I had a girls’ night out this week, and it was a lot of fun. When you have three children, a puppy, and a backyard renovation going on at home, it’s not very often that you take time out for a party. But that’s just what I was able to enjoy this week as I attended the Hollywood Glamour in the Gardens event. Besides being organized by a great organization (Woman’s Life) and for an awesome cause (childhood literacy), it was also a chance to get out, socialize, and as fate would have it, buy some furniture.

Let me clarify. As part of the fundraising, Woman’s Life held a silent auction at the event. And there, among the other generously donated goods, was the most adorable upholstered chair. Upon reading the bid ticket, it was just one of two chairs. And hardly anyone had bid on it. You see where this is going, right? I had to bid. I felt compelled to bid. There was no way that I would find those chairs at that price in a store, plus it was for charity. And having justified my decision, I grabbed a pen. Then I walked away to enjoy some appetizers and conversation, but kept my eye on the chair. Sure enough, I was quickly outbid by another lady.

So here I am, slightly disappointed and slightly relieved. I didn’t need two more chairs in my home. But I did really like these chairs, and I had a spot in mind of where I’d like to put them. I knew how much they would cost in the store, and they were still a steal and would be for many bids to come. And I was away from home, with my friends, and feeling spontaneous. So I picked up the sheet again and put in another bid. Then, for the next twenty minutes of the auction, I sat in my chair, biting my nails, waiting, hoping, maybe even praying that I’d be outbid again. I was a mess.

Have you ever been in this situation? You do something even though you’re not entirely sure it’s the best decision, and then you hold your breath, hoping to get out of it…even though you really don’t want to get out of it. You recognize that you’re indulging yourself, and maybe overindulging, but you justify it. That’s where I found myself, the top bid on a pair of adorable new chairs, chairs that I loved but that weren’t necessarily in my budget plan this month. AND I WON THE BID. A quick swipe of my Afena debit card and I’d made my donation, and then it was time to take home my new chairs, to my already furnished house and my loving husband, who knows our budget, knows our plans, but did not know I was furniture shopping.

Sometimes we all fall victim to our own desires. I’ve been writing about financial literacy for over a year and have been living by a budget for longer than that, and I was knocked right off my high horse by a pair of upholstered slipper chairs. This experience reinforced the lesson that while a great deal is awesome, you’ll still save more money by passing it up…but if you are going to splurge, a charity auction might be the best place to do it. I’m Claire, the Afena blog mom. Thanks for reading.