Tim and I decided after we got married/bought a house that we wanted to meet with a financial planner and start really planning for our retirements, etc. How grown up of us, right?
Part of the planning process involves itemizing your household costs and bills, and detailing your saving measures.... you know the drill. Tim and I did something like this ourselves before we bought our house to ensure that we were choosing a property that fit our income and lifestyle. By "lifestyle" I mean..... we like to go out to eat. Go out with friends for drinks. Plan for expensive trips. Randomly stay the night away from home. Go to events that charge admission. Buy new clothes. Buy a dog?
Well, you can imagine that "financial planning" also includes a closer look at the murky bucket of "lifestyle" expenses, too.
jhgjghsfutrsytrhgsmmmmurkymoneybucketsssssshgfshgfs
I think Tim and I rationally know that by cutting back on our "lifestyle," we will reach our financial goals quicker. We get it. Occasionally, we will discuss "spending moratoriums" where we decide to cut back on going out, extra purchases, and non-essential expenditures.
And that lasts..... a day. It lasts until someone invites us out to do something. We can NEVER say no! Or, we don't have any plans for the weekend and we invite other people out for dinner. I think this is the late-20s peer pressure. Someone should make an after-school special that they show at happy hour.
I assume that we are actually like a lot of couples at this stage of our lives. We have made it far enough outside of college that our necessary financial bases are covered (read: bills), so we "feel" like we have extra money to throw at fun things.
We don't. With debt to pay down and savings goals to reach, we just don't. It's a really personal topic to write about in the blogosphere, but after talking it out with a few people, I think what I describe could hit close to home for a few readers.
So.... here is what I propose. Let's band together. I think the spiral starts when we assume that if we can't spend money, we can't spend time with our friends and we will feel left out. So, we go out.
I say we start making plans that don't involve shopping, eating together at a restaurant or bar tabs. Let's think of creative ways that we can enjoy each other's company and protect our financial futures (yes, I just said that).
In a nerdy way, I'm excited? I think this challenge opens the door to creativity, and as a bonus, we can work toward a real, long-term goal of financial security.
I hope I can keep posting on progress!
Part of the planning process involves itemizing your household costs and bills, and detailing your saving measures.... you know the drill. Tim and I did something like this ourselves before we bought our house to ensure that we were choosing a property that fit our income and lifestyle. By "lifestyle" I mean..... we like to go out to eat. Go out with friends for drinks. Plan for expensive trips. Randomly stay the night away from home. Go to events that charge admission. Buy new clothes. Buy a dog?
Well, you can imagine that "financial planning" also includes a closer look at the murky bucket of "lifestyle" expenses, too.
jhgjghsfutrsytrhgsmmmmurkymoneybucketsssssshgfshgfs
I think Tim and I rationally know that by cutting back on our "lifestyle," we will reach our financial goals quicker. We get it. Occasionally, we will discuss "spending moratoriums" where we decide to cut back on going out, extra purchases, and non-essential expenditures.
And that lasts..... a day. It lasts until someone invites us out to do something. We can NEVER say no! Or, we don't have any plans for the weekend and we invite other people out for dinner. I think this is the late-20s peer pressure. Someone should make an after-school special that they show at happy hour.
I assume that we are actually like a lot of couples at this stage of our lives. We have made it far enough outside of college that our necessary financial bases are covered (read: bills), so we "feel" like we have extra money to throw at fun things.
We don't. With debt to pay down and savings goals to reach, we just don't. It's a really personal topic to write about in the blogosphere, but after talking it out with a few people, I think what I describe could hit close to home for a few readers.
So.... here is what I propose. Let's band together. I think the spiral starts when we assume that if we can't spend money, we can't spend time with our friends and we will feel left out. So, we go out.
I say we start making plans that don't involve shopping, eating together at a restaurant or bar tabs. Let's think of creative ways that we can enjoy each other's company and protect our financial futures (yes, I just said that).
In a nerdy way, I'm excited? I think this challenge opens the door to creativity, and as a bonus, we can work toward a real, long-term goal of financial security.
I hope I can keep posting on progress!
Amen sister! We're right there with you!!
ReplyDelete