Frugal Friday - One Thing That Makes Me Truly Rich
A few years ago, my job ended (the grant I was paid under ended and so did my job) and I went back to school.
I started during a summer session and that summer session and the fall were awesome. I didn't teach over the summer, just took one class and spent time in and on my home, and with my family and friends. I only taught one class in the fall, using my half tuition waver and my pay to pay the rest of that tuition. I took 3 classes, but I still had ample time to spend with my family and friends and get anything at home I wanted to done.
That spring semester was another story. I was teaching 3 classes and taking 3. I did have a full tuition waver, which allowed us to put my entire paycheck into savings for future tuition payments. John had plenty of overtime and that kind of thing but I started feeling 'poor.'
I had a conversation with John where I expressed how frustrated I was with the whole financial picture and how "poor" I felt we were. He asked if I really thought we were poor. My answer? "No." I knew we weren't. I couldn't figure out what the difference was.
So I thought about it for a while. I started to compare the two previous semesters with this one and realized that the only real difference was time.
I had had plenty of 'free' time to get done what I needed to.
I wasn't rushed.
I wasn't overloaded and overwhelmed.
So since then my goal has been to keep my schedule less overloaded. Oh, I have plenty of days when I feel like I'm rushed and overloaded and overwhelmed, but I try to keep things calmer.
Taking three classes? I better only take one.
Teacher three classes? I better take only one.
School obligations coming out of my ears? I better not volunteer for anything just now.
Sick kids? Anything more than basic housework and work deadline obligations gets put on hold.
Have I perfected this?
Not by a long shot.
But I'm working on it.
Try making sure you have for the things that are truly important to you and I guarantee that you will feel richer too.
For more Frugal Friday, Check out Life As Mom!
I started during a summer session and that summer session and the fall were awesome. I didn't teach over the summer, just took one class and spent time in and on my home, and with my family and friends. I only taught one class in the fall, using my half tuition waver and my pay to pay the rest of that tuition. I took 3 classes, but I still had ample time to spend with my family and friends and get anything at home I wanted to done.
That spring semester was another story. I was teaching 3 classes and taking 3. I did have a full tuition waver, which allowed us to put my entire paycheck into savings for future tuition payments. John had plenty of overtime and that kind of thing but I started feeling 'poor.'
I had a conversation with John where I expressed how frustrated I was with the whole financial picture and how "poor" I felt we were. He asked if I really thought we were poor. My answer? "No." I knew we weren't. I couldn't figure out what the difference was.
So I thought about it for a while. I started to compare the two previous semesters with this one and realized that the only real difference was time.
I had had plenty of 'free' time to get done what I needed to.
I wasn't rushed.
I wasn't overloaded and overwhelmed.
So since then my goal has been to keep my schedule less overloaded. Oh, I have plenty of days when I feel like I'm rushed and overloaded and overwhelmed, but I try to keep things calmer.
Taking three classes? I better only take one.
Teacher three classes? I better take only one.
School obligations coming out of my ears? I better not volunteer for anything just now.
Sick kids? Anything more than basic housework and work deadline obligations gets put on hold.
Have I perfected this?
Not by a long shot.
But I'm working on it.
Try making sure you have for the things that are truly important to you and I guarantee that you will feel richer too.
For more Frugal Friday, Check out Life As Mom!
