Everyone thinks about it. Most people earn it. Everyone spends it. It drives our decisions on what to buy, what to eat, when and where to go out, where to travel, when to travel, what we wear, and countless other factors in our lives.
Money can ruin friendships, great loves and business deals. It makes people do things they never dreamed they were capable of. Money drives our lives.
Most people can say with certainty that they don't make enough money. Most people say that if they get a raise everything would be better-debts would be paid off, bills would be paid on time, they would dress better, eat better, socialize more...be a better person?
Money drives our decisions, our social lives, our living arragements, our transportation. And these decisions make up the basis of who we are, because every decision we make determines how we see ourselves, how others see us, and how we spend our time.
No one wants to admit it, but money is a constant presence in our day to day. I hate making decisions based on the thought "can I afford this?" or "do I have enough in the bank for this?" and especially "I shouldn't be doing/buying/ordering this because it's too much money". Have you ever been at a restaurant and decided not to order that side salad to start because it's just more money, or one more glass of wine, or a dessert? I know I have. Maybe it's silly, but I believe that every dollar I spend counts, and even if I order a water instead of a soft drink, it's going to add up and I'll be better off.
I can't say I'm the best at paying bills, or budgeting for a trip, or or setting up a general budget to follow, but I'm good at following the rules once they're made. I have been fortunate enough to be in a good financial situation for my whole life (except when I was backpacking in Australia and was so broke I had to borrow toothpaste), but I really believe there is always room for improvement. The question is, how to improve? How do those people who have everything together financially get that way? Are they cheap? Smart? Lucky? Why is it that some people can go through life debt free, travelling and having fun, while some people struggle to stay above water their whole lives? How do I become the kind of person who wants for nothing and doesn't have to sacrifice financial security to get there?
I have been thinking about this a lot, and I have come up with some good ideas, as I have some big dreams that will require a good amount of dough to get me through (such as New Zealand!). Luckily my man is a bit more of a whiz with numbers than I am, so he is going to craft us up a budget. I have put myself on a "cash only" allowance that gives me a certain amount of money a week to spend on everything from drinks to gas to hair cuts to clothes shopping. If I don't spend it all in one week, I am simply tucking it away for a shopping trip! That way it all adds up.
Will this work? I'm not sure, as I've tried it once and I fell off the wagon. But this time around I am determined to spend my money wisely, and remember the big dreams that I have to spend my money on.
The bottom line is this-money should set us free to do the things we love to do, not weigh us down, depress us and cause us grief. Gareth and I have been discovering fun "date" ideas that don't require money and have given us a chance to talk and hang out together. This has included packing a picnic and going somewhere nice for a meal, and going for walks in different parts of the city.
My thought? Money can't buy us happiness, but using it wisely sure can ;)
Shauna
I'll keep looking for one of these, just in case.
p.s. I am officially one week into no coffee!! I've had a couple decafs, but I'm getting away from the caffeine, so woop woop!
Money can ruin friendships, great loves and business deals. It makes people do things they never dreamed they were capable of. Money drives our lives.
Most people can say with certainty that they don't make enough money. Most people say that if they get a raise everything would be better-debts would be paid off, bills would be paid on time, they would dress better, eat better, socialize more...be a better person?
Money drives our decisions, our social lives, our living arragements, our transportation. And these decisions make up the basis of who we are, because every decision we make determines how we see ourselves, how others see us, and how we spend our time.
No one wants to admit it, but money is a constant presence in our day to day. I hate making decisions based on the thought "can I afford this?" or "do I have enough in the bank for this?" and especially "I shouldn't be doing/buying/ordering this because it's too much money". Have you ever been at a restaurant and decided not to order that side salad to start because it's just more money, or one more glass of wine, or a dessert? I know I have. Maybe it's silly, but I believe that every dollar I spend counts, and even if I order a water instead of a soft drink, it's going to add up and I'll be better off.
I can't say I'm the best at paying bills, or budgeting for a trip, or or setting up a general budget to follow, but I'm good at following the rules once they're made. I have been fortunate enough to be in a good financial situation for my whole life (except when I was backpacking in Australia and was so broke I had to borrow toothpaste), but I really believe there is always room for improvement. The question is, how to improve? How do those people who have everything together financially get that way? Are they cheap? Smart? Lucky? Why is it that some people can go through life debt free, travelling and having fun, while some people struggle to stay above water their whole lives? How do I become the kind of person who wants for nothing and doesn't have to sacrifice financial security to get there?
I have been thinking about this a lot, and I have come up with some good ideas, as I have some big dreams that will require a good amount of dough to get me through (such as New Zealand!). Luckily my man is a bit more of a whiz with numbers than I am, so he is going to craft us up a budget. I have put myself on a "cash only" allowance that gives me a certain amount of money a week to spend on everything from drinks to gas to hair cuts to clothes shopping. If I don't spend it all in one week, I am simply tucking it away for a shopping trip! That way it all adds up.
Will this work? I'm not sure, as I've tried it once and I fell off the wagon. But this time around I am determined to spend my money wisely, and remember the big dreams that I have to spend my money on.
I also don't want to become one of those people who measure their success and their happiness by the possessions they have or the money they make. I want to be the kind of person who finds happiness in myself, and in money-free situations, such as a nice walk in the sunshine, or sitting on the dock at the lake with my feet in the water. None of that costs money, and it always puts a smile on my face.
I have been thinking about some challenges to give myself (and probably, inevitably, give to Gareth), such as not eating out for a month, not eating candy for a week, not buying a drink for a week. Things like that to test my will and keep things interesting. When something like this starts I will let you know!The bottom line is this-money should set us free to do the things we love to do, not weigh us down, depress us and cause us grief. Gareth and I have been discovering fun "date" ideas that don't require money and have given us a chance to talk and hang out together. This has included packing a picnic and going somewhere nice for a meal, and going for walks in different parts of the city.
My thought? Money can't buy us happiness, but using it wisely sure can ;)
Shauna
I'll keep looking for one of these, just in case.p.s. I am officially one week into no coffee!! I've had a couple decafs, but I'm getting away from the caffeine, so woop woop!
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