It’s not what you think! Well, it probably is what you think, only different. Let me explain. (deep breath)

Okay. So on Friday, I posted about how I almost bought an iPad but decided to wait until payday on the 21st. On Saturday, I had second thoughts and asked you guys to make the decision for me. Early yesterday I posted that, due to the overwhelming votes to pay off my Dell credit card, I wasn’t getting the iPad at all right now.

And I’m here to confess: I bought an iPad.

I didn’t deliberately buy one after promising myself (and all of you!) that I wouldn’t. While I was at work yesterday, I had the following text exchange with a friend:

Her: Guess what!
Me: You’re pregnant?
Her: No, dork. I’m getting an iPad 2!
Me: Um, didn’t you just get the original iPad a few months ago?
Her: Yeah but it doesn’t have a camera. And there are more accessories for the new one! [My husband] said it was fine for me to get one!
Me: So is he going to use the old one?
Her: That’s why I texted you. I know you’ve been dying to have one, so I thought I’d give you first shot at mine.
Me: How much?
Her: $300.
Me: OMG I’ll take it!

Until that moment, I was very resolved in my course of action - pay off the credit card, buy the iPad later. I know some of you still won’t agree with what I did, and honestly I’m not sure I do either. But $300 for a barely used iPad is an amazing deal. A refurbished original costs $479 on Apple’s website and even more on eBay or Amazon. And I’m sure my friend has hardly touched it since she’s more into getting new electronics than actually using them.

Since my spending freeze in December, the ONLY non-essential items I’ve purchased for myself are a pair of shoes, a print for my wall, and a ticket to the Financial Blogger Conference. Given my history, that’s pretty darn amazing. I’m not suddenly going to start spending wildly again (other than a few apps, maybe) - I just didn’t have the willpower to turn down something I’ve wanted so badly at such a good price. And I’ll still have extra money to throw at the Dell card; just not as much as I thought.

Thursday night, my friend is meeting me after work with the iPad. Hopefully you guys won’t think too much less of me once I’m posting from it.