In Other Words

Growing pains

My dad sent me some money for my birthday (it's a bit hard to really send anything else, and the banks are accommodating in that way) so yesterday we had pizza and beer. That was pretty good, we hadn't had pizza in far too long, (two months, maybe more?).

Feeling very groggy today, though. Very annoying, I don't much like feeling groggy. It wasn't all that special of a night, so I am left wondering 'why am I feeling this way and why is my wallet feeling that way'. Sometimes you splash out and have no trouble with it. Other
times you go 'doh, wish I had considered matters slightly more carefully'.

Of course I still believe in my maxim 'if you have a problem either deal with it or accept it, everything else is whinging'. So, since I can do absolutely nothing about it, I might as well just accept it and make sure I don't do it next time.

A bit too much money flowing through my fingers. I can't help but notice that I'm still not very good with money. I think I was always at a disadvantage in that regard, however. Both my parents splurge often. My mom in a controlled, calculated way to improve her life,
while my dad just impulse buys as often as he can.

Nature and Nurture are against me on this one, so I guess I should be pleased with as far as I've gotten.

That reminds me of that story where a woman investigated and explored the lives of these really poor people in America somewhere. She basically spent a long time living with them in the edge of the burbs (I think they were Mexican, or something like that).

These people would sometimes get windfalls (like inheritance, lottery prizes or bonuses) yet the money would not improve their standard of living at all. The money would just disappear between them and their extended family, for things that weren't really necessary. (i.e. a
bigger TV when they already had one, or a night out for the boys, these people, this woman found, were not just poor because they didn't make a lot of money, but also because they chose to misspend their money when they got it. Their revenue was low, while their costs where high (to put it in economic terms). If they would have dropped their costs down then they would potentially have improved their status, but instead they wasted the money, while lamenting their fate.

I wonder if I'm like that? I wonder if I'm bad at managing my money? Directly a few people around me here in Australia jump to mind who are a hell of a lot worse, so I guess there is still hope for me. Still am I that bad? I sit here thinking about it and have to say 'not too bad'. For instance, banana and myself have been very good at keeping money physically tucked away, without feeling we have to spend it. We're improving, so thats good.

I imagine we could get better, but then do we want to? Do we want to eventually turn into misers that consider their money more important than their fun. I guess its a balance. How much of my money do I stick towards the future and how much do I put into enjoying the moment? When I left Singapore I would probably said nothing and all. Now I've grown a bit more careful. I remember how we arrived here and how we struggled and can't help but shudder. 'Not again' is what I said when it happened and I'll stick by that. So things have changed. Oh no, I'm growing up.

These people, this woman found, were not just poor because they didn't make a lot of money, but also because they chose to misspend their money when they got it. Their revenue was low, while their costs where high (to put it in economic terms). If they would have dropped their costs down then they would potentially have improved their status, but instead they wasted the money, while lamenting their fate.

I wonder if I'm like that? I wonder if I'm bad at managing my money? Directly a few people around me here in Australia jump to mind who are a hell of a lot worse, so I guess there is still hope for me. Still am I that bad? I sit here thinking about it and have to say 'not too
bad'. For instance, banana and myself have been very good at keeping money physically tucked away, without feeling we have to spend it. We're improving, so thats good.

I imagine we could get better, but then do we want to? Do we want to eventually turn into misers that consider their money more important than their fun. I guess its a balance. How much of my money do I stick towards the future and how much do I put into enjoying the moment? When I left Singapore I would probably said nothing and all. Now I've grown a bit more careful.

I remember how we arrived here and how we struggled and can't help but shudder. 'Not again' is what I said when it happened and I'll stick by that. So things have changed.

Oh no, I'm growing up.

posted by Symbol @ 9.4.05