And although, yes, it does sound nice. And yes, I could think of a million things I could do with that money. I automatically said to him, that money isn't everything Andrew.
Sure, yes, it is very important. I hate to say very, but that is matter-of-fact. Money pays for our bills. Money pays for our home. Our cars. Our food. Our clothes. Our entertainment. And so forth.
However, that being said, when will we ever be satisfied with the amount of money that we have? Truly. And by we, I mean all of us as a society.
We are always working harder. Longer hours. More than one job. For what? To attain more. To have more. To feel more comfortable.
We are one of the most hard working countries out there. A country that doesn't believe in taking all of their vacation days offered to them a year. Which is so little to begin with, it makes me nauseous. We work up to the age of 70, if not longer. We work on Saturdays. Sometimes Sundays.
We have it all wrong.
Life should be about living. Not making money. It should be about enjoying the days off and spending time with our families the majority of our life... not working the most of it.
How many men out there do you know that work their butts off to provide for their SAHW {wives}. Honest question. Sometimes they are gone for weeks at a time. Sometimes they get up before anyone wakes up, and get home after everyone is in bed. Sometimes they don't even see their children until the weekend {if even that}.
All to provide.
But that is what they have to do to make ends meet. And they are amazing for doing so.
So I have to remind myself and my husband that money truly isn't everything. If you can pay the bills and spend time with your family and have the necessary things that you actually need then that is more than plenty. And we are fortunate to have all those things and more.
A roof over our head. Gas that provides us the ability to drive the vehicles we own. Clothes on our backs. Food on the table. And the ability to save for our future. And above all else?
A happy, healthy family.
Money can't buy much more than that.
except all the beautiful little material things... but who cares about that
right?.........
Hey Becky! I know you love to post and I just had an idea as I was reading this one on money. What is the story -details - of your parents coming to the US. I always love to hear stories like this. Or have you written about it before and I totally missed it?
ReplyDeleteThis is a daily topic at our house. My husband works 7 days a week, 70 to 80 hours a week to provide for us. We have been deciding whether this job is worth it (even though there is a promotion of promotion for the future). Money isn't the issue for me, even though his boss is offering him more to stay around... Family is more important to me! I'd rather be poor and be together than rich and never see him (because boss is rarely an option.)
ReplyDeleteSo true! We were talking about money last week with the lottery. We didn't buy a ticket. I would never want that much money, I think too much just becomes a burden.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely very true. Whenever I hear about how much someone is making or something like that I think to myself, boy I could do a lot with all that money, but then I realize that my fiance and I are perfectly content and happy with our money situation. It's tight sometimes, but we manage and still have time to enjoy life.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Petchie
http://itsallofthelittlethings.blogspot.com/
Everything you wrote could not be more true!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. We have friends who's hubby works 6-7 days a week. Its not cause they have to either, but just to accumulate more and more money into savings and just to have. Also he's in the construction field so he never knows when there will be work. But he will do side jobs when he has 2 little girls at home who Im sure would love for him to hang out with him instead.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true...it's amazing how much time we've focused on making money to create "better lives," instead of living our lives to make them better. Great post!
ReplyDeleteSoooo true! What I don't understand is why we feel the need to make so much! There are so many workers making 2x a regular salary to pay for a life that they can't enjoy because they are doing the work of 2 or 3 people! Why not cut your salary and get someone else to take part of the workload so that we have less unemployed and more time to enjoy what we have (oh, and statistics show that workers are no more productive if they work 12 vs 8 hrs. I'm just sayin'.....)
ReplyDeleteAmen! :)
ReplyDeleteThis topic has come up a lot in our home lately. My husband has been looking at various other jobs and applying at different companies in hopes of a higher salary. However, in the past couple of months- both of us got nie raises at our current job. I constantly remind him that I don't ever want him to do something JUST for the good money. We are comfortable and happy right now and enjoy our jobs!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I couldn't agree more. We have a lot of the same conversations in our house. My hubs works 6 days a week spring - fall and our one day a week of family time is not enough. He runs his own business and it's just par for the course I guess.
ReplyDeleteOur country does have it all wrong. If more companies would encourage their employees to use the paid time off they earn and create less stressful environments for their employees, we would all be better off. My BIL is the first one in and the last to leave most days which looks good to his boss for whatever stupid reason, however often he then doesn't see his girls at all in any one given day because of it. Worth it? It wouldn't be to me.
