boneyjean
Posted : 1/14/2011 12:25:11 PM
mrstjohnson
We do put some money aside to go to Mexico by ourselves and take Riley to CA to visit my parents (next month whoo hoo) so I guess it is not all black and bleak. Just get a little pang of jealousy when everyone goes out to lunch and I am eating PB&J at my desk. Although I know what you are talking about Nicole. These are usually the same people who can't understand how we can afford to go to Mexico. If you do the math and give up a little throughout the year it's really not hard (1 trip for 2 to all inclusive equals about 200 "out to lunch" meals). Trade off is definitely worth it, but the routine gets old.
Gina - everytime I think about blowing off our retirement savings account or cutting it short one week I think about my parents. At 65 they retired and now spend 3 wonderful months in Palm Springs, CA playing golf, laying by the pool, shopping, etc. They are living the high life which they greatly deserve! We would love to move out there but there is no way we could afford it at all. Housing and honestly taxes here are really cheap (for now). Although the recession killed Detroit, the ones that made it out alive will be better in the end I hope.
It is so common for people to live beyond their means, and you totally answered your own question there, you save, and give up some of the everyday luxuries (eating out) so you can afford to take a nice trip etc. And the cushion you are talking about, your friends probably don't have a cushion in savings at all...they just spend it all. You however have a cushion that they don't to fall back on in hard times. I see this all the time with my friends. I think some of them must have boat loads of debt to live the way they do. The only debt we have is for cars and a mortgage and it feels great! We pass up on eating out all the time to save money. I save so aggresively that I pretty much always feel completely broke for day to day living. It does stress me out, but at least I know in my heart we are not broke, it is all just waiting for it's intended use.
In looking for a new house, it is easy to get swept up in location and wants, but with really strict criteria, we were going to have to take some money out of retirement to comfortably live within our means to do it. I finally sat down with hubs last night and had a heart to hear and we are openign our search criteria up to include another area where I know we can get all the house we want for the money and has very highly rated elementary schools. It is slightly further than where we wanted to live, but really not bad. I feel so relieved today that we aren't going to get in over our heads b/c I was listening to him telling me that we could do this and that when he hadn't even put the pen to the paper...he leaves that up to me.
Man, my realtor is awesome. We have a showing today and another tomorrow that she feels are both very good possibilities b/c she has spoken to the realtors, and we have an open house on Sunday. She just called me from my house and it sweeping the porch and doing some little things to help make it look nicer on first impression. Part of the reason we chose her is because she sells a lot of the houses in our area, but more importantly, she walks the neighborhood and puts flyers on people's doors etc. I am really happy with her so far and will definately recommend her to friends.
ETA: I went to a party once where there was a pole dancing class. It was SO MUCH FUN!!!! I totally rocked the pole that night! hahaha