I haven't purchased any food or drink anywhere other than at the grocery store in the last 17 days! No restaurants, no coffee shops, no convenience stores. It was only half intentional but once I realized it had been two weeks, I was pretty pumped! I'm also on day 5 of no spending.
I finally succumbed to the cold virus going around the office, but I'm getting over it faster than any other cold in my life. I'm not sure why; perhaps my supplement regime is helping.
I've been floating in and out of feeling really frustrated by the cost of cars and homes and where my life is now vs where I think it should be. I looked into cheaper sedans instead of small SUVs, but a 5-inch road clearance in the winter seems personally unsafe. These city roads don't get plowed well, and visiting my parents involves driving 500 miles into desolate country. I toyed with the idea of attending a $40 homebuying class this weekend, but you have to buy a home within a year of attending to qualify for downpayment assistance programs. I don't see that realistically happening, as much as I desperately want it to.
I realize I shouldn't compare my life to other people my age - but it's so hard not to when FB friends I graduated from college with are company vice presidents living in mansions with huge pools and driving luxury vehicles. I wish someone had shook me 20 years ago and said, "Do not major in frivolous things, you need an actual PLAN!"
The problem then, as it is now, is that the things I actually enjoy doing do not pay life-sustaining salaries. That was marginally ok when I had a partner - not so much anymore.
It's March. I'm always melancholy in March! Is it spring yet?
17 days
March 10th, 2017 at 09:26 pm
March 11th, 2017 at 12:20 am 1489191633
It can get frustrating if you compare yourself to others, been there. I tell myself (and my kids!) that there are lots of different paths we can take on this life journey, and each step leads to another opportunity. One life is not "better" than another, they just took different steps. Try to focus on what you want for yourself and use that desire to motivate rather than to let it make you feel bad about yourself. Spring is around the corner!
March 11th, 2017 at 12:51 am 1489193471
March 11th, 2017 at 12:59 am 1489193954
March 11th, 2017 at 01:51 am 1489197116
March 11th, 2017 at 05:10 am 1489209013
Good job on the spending!
March 11th, 2017 at 06:44 am 1489214643
March 11th, 2017 at 10:50 am 1489229458
March 11th, 2017 at 09:08 pm 1489266514
Comparing yourself to someone else only makes you feel like a failure. So, you made some errors. Look at what you are doing now. I'd say you have quite an accomplishment of not eating out for 17 days! You are watching your money now. Far better than to lose everything and then start over.
As for those folks who are living high. OK, maybe they are doing well. But then again, maybe they are just showing they are doing well. I worked with someone who made far more money than I did. When he got a better paying job, he moved into a bigger house. He was always buying things. Lots of fancy things. Trading cars every few years. Going on big vacations. And he made big money. He retired with a very generous pension. I will admit I was jealous...after all, bigger house, fancier cars, nicer vacations, lots of spending. It was all for show. He owes big money on his house because he keeps borrowing on the equity to pay for things, like vacations. He has never paid off a car and the one he just bought is a seven year loan because he had to roll over the balance...and he wasn't sure if he could afford it. And, he took a huge vacation a couple of years ago -- bigger than ever before -- and now they can't do much because his credit is maxed out. He never learned to live within his means. He gets very snarky if he learns we do anything. He cut off my conversation when I was talking about our trip to Savannah in January. Our home isn't as big or as fancy as his, but it is paid for. Both vehicles are paid for. And we live within our means. So, don't get down because these other folks appear to have more. Maybe, maybe not!
March 12th, 2017 at 02:53 pm 1489330425
Remember the advice from "The Millionaire Next Door" series: it's what is on your net worth statement, not your income statement, that matters, and too often those with big incomes and large lifestyles are "under-accumulators of wealth" and worse off in the long run tan those with modest lifestyles and a frugal budget.