Rent.com Visa Gift Card

I received an email from Rent.com. It was letting me know that I should be receiving a $100 Visa gift card in the mail within the next two weeks! That's very exciting since I signed my lease over five months ago and had completely forgotten about the Rent.com bonus.

Now the question is what should I buy with it?

I know that I should be more financially responsible with that and use the money to pay a bill or buy something I need with it, but I am of the camp that says "found" money should go to something fun. I am already budgeting for groceries and bills. This extra money will give me an opportunity to buy something I really want but don't necessarily need.

But there are too many choices....

1. I want a new purse. I am a purse girl at heart. I know that I have too many that I don't use already, but it's time for an upgrade. There is one at Zappos I have been obsessing over for a while now. This Lucky Brand leather crossbody bag is almost perfect for me. It's a little out of my price range, even on sale, but I do love it so. With the gift card, I would only be spending around $50 out of pocket, which is where I usually limit my spending on accessories. A nice leather bag will last me years longer than some cheap bag from Target, where I tend to get my purse cravings satisfied.

2. I also need a new phone and have been eying the iPhone 4S for quite some time now. My iPhone is 2 years old and I have somehow managed to crack the bottom plastic where the usb port is. It still works, but you can tell it is old. Plus I use my phone as my digital camera, like most people with a smartphone, so this will be like a double upgrade for me. I get a better camera built into my new phone. Even with the $100 gift card, it will still cost me $100 out of pocket, plus upgrade fees on my next bill. My iPhone is my only source of internet and how I connect to the rest of the world when I am at home. I know I could get a cheaper phone and lower my monthly plan, but I do love my iPhone.

And I also know that I shouldn't count my proverbial chickens before they hatch, so I will not go out and buy anything while I technically cannot still afford it. I will wait for the gift card to arrive.

What to do?

I am still waiting on my income tax return to arrive as well. It is scheduled to be deposited by Feb. 28. I am excited. That means I can get my car fixed before my St. Louis Radiohead trip!