So so true. I was concerned when we found out we were pregnant that we wouldn't be able to afford the designer nursery (announced it today, so I can say that publicly) but we will have a place for our baby to sleep. And he or she will be LOVED! There's nothing more important.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree! My husband has high goals for himself and for us with our money. He wants to do things most people wish they could do. He's got a good head on his shoulders, but I try to remind him that money isn't everything. He knows that, but I just want him to realize I'd rather be 100% happy and at home raising my babies than driving fancy cars that we paid cash for. Life is all about family and love! :)
ReplyDeletehey momma, you're SO RIGHT. but it's easy to get caught up in....
ReplyDeletejust wanted to say I've been around--of course ALWAYS reading---and keeping up!
you're doing such a great job at ALL YOUR JOBS!
have a fabulous day with little princess Elliana!
Well said Becky!!!
ReplyDeleteI agreeeeeee but yet I still work several jobs & am constantly seeking more. It is nice though to stop & just enjoy the things in life that are completely free... like your boyfriend drooling on the couch??? yeah that's happening right now. LOL.
ReplyDeleteVery well said!!! People tend to forget about family & love!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Jessica
So true! This is exactly what I needed to hear.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a fabulous post and definitely something I needed to hear!
ReplyDeleteAmen sister...money can buy a lot of things...but in all honesty it really can't buy what is the most important!!
ReplyDeleteLove this post! So true. It makes me sad when people think they need to buy crap to make em happy
ReplyDeleteMoney is a vicious little thing isn't it? The more you make the more you spend the more you need more money...HA! Thanks for the reminder that happy healthy family is all we really need.
ReplyDeletegreat post! we get the important things confused sometimes-it's always good to rethink your priorities in life and get them straightened out :)
ReplyDeletehttp://babybakerlove.blogspot.com/
The subject of money worries me. I'm finding that in order for my fiance and I to afford a place to live together (not lavishly, just survive) that I basically need to take up another job but then I look at like it if I have 2 jobs, I'll never be home to spend time with him or be in our house. I just don't get how people can survive anymore. With lower paying jobs and more hours a week, it's impossible to enjoy life. There are so many things we want to do and see but we feel like we can't. It's depressing so thank you for having such a positive outlook on things! Sure I'd love to put my happiness and relationship before work, but unfortunately I cannot. I need to work to pay bills. How do people find a happy medium?
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree with this more. I wish I could have a job where like you I could work at night then sleep when he sleeps during the day, but as a hairstylist and having to works saturdays and late nights, I rather be with my family. We can't go spend like we used to, but we are here together as a family! Most important!
ReplyDeleteYou've got it right... it's all about organizing your priorities.
ReplyDeleteIm really glad you wrote a post on this. I was thinking something of the sort yesterday, I feel like we are not making enough but then again I look back at our first years together and it is like way less than how we are doing now. The job that my husband got is more than enough to pay for everything and more but for some reason there is always a reason to say it's not enough but in truth as long as we are happy and we get to have some fun, what do we need more money for. I get it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post. Very true! I think I will be sending your post over to my husband.
ReplyDeleteVery well said. I completely agree! We may not have excess to speak of, but ends are met and we afford the luxury of me staying home with our two boys. That's worth a whole bunch to me.
ReplyDeleteI've said this over and over again. And then again. It couldn't be more true. We are pretty much just working to afford life, when all the other things outside of work are the most beautiful and well...free. Money is necessary, but it truly doesn't buy happiness. At least, not ALL happiness. ha ha
ReplyDeleteI'm new to your blog and could not agree with this and love this post more. A while ago, my husband and I realized we weren't comfortable with how little we were putting aside for the future with just him working. He offered to get another job but I just couldn't let him. I couldn't handle the idea of him being around the little one even less than he already is working his already long hours. So I got a part time job (which ended up being great for me and the little one). Point is, we'll never have a huge house or tons of extra money, but we have days where we both get to lavish so much time and attention on the little one. That's worth way more than money in the bank.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true... I think this same exact thing all the time. My dad and hubby work so hard and so many long hours and it's so hard for them to get free time with out being tired. Money is important but definatly not everything! Such a great post!
ReplyDeletexo
I understand where this post is coming from, but I've been poor before. And it was hard to enjoy much of anything. We could barely afford our rent at that time. I lost a lot of sleep laying awake at night wondering how on earth we were going to make ends meet. I will tell you this, I sure do appreciate what we have now. I'm happy and content with it too. I don't need to win the lottery to be happy.
ReplyDeleteThis has been weighing so heavily on my mind lately. With our pending "sitaution" ;) ;) I've been thinking more and more about potentially being a SAHM/SAHW in the future. Especially since it may benefit us financially in the long run. It's so hard to think about though. In one way, I feel like not making money would put additional pressure on the BF to provide. :/
ReplyDelete