So I can live like no one else!
It's no secret that I listen to Dave Ramsey on an almost-daily basis... one of his favorite quotes to use is "Live like no one else so later you can LIVE like no one else!" It has become a daily mantra in my life and one of the main things that is getting us through this time of financial trials due to Eliot being in grad school.
Yes, I could go back to work... I've thought about it again and again, and I just can't do that to my marriage. I was MISERABLE working and being away from my husband, home, and family. I also didn't have time for my spiritual life or any sort of activity such at the Chorale. Eliot agrees that life is much easier for him with me at home, mainly because I am there to support him in many, many ways, from fixing a leaking kitchen sink to cooking dinner every night. I have a full-time job... I just don't earn an income.
Such as it is, our spending has become almost all saving since going on the Dave Ramsey plan (and having almost no money to spend after the bills anyway). I like to save, I don't mind piling up cash for emergencies (we're on baby step 3!!) and I know this is the best thing for our family, including our future children.
But sometimes it's just plain HARD to go without. So when I heard people writing in to Dave's show to finish the quote "Live like no one else so later I can..." with all kinds of dreams and future aspirations, it was heartening. It was a reminder that our situation is temporary, and that God will continue to provide for us if we can just hold out a few years longer...
I've decided to start making the list of all the things I will get to do later that I can't do now, just to remind myself of the light at the end of the tunnel.
I live like no one else so later I can:
...buy GOOD conditioner that I don't have to mix with another better-smelling but cheaper conditioner to keep the scent from making me gag (my current one smells like a medicine I took when I was little).
...take week-long all-inclusive Disney trips to every place they cruise to or set up a Kingdom. :-)
...take my kids with me to all those Disney places and watch them have the time of their lives!
...have children without worrying about how to pay for what they need.
...buy my husband any type of yogurt he wants regardless of price.
...shop for clothes somewhere besides the Old Navy bargain rack.
...be able to go into a bookstore and look at the description of the book before noticing the price.
...have Seattle's Best raspberry mocha kisses to my heart's content.
...buy a car (hopefully hybrid) without a huge dent that can get to 60mph faster than the Kia.
...eat out whenever we feel like it without thinking twice about the cost!
...give money to anyone in the family or who we know needs it, just because they need it and we have more than we need.
...retire in STYLE and live where we want!
...stay home with my children so they never have to go to daycare or come home to an empty house.
...buy a new raincoat that isn't falling to pieces and does repel rain.
...buy shoes more than once every two years.
...get a big grill for the back porch and have our friends over for bbq!
...buy ANY plants I want for the yard at ANY time, and be able to afford all the fertilizers to keep them growin'!
...purchase baby things for the kids that aren't ALL hand-me-downs or second-hand.
...take my mom to Italy and visit our relatives.
...FINALLY get to go to Telluride and stay in one of those ridiculously expensive ski resorts.
...go one a cruise in the Mediterranean for Eliot's graduation (now we're really dreaming...)
...have a really big tub with whirlpool jets.
...afford the medical bills associated with having babies!
...give money to the Oregon Chorale to sponsor something really spectacular.
...buy stemware that doesn't make a "thud" sound when you clink it.
...shop in any store I want to, or at least have the ability to even if I will always be a practical spender!
...get a full bedroom set, two recliners, and a couch that doesn't have plywood in it.
... buy a Wii with all the accessories!
...invest in a dining room table that isn't held together by giant screws (from where it cracked when we moved) and seats more than 4 people.
...find a way to have a separate room for Eliot's books and music so that I can have my bookshelves back.
...buy Dave Ramsey's book for anyone who is struggling with the weight of debt.
...never HAVE to shop at the DOLLAR TREE ever again!
...become a house sponsor for Ronald McDonald House.
...buy Eliot a new pillow.
...be able to give significant wedding/graduation/anniversary gifts to my friends and family.
...afford to keep the heat on longer and higher in the winter.
...have central air conditioning!
...OWN OUR HOUSE FREE AND CLEAR!!
...have a bigger porch with railings
...plant more blueberry bushes and enjoy a summer of fruit!
...buy organic (I grow organic, but it would be nice to buy organic as well)
...introduce fish and steak back into our diet.
...not have to have "meat free" meals more than once a week.
...travel to see family, no matter where we end up living.
...spending lots of quality time with my future children and husband and no time at all worrying about our finances or how we will pay the bills.
