Financial Boredom/Apathy
Posted on March 14, 2008 by Him and tagged finances
If you haven't noticed, it's been a little quiet at Make Love, Not Debt headquarters. The reason: we've hit a financial lull. Compared to our finances 2 years ago, things are going pretty swimmingly around here. And that's a problem.
With the weather warming up, our new budgeting scheme, and wedding planning all going on, we find that having the same enthusiasm for finances is tough.
Add to that my general malaise about finances - I've often thought that dealing with finances are more like a necessary evil, much like cleaning toilets or having to be nice to my future mother-in-law. Finances are boring. Seriously. Like, I'd-rather-be-stabbed-in-the-eye boring. The more I could automate our finances, make them become more of a background fixture to our lives, the happier I would become. Out of sight, out of mind?
But it isn't that simple. Money does make the world go 'round. We can't spend willy nilly on anything and everything, lest we face the dire consequences.
Maybe this is a turning point - instead of thinking about money and how it affects us, maybe we should be thinking more of the role money plays in our lives.
What the hell does that even mean?
Ick, I'm rambling on the internet. Hey, this is a blog, after all.
(normal financial blogging to resume shortly...)
Comments/Trackbacks
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ldub | Mar 15, 2008
i think it would be interesting for you to start speculating a little bit more about what positive net worth will mean for you and how you'll handle that. i'm nearing that point myself, and i really, umm, i have no idea how i'm going to deal with it appropriately! it's funny when your goals start switching from getting out of a hole to building something... like, instead of "i want to pay off my consumer debt in one year," you have to be like, "i want to save $10,000 for xxx future thing that might be really, really far off anyway..."
Kate | Mar 17, 2008
There may be a good lesson for all of us in this, which is that once you clean up your financial messes, automate your payments and figure out how to stick to a reasonable spending plan, your finances don't have to be much work.
anon | Mar 18, 2008
Yes, but you guys are still in debt. So you still have work to do. I would enjoy reading about how you invest and deal with the current market. My net worth has barely changed over the past 3 months because of the market and I am focusing on building up my cash savings for a down payment or to buy stocks at bargain basement prices. Anyways, I think one should never stop managing his/her/their money because life is constanly changing. Hope you feel inspired again soon. I enjoy reading the blog.
Gigi | Mar 18, 2008
It's the weather. Sunny and cold then misting and cold and sleet. I'm sure you'll snap out of it when it finally warms up here.
Perhaps you just need to set a new goal. I know wedding planning is all consuming, but where do you want to be after that? Set 3 month, 6 month, 1 year, 5 year 10 year goals.
Also, you still have a negative net worth. You aren't done yet. Perhaps one goal is to pay down 10% of your student loans 6 months after the wedding.
I totally agree. I'd much rather waste away to nothingness than lift a finger to save a penny, and that's the truth. Finances, forms, records, statements... it drives me crazy. That's why I'm taking baby steps on the way to my financial recovery. No big words. No getting stabbed in the eye. Just some leisurely, heavy thrifting. =)
JV | Mar 18, 2008
Financial boredom is a good thing as 'Kate' mentions above. Not having financial stress is a huge health benefit that shouldn't be taken lightly. I have had the same duldrums over the years after getting my financial act together a several years ago. I find it particularly boring when you go through a recession-like time in the stock market that we are seeing now. However, I also find it exciting when the rebound happens and all of a sudden your net worth jumps 20% in a year. In boring times, focus on the next budget item. I keep a 3 year rolling 'wish list' of big ticket items or vacation plans I want to do, then figure out how to prioritize them and pay for them while still meeting your long-term financial goals. My wife and I have have discussions on our 'list' frequently and bring it with us when we sit down with our financial planner once or twice a year.
moominoid | Mar 14, 2008
Maybe you should expand your blog to cover other topics if finance isn't your main interest now the crisis is over.
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