Lilypie 3rd Birthday Ticker Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker (Mrs.) Carn-Dog's comments: Learning How to Spend Money

Sunday, February 26, 2006

Learning How to Spend Money

Note: this has nothing to do with my post. I have a question. Should I rent North Country for $4 because it is not worth owning, but should still be seen? Or should I spend $8 because you can guarantee me I’m going to love it or it is at least worth owning?

o.k. now for my post

I’ve learned a lot about life being married. Probably the area that has been most difficult for me to adjust to is money management. If you ask me, I would say that I’m the bad guy in the marriage that has to say no to buying the luxury items. My wife might take issue with this comment. In the end, we spend about the same on unnecessary items each month. Her with her scrap booking, stamping, knitting habits and me with my D.V.D. collecting, mountain biking, reading habits. I like to save as much as possible and I suppose it is true that my wife does too, but I argue that she just doesn’t see the budget in her head when making fiscal decisions.

Here is one invaluable lesson I’ve learned from her on spending money. If it is about people, it is worth it. Before we got married, I hated buying wedding presents for people. What a waste of money. Then I got married. Perspective changes! Since I’ve gotten married, that has become a bigger priority. Here’s another one. Saturday night the Dugans, Craig, Harris, Singlteton and us, all went out to eat at La Fiesta. Lindsay and I got pre-dinner drinks that came to $10.00 with a tip and dinner was $26.00 after the tip. Now, in the olden days that would have disgruntled me. “What a waste of money,” I would have said to myself. My wife has taught me that, that time with those people is worth more than all the D.V.D.’s and knitting needles money can buy. Some day we will move away and be gone and the possibility of eating with those particular people will be gone forever. So what I have learned is to not go home fire up the computer and visit wellsfargo.com, but rather to enjoy every ounce of friendship because it is most definitely a gift.

3 comments:

harris said...

good job lindsay on pointing that out.

greenISgood said...

Ok, your post reminded me how much money we actually spent at "The Party" on Sat, just when I had folded up my marguerita receipts in a nice neat little bin I like to call "Denial". But you assuaged my distress by the time I finished reading. Investment in friendship, though at times costly, pays untold dividends. Your wife is a wise woman - Best keep listnening to her.

Anonymous said...

atta baby lindsay :)