Week 48 - Financial Matters

My financial situation and thoughts are shaped by many things in my life – up until four months ago I was all about spending as little as possible, buying the cheapest things, forsaking quality for “good buys” and basically saving. That’s not to say I didn’t have some bad habits – I played the pokies and yes I played them hard. There has never been a time when I haven’t met my financial responsibilities.  My parents were very frugal with money – actually they were over the top with saving money. Other family members were not so frugal with money and I wanted to be somewhere in the middle – well that was until four months ago when my sister passed away. Now things are different.

I am doing so many new things, courses, fun runs, going out and buying things I want.

I’ve also stopped doing things – I don’t play the pokies anymore, I don’t waste money on things I don’t need.

My husband and I are on the same wavelength with money – actually we have always been.

We both work and we have a good life we pay our bills, buy things we want, give to charity and have enough money to do want we want.  The thing is we don’t want a lot – or what we want doesn’t cost a lot.  I’m not into big houses, fancy cars, overseas holidays or the “fancy” stuff in life. We live a simple happy life where we enjoy what we do.

Since my sister passed it is more important to me than ever to enjoy life – live in the now, who knows what the future will bring. This new way of thinking is also tempered with the need for stability so whilst I am spending I am also keeping an eye on what I am spending, I save up for things and I still save with my purchases.  But I don’t sacrifice quality anymore. So some things have changed.

Lets not kid ourselves money is important but more specifically financial security is very important. The last thing I want to do is leave big bills to my son. My aim in life is to have enough to do enough while leaving enough.

I am very rich in so many ways it may not be financial or assets but it is what is important to me. I have a wonderful family, great friends, a terrific life filled with many amazing things. I am privileged in so many ways that it gives me great joy to give to others and for me that is enough.

I’d like to share a very special moment with you – my work put on a Christmas fair yesterday and today for special needs kids and kids from work.  It was amazing we’ve been fundraising for a couple of months and working on a number of things.  There were over a 100 special needs kids plus a 100 staff kids.  Yes it was huge.  I won’t go into all the details but it was a Christmas wonderland filled with displays, nativity play, card making, cup cake decorating, picture frame decorating, computer games, games and so much more.

Not only did I do heaps of fundraising  I worked on the Nativity play and ran the card making – it was really fun. I had a great time helping the kids make the cards. After spending 6 hours setting up and running the card making last night and then backing up for another 5 hours today with aching legs and back the most amazing thing happened……………

In the last hour a special needs girl made a card for her mum, she gave the card to her mum and told her how much she loved her. It was truly beautiful, she then thanked us for helping her again and again. She was so very happy and then she wished us a very merry Christmas. As we returned the Christmas greeting she held out her hand to me so I shook it. She turned my hand over and kissed the back of my hand. I couldn’t believe the emotion I felt at that moment.  I was overwhelmed with emotion. This small act of thanks from this very special child meant so much to me and I can honestly say it has made a very big impact on me.  I feel so very rich today.  It is true when we give we receive.

Yes my life is a very full, happy and rich life and really that is all that matters.
http://www.homelifesimplified.com.au/simplify-your-life-week-49-money-reducing-outgoing-to-meet-goals/