Does It Pain You to Watch Other People Waste Money?

One thing that always kills me during tight times, is watching people waste money on unnecessary things. If you have ever been out of work or struggling financially, you know that guilty, sick feeling you have when you buy anything. Then you see other people you know, friends and family members, spending money like they can print more at home.

A recent example for me personally happened this holiday season. We just exchanged gifts with one side of the family this past weekend since we won't see them this Christmas. My husband and I have just gone through a year loaded with financial stress. He lost a job, I lost 2 jobs and we had to evict someone who rented our house and didn't pay. What we really need right now are very practical things...a couch is our biggest desire. We don't have a couch because we donated our 10-year old couch when we moved to a new state (before we knew all the struggles 2008 would hold for us). But we also need socks, jeans, jackets, many every day items.

Recently, some relatives asked if my husband would like a GPS for his car for Christmas. Those things aren't cheap. He said he didn't need or want one but they bought it anyway. And they opened it too so it was non-returnable. They also gave our elementary school child one of the best MP3 players you can find, with a lot of accessories. All of this is frivolous spending. It would be one thing if we were rich but we are definitely not and neither is our family. Due to our circumstances this year, we could barely afford the gas to go see them this past weekend (11 hour drive each way) so why the impractical gifts? What we wouldn't give to return those things and put $250 in our daughter's college account.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful but I am trying to understand how people handle money. I feel grateful to have generous relatives, I just feel like they don't have our best interests in mind. Maybe it makes them feel good to give expensive gifts rather than practical gifts?

It reminds me of when I was a student struggling with college tuition. I was working and taking out student loans to put myself through school. At Christmas, my step-mom would give me classy, expensive items like a ski jacket (I don't ski), a designer luggage set (I couldn't afford to travel) and fine pearls (I didn't have anywhere to wear them). All while I ate Ramen Noodles and lay awake every night wondering how I would finish college when I had no money.

Have these kinds of things happened to anyone else? Please share your story by leaving a comment.