i just wrapped up a book that i really got a lot out of!! to be honest it's something that i've been struggling with for years, but wasn't sure how to put my finger on it. in the last year or so i've been doing so much self-reflection that i was able to articulate what i was struggling with: "my seduction into the world of material things ... or keeping up with the executive jones'". it became an issue for me when woke up to find all of my friends we're more focused on the car that you drive and the handbag you carry than anything else. that wasn't how i had been raised? honestly that really tugged at some of my core "thrifty" values. but I was stuck ... i knew what my issue(s) really was but didn't know what to do about it. iI had read some of laura vanderkam's other books and saw that she had a new book out: "all the money in the world: what the happiest people know about getting and spending." i knew i had to add it to my reading list.
this book was just what i needed!! it put into words questions i really needed to pose back to myself:
- what do the things you spend money on say about your values;
- how do you use your money to buy the things that are going to make you most happy;
- how can you look at your job as something that brings you happiness AND income?
and i was able to create an action plan for how to turn my situation and feelings around:
- plan more family experiences - as studies show experiences make you happier than things;
- how do i teach my kids about money & happiness;
- find a job that you would enjoy doing into retirement; don't look as work as sentence until the freedom or retirement;
- look at our expenses and lower the frivolous spending, therefore lowering the dependence on my salary - as much.
one of the other things that i did while reading was to sit down and have a very long conversation with the hubs about his views of money & happiness and mine. for the most part we're on the same page but again i could find my inner material girl and stray for a bit. he, being the practical spender, was delighted (i think) to hear my new views on money and spending; however, he was not as delighted to hear that i resent the dependence on the size of my income - but he understands and we had one of the best "planning for the future" conversations we've had in a long time!
i know i still have a lot of work to do and, quite honestly, a lot of habits to reverse. but i'm up to the challenge and to be honest the last couple of weeks i've been happier and had more inner contentedness than i've had for a long time.
thanks laura - great book!!!
p.s. i would recommend this book to anyone, but particularly kids coming out of high school or college ... in a few years my nephews are going to get copies.
