Every single year of my adult life around mid-February I start fantasizing about a tropical getaway and can even let myself get a bit depressed about. It certainly doesn't help that nowadays your facebook newsfeed is dotted with pictures of people doing just that - having the time of their lives on a tropical getaway. Even the kids are coming home with writing assignments that indicate they have been daydreaming of days at the beach that seem so long ago. Austin brought home an assignment just yesterday that went like this: "I like it when it is hot out because you get to play outside, go camping, and swimming. I like going swimming outside."
I've been reading Suze Orman's new book - The Money Class, which is basically about creating the "new" American Dream. It's about facing the reality of our economy as it is now and what we can do to secure a better financial life now and in the future. She talks about not only living within your means (nothing new to me as a Mormon) but living BELOW your means and within your needs so that you can start saving. She says your first priority is to face your financial truth by analyzing and tracking your expenditures, your assets and liabilities (something I do and have done for a long time). Next she says to make it a priority to build an 8 month emergency fund, so that if you were to loose your job you'd have money there or also just for those things in "life" that happen - medical emergencies, car breakdowns, etc. She talks about how doing this is certainly not easy in our society when we have so many voices urging us to spend, spend, spend. I am going to quote her, because she says it better than I can:
"I have a favorite saying that I recall whenever I need help to stand in my truth: The elephant keeps walking while the dog keeps barking. The elephant stays on course, moving toward its goal, regardless of the barking noise that swirls around him..." She likens the barking dog to the enticements around us to spend money - "the sounds of excitement coming out of restaurants, the persuasive ads, the pages of glossy magazines telling you about the must haves of the season." The elephant keeps walking, and surely and steadily it arrives at it's destination.
So, even though I could take $4,000 right now and take my family to Hawaii for a week or go to Disneyland, I am going to choose to be responsible and keep working toward our goal of rebuilding an 8 month's savings (we were set back by Keith's layoff last year), and not be distracted by temptations around me. Now, I am not at all saying that anybody who has taken such a vacation this year is being financially irresponsible. I'm just speaking for myself right now - my own truth.
3 comments:
Really, just what I needed to hear! Thanks for sharing and inspiring me...I need to be like that elephant in all sorts of ways! And I loved the pictures! You are talented! xxoo rachel
LOL I was like oh dear, she's talking to tropical getaways and she's feeling fat and depressed. Glad it wasnt quite that ;) I've been wanting to read her new book, is it good? I'm assuming yes.... PS - Camping trips with the Noyes's were just as fun as other more expensive trips.
I had to read through your blog, cause I remember you telling me you mentioned me on here! :) Thanks for the compliment... I love to write, while I probably write too much and share too much... it's really therapeutic for me! :)
love that quote, about the elephant, that is GREAT! I too- need to be more like the elephant, and there are sooooooooooooooo many distractions around us- all the time- in many areas of life! that is great, thanks for sharing,
AWESOME pictures, the beach, Tori w/ the dog...oh you have an awesome talent!
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