Keeping it real

Did you ever wish you were someone that you weren't? 

I'm not talking about wishing you were Josh Holloway's wife or could do push ups like Demi Moore in GI Jane. (Hi Christie O!)

I'm talking about wishing that a part of you were opposite of who you really are. 

A coworker and I were talking about Disney and she said I was crazy for not flying down.  It a 12-14 hour drive for us and we could probably get tickets for about $100 more than we'd spend on gas heading down there.

At that moment I wished I was the kind of person who didn't care about spending money.  To be the kind of person who buys the latest cell phone with all the gadgets, that goes on vacation without worrying about the cost, that goes out and spends hundreds of dollars on new clothes because her old ones don't fit any more.

Yes it would be nice to "live a little."

But the cost of a plane ticket isn't worth the cost of my security.  I know I've quoted it before, but Dave Ramsey (quoting someone else I can't remember) says that discipline is simply remembering what you want?  He advised to not get bogged down in the how as much as focusing on the why.

Why do I want to save money?  Why would I choose to deprive myself now?

(Although you'd be hard pressed to convince me that a weekend trip to Disney to pay $100 to run 26.2 miles is hardly deprivation of any kind.)

• I want a paid for house.
  Our goal is to have the house paid in full over the course of the next 5 years.  Not an easy task, given that we haven't even had the home for a full year.  As a family who's livelihood is tied up in real estate, I think this is an important goal for us.  He only gets paid if he sells something, which doesn't happen every month.  Would be very freeing knowing that Bank of America isn't going to come calling at the first of every month - paycheck or no.
• I want to retire early enough to travel and enjoy life.
  Sure - I hope to be a healthy, spry 75 year old, but we're not promised that.  I'd love to be able to retire at 60, hike the entirety of the Appalachian Trail with my Love.  Travel abroad, visit friends in other states (this means you) and just enjoy myself.
• Pay cash for a bathroom remodel.
  I think we're going to be able to do this one once we close on that piece of property we sold.  We had the money for the new bathroom, then Jay decided we should use it to buy the land when it went up for auction.  Good thing too, since we were able to sell it for a profit in a very short turn around time.
• Fund our Roth IRAs for 2010.
  Going along side both the retire and the bathroom goals, this one should happen this fall baring anything unforeseen.  The earlier you get started on retirement the more opportunity compound interest has to work in your favor.  I think we can accomplish this one with the money from the land sale.
• Save up to buy a Jay a new (to us) vehicle. 
  He works very hard to provide for the family.  Hopefully in the near future we'll be able to save up cash to purchase that redneck quad cab pickup he's been wanting for years.
• Vacation in Maui.
  We've had an offer from a buddy of Jay's who lives there to come stay with him for a week or two.

I realize that Disney falls into the "travel and enjoy life" category.  I really do.  But Maui on the cheap is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Disney is not.

So, yes, I'll admit to jealous of those of you wouldn't think twice about spending the cash for the plane tickets.  I do hope that I can convince Jay (and myself) that its worth it.

If not, I'll still be privileged enough to go to Disney, run the Marathon, and meet some wonderful ladies.  I may not have it all, but you've gotta admit to be able to do those three things I must have it pretty darn good.