I faced my greatest opponent today at the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale in the Handbag department: Marc Jacobs. Sigh. It's my greatest obsession and also my downfall, because anything Marc Jacobs comes at a price. I was standing in front of a sale bin, staring at the gorgeous 'Irina' shoulder bag that I so wanted to pick up and take home when it dawned on me–why not?

I casually lifted the piece from it's resting place, careful not to alert the other purse-hungry hunters that were circling the bin. I walked with it, looked at myself in the mirror with it, and all in all became quite attached to my new friend. I knew if I put it down I would never walk away with it, so I convinced myself to go for it, plopped down $600 on the spot and walked away. Call me crazy, but I am now the proud owner of my dream bag. Of course I had a miniature panic attack on the way home when I realized how much I had just dropped on a purse, but I slowly started rationalizing my purchase to calm myself down. The purse was an investment–it's my new signature bag, one that I will use everyday and will become my "good bag." Every girl needs a good bag, one that you know is such good quality that it will never go out of style, and one that you know you will love forever and ever and won't fall apart in a few months because of shotty handwork. No, this is the bag you will cherish and never leave alone on a Friday night, the one you will get more satisfaction from than any cheap knock off.

Think about all the things you buy daily: the morning latte, the fresh manicure, the lunch with your girlfriends, the tees from the sale bin at H&M, heck, even the splurge from Abercrombie. These things add up quickly, and I guarantee you that if you stop to do the math, if you just abstained from the act of buying for a bit, you could save up to buy your luxury item you never thought you could have, and without any extra strain on your budget.

And it's definitely worth it. Wouldn't you rather have one great Marc Jacobs bag or a pair of Jimmy Choo heels, rather than fifty cheap sandals from DSW or a couple of bags whose makers escape you? Trust me, in matters of money, take the time to save up some cash and invest in a long-term relationship that won't leave you unsatisfied.