This is a very short list of what I want for our future, but I think it did the job of encouraging me that we are doing the right thing by waiting to have kids and getting Eliot through school debt-free.
There's a light that the end of this tunnel... only two more years!
Yes, I could go back to work... I've thought about it again and again, and I just can't do that to my marriage. I was MISERABLE working and being away from my husband, home, and family. I also didn't have time for my spiritual life or any sort of activity such at the Chorale. Eliot agrees that life is much easier for him with me at home, mainly because I am there to support him in many, many ways, from fixing a leaking kitchen sink to cooking dinner every night. I have a full-time job... I just don't earn an income.
Such as it is, our spending has become almost all saving since going on the Dave Ramsey plan (and having almost no money to spend after the bills anyway). I like to save, I don't mind piling up cash for emergencies (we're on baby step 3!!) and I know this is the best thing for our family, including our future children.
But sometimes it's just plain HARD to go without. So when I heard people writing in to Dave's show to finish the quote "Live like no one else so later I can..." with all kinds of dreams and future aspirations, it was heartening. It was a reminder that our situation is temporary, and that God will continue to provide for us if we can just hold out a few years longer...
I've decided to start making the list of all the things I will get to do later that I can't do now, just to remind myself of the light at the end of the tunnel.
I live like no one else so later I can:
...buy GOOD conditioner that I don't have to mix with another better-smelling but cheaper conditioner to keep the scent from making me gag (my current one smells like a medicine I took when I was little).
...take week-long all-inclusive Disney trips to every place they cruise to or set up a Kingdom. :-)
...take my kids with me to all those Disney places and watch them have the time of their lives!
...have children without worrying about how to pay for what they need.
...buy my husband any type of yogurt he wants regardless of price.
...shop for clothes somewhere besides the Old Navy bargain rack.
...be able to go into a bookstore and look at the description of the book before noticing the price.
...have Seattle's Best raspberry mocha kisses to my heart's content.
...buy a car (hopefully hybrid) without a huge dent that can get to 60mph faster than the Kia.
...eat out whenever we feel like it without thinking twice about the cost!
...give money to anyone in the family or who we know needs it, just because they need it and we have more than we need.
...retire in STYLE and live where we want!
...stay home with my children so they never have to go to daycare or come home to an empty house.
...buy a new raincoat that isn't falling to pieces and does repel rain.
...buy shoes more than once every two years.
...get a big grill for the back porch and have our friends over for bbq!
...buy ANY plants I want for the yard at ANY time, and be able to afford all the fertilizers to keep them growin'!
...purchase baby things for the kids that aren't ALL hand-me-downs or second-hand.
...take my mom to Italy and visit our relatives.
...FINALLY get to go to Telluride and stay in one of those ridiculously expensive ski resorts.
...go one a cruise in the Mediterranean for Eliot's graduation (now we're really dreaming...)
...have a really big tub with whirlpool jets.
...afford the medical bills associated with having babies!
...give money to the Oregon Chorale to sponsor something really spectacular.
...buy stemware that doesn't make a "thud" sound when you clink it.
...shop in any store I want to, or at least have the ability to even if I will always be a practical spender!
...get a full bedroom set, two recliners, and a couch that doesn't have plywood in it.
... buy a Wii with all the accessories!
...invest in a dining room table that isn't held together by giant screws (from where it cracked when we moved) and seats more than 4 people.
...find a way to have a separate room for Eliot's books and music so that I can have my bookshelves back.
...buy Dave Ramsey's book for anyone who is struggling with the weight of debt.
...never HAVE to shop at the DOLLAR TREE ever again!
...become a house sponsor for Ronald McDonald House.
...buy Eliot a new pillow.
...be able to give significant wedding/graduation/anniversary gifts to my friends and family.
...afford to keep the heat on longer and higher in the winter.
...have central air conditioning!
...OWN OUR HOUSE FREE AND CLEAR!!
...have a bigger porch with railings
...plant more blueberry bushes and enjoy a summer of fruit!
...buy organic (I grow organic, but it would be nice to buy organic as well)
...introduce fish and steak back into our diet.
...not have to have "meat free" meals more than once a week.
...travel to see family, no matter where we end up living.
...spending lots of quality time with my future children and husband and no time at all worrying about our finances or how we will pay the bills.
This is a very short list of what I want for our future, but I think it did the job of encouraging me that we are doing the right thing by waiting to have kids and getting Eliot through school debt-free.
There's a light that the end of this tunnel... only two more years!