Frugality Success

Hah! I've finally managed to convince the three couples we're closest friends with to not exchange Christmas gifts. We've all agreed that we'll just spend time with each other over the holidays and only buy for the kids, which in this group consists of only one so far, and she's only 16 months old, thus pretty easy to satisfy.

It certainly helps that we all now have or are about to start mortgages, and the three sets of them either got married in the past year or are getting married this year. Nothing like excessive financial strain to get people on board with saving money.

So that's $75 successfully knocked off our Christmas budget. I'll leave it as a buffer for now in case we overspend on a few people. If not, I'll ship it into Hubby's student loan in the New Year.

Sweet.

How much am I expected to help?

My friend is starting her own business...sort of.

She’s joined up with one of the retail groups that does ‘parties’. Some sell cosmetics, some candles, some knick knacks, some cookware. The company she’s joined sells spices. Which I must admit are pretty good. I bought a few last night.

I like to go to these things occasionally. I’ve bought cookware at one, and a couple of candles from another. They’re sometimes a nice night out where I can spend time with other women and look at girly things. I’m not a particularly girly girl, but I do like to pretend every once in a while.

I’m happy for her that she’s started to do something she thinks she’ll enjoy, which has the potential to bring in some extra cash. She just got married and they bought a house, which means they’re a bit strapped at the moment.

The problem is my friend is pushing me to host a sales party for her.

I really don’t want to.

I have few female friends, and the ones I do have were at the party she ran last night. My coworkers tend to be male. My mother loathes sales parties with a passion, and although my mother-in-law loves them, I don’t want to invite her to something where she’ll feel obligated to buy things she can’t afford and isn’t supposed to eat for health reasons.

Even if I did have a large group of women to call upon, I don’t really want to be the hostess. I’m tired, and large groups of people in my home aren’t my thing on a good day, especially if I don’t know them well.

So, am I being selfish by not helping my friend out as she begins selling and networking? Or can I bow out of this gracefully without looking like a bitch?