My pumpkin obsession just cost me $118. And I’m fine with that

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Again, I found myself spending a little money on everything pumpkin related.

Key Point

• I’ve gotten too far into the pumpkin category at a time when it’s best to keep costs down.
• It’s worth spending money on things that make me really happy, and I want to cut down on other things.

It happens to me every year. Come late September, tell yourself you’re not going to go overboard on the pumpkin spending front. And that was the message I wanted to dig into my head specifically this year.

But to my surprise, it reached the end of October and my pumpkin spending tab totaled $118. Considering we’re talking about a single food item, it’s not a small amount.

Still, I refuse to beat myself up too much About the fact that I succumbed to my pumpkin obsession again. And for good reason.

it’s all about the pumpkin

When all the pumpkin spice hits the shelves, some people just can’t stand it. I am not one of them.

While I’m generally not a fan of these super-sweet pumpkin products (pumpkin spice latte, I’m talking to you), I happen to really like savory products. Perfect for adding to

Thus, in the past 30 days, we were able to collect $118 in credit card tabs for pumpkin-related purchases. These include:

• Variety of Seasonal Products at Trader Joe’s
• Pumpkin muffins from Costco are only available at this time of year, so keep them frozen
• Overpriced pumpkins from local farms

That last one is probably the only purchase I might slightly regret. And given Costco’s ultra-low price point, I can’t even bake my own pumpkin muffins for less.

Now, did I have to spend about $50 on an absurdly expensive pumpkin that we were going to split, chop, put out for Halloween, and then throw away? There was not. But my kids and I had a lot of fun picking pumpkins (once we fought the crowds and got inside). And to be fair, we also purchased some small squash to cook and turn into soups and stews rather than just chopping and throwing.

In fact, there are two reasons why you can keep your pumpkin-related expenses in check.

1. it’s something you only do once a year
2. that really makes me happy

I’m not the type to spend a lot of money on clothes and I have a nice 15 year old car. But I believe that money should be spent on things that bring joy to you and your family. And if it happens to be a pumpkin, so be it.

free yourself from the hook

I really didn’t expect to spend over $100 on pumpkin products this month. But now that I’ve done it, I’m not going to beat myself up.