tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8464904.post114153183354229267..comments2023-10-30T06:34:56.477-07:00Comments on Just Another Day: Saturday Soapbox Or, Weekend Economics-How to Drive Your Readers Away in Less than 30 SecondsGinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604097511444010759noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8464904.post-1143052206467938122006-03-22T10:30:00.000-08:002006-03-22T10:30:00.000-08:00I find that whole "spend spend spend" mentality sh...I find that whole "spend spend spend" mentality shocking. Hubby and I are aggresive investors, and live quite frugally. Well, we have to now since I quit work to volunteer, but even with both incomes, paying off the mortgage and retirement savings take precidence over almost everything. I say almost, because, well, we still enjoy the odd splurge every now and then.<BR/><BR/>Sometimes I am a bit envious of my friends, who on a whim fly to Vegas, or book two week trips to Hawaii, or buy a new outfit everytime they go out...but the greedy grinch inside reminds myself that we're building personal wealth and will retire early and comfortably long before most. :)karlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05483505184799130550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8464904.post-1142023315988676392006-03-10T12:41:00.000-08:002006-03-10T12:41:00.000-08:00I was raised by two New Englanders who managed to ...I was raised by two New Englanders who managed to live thru the Great Depression. To this day, my 84-year-old father will NOT eat pork 'n' beans because he survived on them so much as a child, ha! I'm not the least materialistic and never have been. I spent many years as a SAHM when my kids were younger and we never gave them fancy trips to Disneyland and they survived just fine, thank you very much. As adults they often tell Dear Hubby and me that they wouldn't trade their childhoods for anything because they felt like they got the best. I don't need anything...I want even less...and 99.9% of the time I'm blissfully happy right where I'm at.MissKrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12726021829363492972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8464904.post-1141824796809993062006-03-08T05:33:00.000-08:002006-03-08T05:33:00.000-08:00I've never bothered feeling jealous when other peo...I've never bothered feeling jealous when other people have nicer things than me. But then I've never been particularly materialistic.<BR/><BR/>The past few years, despite having a kid in college, our household has implemented the most aggressive savings plan ever. It's more than a state of mind.<BR/><BR/>SuzanneSuzannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17832720652240317984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8464904.post-1141680034832798012006-03-06T13:20:00.000-08:002006-03-06T13:20:00.000-08:00I agree Gina, and I think about this a lot. It's o...I agree Gina, and I think about this a lot. It's on my mind when people spend $50 for toddler shoes, when every mother in the mall is pushing a $900 baby stroller, when the teenager next door comes home in his Sean John sweatsuit. We try to save and spend carefully, but it is definitely true in my marriage that I am the saver and Lance is the spender. I drive a much nicer car than I need to, which Lance insisted on because of the safety factor. He also drives a nice car, and only for a minute considered something more practical. But other than that, we don't spend a lot on things, and we definitely don't spend beyond our means. If we do the remodel, though, that will be a stretch. And sometimes I think we should just make do with the small house.<BR/><BR/>Lots to think about!Piece of Workhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07330147978064465604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8464904.post-1141654977805598502006-03-06T06:22:00.000-08:002006-03-06T06:22:00.000-08:00It's kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don...It's kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don't thing, since after 9-11, what were we told? "We're all in this together"? "Sacrafice for your country"? Nope. We were told to go shopping. To spend spend spend. That seemed so barbaric a thing to say to me, that I will never forget it. So people spend (not because GW told them to, but because they enjoy it), and the economy stays stronger. If they save, the economy weakens. But, of course, not saving at all, them's some mighty big chickens that will eventually come home to roost, and it won't be fun.<BR/><BR/>Good post, and you're right, we all need to save more. At least most of us. Sounds like your husband is already all over that. ;)Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00653383372182667361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8464904.post-1141601599794346242006-03-05T15:33:00.000-08:002006-03-05T15:33:00.000-08:00Preach it, sistah! I'm right up there on that soa...Preach it, sistah! I'm right up there on that soapbox with you. We had to cut back alot too when Marcel decided to stay home with the girls, but we haven't regretted it a bit. All the extra stuff we could have bought if we'd both kept working would only have served to clutter our house more - who needs that?Heather Pletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01975795000759157299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8464904.post-1141584954696678142006-03-05T10:55:00.000-08:002006-03-05T10:55:00.000-08:00I spent years and years when I was in grad school ...I spent years and years when I was in grad school having lousy financial habits -- and I was just trying to get by with basics, not have the latest and greatest. Thank goodness I improved my habits over the past few years, so that I had some bit of money to help me through this health crisis -- but I still couldn't have done it without help from my parents.<BR/><BR/>Can we really be surprised, though, about our nation's habits? Look at what the media shoves at us? And no, we don't have to listen, but when it is drilled into you 24/7 from the time you are a young kid, what can you expect?Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15742583163900228027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8464904.post-1141577594809173362006-03-05T08:53:00.000-08:002006-03-05T08:53:00.000-08:00I am on the same page as you are. I find it crazy...I am on the same page as you are. I find it crazy how so many people are just barely hanging on, one paycheck from disaster. My brother in law and his wife are very much into things. My husband and I sit back with our nice fat savings account and wait for disaster to happen because we know it will some day soon. He already had to work a ton of extra shifts to cover christmas gifts. I like having nothing too expensive because it means we have no reason for someone to break into our house.Awesome Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03523320907836876707noreply@blogger.com