Finances and iPhones

I have a not-so-secret love affair with my iPhone. Sure, it's an expense, but it was a long thought out decision that sprang from a long series of savings, and it's something I can definitely say I get my money out of, and choose to spend money on....BUT, this week-I lost my phone for 24 full hours. I don't loose things on a permanent basis often....I've had a few moments of insanity where I walk around looking for my keys, while I hold them in my hand, or there was a three day search for my kitchenaid's dough paddle (I hadn't used....ever), and as I stood, with my kitchen, utility room, and garage torn apart, I looked over at the basket hanging over my sink with dish towels, and I thought....when I find it-that's where I'm going to store it....guess what, that's where it was the whole time! Once, I lost my to do list when I was in college, and I cried....I want to say it was stress, but the list really probably does mean that much to me. But...my phone....that's like losing...my dog or something. After searching my brain, I remembered listening to a song on itunes that morning, and putting it in my purse, but then it was gone by the afternoon, with a few things shuffled around inside my purse. I had run one errand, and the insanity began. It has rained all week, inches, downpours, flashflood warnings, and rivers of water ran through the streets, and I was crawling around parking lots looking under cars, digging through every crevice of MY car. I slithered under a booth where I had run an errand, made door to door calls at all the stores nearby in case someone found it in a parking lot, and turned it in....somewhere else. I asked the hostess to ring my phone while I crouched by the stinky trashcan, and 'listened' for it to sing for me. At work, I found the carcass of a lizard while I skimmed my flash light under all my shelves, and tables, and shuffled around every piece of paper, book, and box of markers. I pinched a nerve pushing my shoulders in the back of my drawer in search of my phone. After 4 hours of phone calls (80 total calls from myself, and my friends-including a few really cute messages from my friends asking 'whoever' to return it....love them). It was nowhere. I hated searching, knowing it wasn't probably a 'lost' item. Give me an hour, and write me a bill, and I'll tell you all about WHY I don't like losing things...but...let's just take it at face value and just say-it was a real hassle! After suspending my account at midnight, I had one more hope for today, but then....Dave Ramsey's Financial Class started running through my head as I realized I was about to have to make a big decision. Where does this lay in the grand scheme of my financial outlook? Today was pay day, and I had to start assigning a home for each dollar (my inner self tried to talk me into the craft store, my sane self had me balance it more evenly throughout my life). I was a tormented b/c I knew the 'right' thing to do....get a cheap phone, at least until I save up for a 'nice one'....and am eligible again for a discount (another 8 months). This financial stuff is hard!!! I guess this was a baby test, and at least got me 'thinking' about what's important (I still probably would have chosen the iphone). Good news, after some sad stories about my phone told to the student's that had access to my room while I was in and out of meetings all day yesterday...it magically appeared on my desk later in the afternoon. I won't bore you with the details. Whew, grown-up, hard, financial decision averted for one more month-rhinestones, and silk scrapbook flowers, here I come! At least I thought about how I COULD be more responsible.