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Something that’s been on my mind lately is money…I know it’s kind of a touchy subject. I know money doesn’t buy happiness, and I know it’s good to save (and splurge, occasionally). But with a big vacation coming up and my list of things to buy steadily growing, I started to re-evaluate my priorities.

Someone recently recommended to me that I start a priority list – quite obviously, a list that outlines the things that I really do need. I kind of have a mental one, but I tend to disregard it when I see a great summer dress or an amazing necklace (or, more recently, tiny, colorful cacti). Something about having it in writing makes it feel more definite and authoritative.

My list definitely holds things that are luxury items, like a nice quality, versatile tote/purse – clearly not necessary to survival, but having one would make my life a little nicer and easier, especially given that my current totes are old and falling apart.

Topping my list was a DSLR. Given that my blog is pretty image-heavy, high-quality photos are a must – and until yesterday, when I bought a Nikon D3200, my only camera (for my blog and everything else) was my iPhone. I learned how to edit photos pretty well, but there’s only a certain level of quality you can achieve with a phone camera.

There are a few other things on the list, ranging from Photoshop to simple black heels, but keeping the list small is key in making it a little less intimidating and restrictive. It doesn’t mean that I won’t buy something on a whim every once in a while, but it serves as a reminder that if I save instead of spend, it doesn’t mean I’m going without – it just means I’ll get something I really want and need later on.

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