed room with fancy candle holders on our side tables. Its when you open our side tables and see the mess of headphones, coins, diaries, all sorts of junk that you get who occupies the room.

Sometimes I feel like my head is too big for my own good. As in, I get distracted so easily because I have another great idea. But then I am forced to be grateful for having an idea in the first place.

Adieu !

SAP

........