Mr. Barefoot and I had an interesting discussion a week or so ago. We were talking about finances, and having a plan for our lives, and all sorts of serious things that get dropped by the wayside when you are too busy.
It came up that he thinks I should probably go back to school so that I can make more money. Or change jobs so that I can make more money. Or do something.....ANYTHING....to make more money.
He has a point. Really, we always make ends meet, but it is always tough. I WANT to go back to school, but I have no desire to be in any line of work other than the one I am in. Well, I don't even desire to really be doing what I am, but that is a different story...
And then there is the thought that we SHOULD be able to make it just fine on what we bring home. It will never be a luxurious life, but I don't really want that either. So it keeps coming back to the question 'what is enough?'. What if my idea of enough isn't the same as Mr. Barefoot's?
Ugh, my meds just aren't up to dealing with this right now....
6 comments:
Ah, the double edged sword coming to poke you in the butt! Are you still working two jobs, or just the main one?? If two, then maybe he has a point.
I feel your pain, here. Studly is insistent that I apply for the nursing program as a backup if I don't get into the radiography program again. I don't really WANT to be a nurse, but after 25 years of bringing in ALL the money, I think he wants a break. I can understand... but I don't have to like it!!
Lisa-
Of course I am still working two jobs....I don't know what I would do if I only had one!
I know what you mean about not wanting to be a nurse...I started going to school to get my prerequisites for the nursing program once upon a time, and then I started paying attention to what a nurses job really is....Ugh, I don't wanna do that.
Anyway, we will figure something out....we always do!
For a very long time, my husband insisted that the way to financial freedom was to make more money, but when circumstances forced us to try to live on less, we realized that we could, very easily, and without feeling any depravation.
The thing is, we were willing to give up a lot of things we used to think we needed - like shopping as a hobby (we go to the mall once a year, now, whereas before we were there a couple times a week). We spend a lot more time at home. We spend a lot of time reading. I cook more at home. We do a lot more ourselves rather than hiring someone to do things we can do much less expensively. We don't buy "toys" either for ourselves or our children, unless the "toy" in question will help get us closer to being self-sufficient.
I guess that was the bottom line for us. The goal is to be self-sufficient and to be able to live without much money, and so we have had to figure out how to reduce our income needs ... and we have. It's been a very exciting challenge to figure out where we can cut expenses. The biggest leap has been to cut the cable, but it's turned out to not be a big deal.
And just to be clear, my husband was not for most of the things I proposed ... in the beginning, but as we started to have more cash, he started to change his mind. I just had to do it all myself, at first, but he's since come around. I even mentioned an outhouse today, and he didn't roll his eyes, which is a HUGE step :).
One of the blogs I read, A Foothill Home Companion, mentioned something about living with less. One of the lines she wrote was: Instead of making more money, spend less money.
We have taken a lot of little steps to get to where we are, where we can afford to live on part-time wages of 7.50 an hour. Easy? Hell no. But it gets easier. We went from 80 thou a year, to 40 to less than 20. And you know what? We have less debt now than when we were making 80.
We go without a lot of items, which at first, we complained about. But the longer we went without, we found we didn't need them after all. Our "need" and "want" lists have really changed and we are happy. Truly happy, because we have less bills (only mortgage and utilities), Husband is home more, and we have less distractions to keep us separate as a family.
Maybe you guys need to re-evaluate your priorities?
Hey Wendy-- we talked about putting in an outhouse, too!! Maybe next year.. :o)
Hi Barefoot,
I say you just need to keep on doing what you're doing, I mean, seriously how could you manage The Sprouts and your home and working too while trying to go back to school?? I know you're a lot younger and more energetic than I am, but I would worry about you stretching your female superpowers to the limit!
Sounds like Wendy and Jenny are well on the path that I would love to follow some day -- simpler is definitely better.
Wendy-
Mr. Barefoot saw your comment, and told me that we could have an outhouse if he got to keep cable. Tells you where his priorities are!
Jenny-
This is exactly my point! That there are things in life that should be so much more important than the wage-slavery.
Ruthie-
Thanks for the support, hon! Maybe I should start a petition among my bloggie friends to convince Mr. Barefoot that things are just fine?
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