shishnit.org

cluttering up the internet since 2001

 

ahh books, what a wicked habit I have

Last month (August) I spent a whopping total of $78 on books.  One of which was for a college course.  I purchased 13 books, so that’s an average of $6 per book.  If I take out the $24 book I bought for a college course, it averages to $4.50 per book.  It takes me on average of 3 to 4 hours to complete a book, therefore I am providing myself with 48 hours of awesome entertainment for $1.12 per hour.  (I removed the cost and entertainment hours that my college book for $24 would be because that’s not entertainment, that’s education).  $1.12 per hour for my entertainment budget for the month. 

That’s less than some people’s booze allowance and when I spend time with my family, I do so always sober so I’m completely present.  When I have conversations with people I’m doing so with all of my brain cells and I’m not slurring my words, and because I read all of those books I can communicate intellectually.

Geesh…I better quit my one less than stellar spending habit because clearly the rewards aren’t worth it….right?  Someone pass me a beer, I want to become a mindless twit who get’s angry over differing opinions and can someone help me eat $700 worth of groceries this month..because I don’t know how in the hell we could do that without a lot of help.

Sometimes I wish people had to walk around for just one damn day with their FICO score on their foreheads so as a society we might consider our poor choices.

p.s. don’t buy books…they kill trees and are a stupid investment to some.

p.s.s. some of my book purchases for the month (ie the ones not for college) were e-books for my Sony Ebook reader.  I love trees.

Filed under : money
By shishnit
On September 25, 2008
At 12:34 am
Comments : 2
 
 

things don’t own me, financial empowerment is bliss

I just read this budget in a blog.

“Let me preface this by saying that I have been trying to keep our discretionary budget under $2,000 a month.  The budget is like so:

Entertainment - $50

Booze - $100

Other - $50

Clothes - $200

Gas/Auto - $350

Dining Out - $150

Kids - $50

Household - $300

Groceries - $700

TOTAL $1,950”

This rather long crazy list really struck me for several reasons.

This person has money and they can do whatever they wish, I fully believe that to be the case.  However, one reason I enjoy reading blogs is to understand how other’s choose to live and why.  This budget for things that are not necessarily necessities (entertainment, booze, other, dining out being those items) is larger than my total monthly bills minus my mortgage each month.

I also find it sad that Entertainment, Booze and Other are more than what they choose to spend on their children for the month.  I didn’t include dining out in there because perhaps they do in fact take the children out to eat. Who knows, I’m just reading a blog.

I just counted up all my expenditures for the month of September (yes I have a budget too). My total bills for the entire month were $2490.  I might even throw another $200 at that just to be fair and add in things I may have overlooked.

Imagine if people just lived normally instead of having an attitude that “more is better” and “who cares, we work hard for it”.  Perhaps our economy and the society we live in would be better if we all didn’t think we deserved whatever we wanted and could afford and in many cases things people can’t afford.  This person calls this their discretionary budget.  How many other millions of people live like that and justify it?  Am I the only soul that lives below my means in an effort to ensure a decent future, a future where there is no social security, where there is no guarantee, where the economy is going to total shit and we need to consider a rainy day??

Rick and I live far below our means.  I save money, so does he.  We have a good life.  We aren’t living paycheck to paycheck.  We do eat, and I do purchase books.  And if something happened to him, I would be able to maintain our life.  I might not be able to save as much money as I do, but I could keep what we have and would be ok.  We own two cars. Read that correctly, OWN.  As in paid for.

My discretionary budget includes books, CD’s, rental movies, etc.  And as most of my few readers know, I live 10 minutes from the most beautiful beaches in Florida in a middle class moderate neighborhood.  My budget also includes any and all expenses I incur due to being a full time college student.I expect to graduate college in February and when I obtain a better paying job I intend to add nothing to our monthly outgoing bills.  IE: I won’t be spending money every month on useless things just because I can.  I will just add more to savings and perhaps look into investments.

How much stuff is enough?  How much do you spend on unnecessary things?  Do you live below your means?  Do you live paycheck to paycheck?  How do you decide how to spend your money?

I get credit card offers all the time, I throw them away.  I have a good life and I don’t spend tons of money to have it.  I deserve financial peace of mind. I deserve savings and a safety net.  I am working on the latter two.  My monthly book purchasing budget equals their booze one and I suppose I could always sell my books and gain back some return. However, I’m fueling my brain not killing my liver.

This is not about that particular family.  It’s about America and the financial state we are in and the type of “the world owes me everything I want” attitude that dominates in America. The mere notion that we deserve THINGS and that THINGS in fact make us happy???

The biggest thing I covet is my knowledge that my simple easy going lifestyle is abundant to my soul.  My realization that I need for nothing is really a blessing. 

p.s. I think when my income increases I’ll definitely have a larger “charity” budget. 
 

Filed under : money
By shishnit
On September 23, 2008
At 8:52 pm
Comments : 8