A couple of recent threads on the forums prompted me to add a new category to my blog: "Sensible Spending." Spending is obviously a big part of personal finance, and spending sensibly is important for achieving my financial goals. Spending sensibly does not necessarily mean choosing the cheapest thing that meets your needs. Like most of you, I strongly believe in looking at "lifecycle costs" when making purchasing decisions. Sometimes it makes sense to spend a bit more now to save down the road...

I recently made what I believe was a sensible purchase, tho' I won't be surprised if some of you say "You spent how much? On what?"

I bought a Porcelain Nail File for $25.

Background: I'm extremely low on the "glamour scale." I don't have my nails done and I don't polish my own nails. I just file 'em short and keep 'em plain. A couple weeks ago my last emery board was literally falling apart, and I knew it was past time to replace it. But I didn't need anything else from the store, so I started thinking "I'll be damned if I'm going to the store just for emery boards, and why can't they make something that lasts forever for filing my nails besides those awful metal things?" So, I got on-line and started looking for alternatives. That was when I found the Tweezerman Porcelain Nail File: $25 from Drugstore.com with free shipping. Didn't take me long to decide to buy it, even tho' the cost is many times more than buying a cheapie emery board, when I realized it would probably (hopefully) last me for the rest of my life, which would mean no more emery board purchases, less trips to the store, and less stuff (used emery boards) going to the landfills.

It arrived last week and I have to say I love it. I do expect it to last me for the rest of my life, and it makes me happy knowing I'll never have to buy a gosh-darn emery board for as long as I live! I just wish they had been available back when I was in my 20's!