Personal Financial Decisions and Income

I have worked for 25 years with full time jobs and fixed incomes. Then I switched to a consulting career and had to deal with a variable income scheme. Even then, some portion of my income was fixed so, it was not too bad. The fixed part was and still is enough to cover my fixed expenses.

I am back to what will soon become a full-time job. I will still have my passive income so, this truly is a great opportunity to save like crazy. I am determined not to cave in to an inflated life style with the exception of a rental apartment.

My current residence is too far from work so, I am planning to move closer to work. My apartment will not generate enough rent to cover my new apartment's rent in this new area. There will be a significant difference. It doesn't have to be that way but, as my sister and her husband had to relocate due to work, I like to have mom with me. We are practically living together 9 months out of a year. She needs to be able to go out and walk around a little bit and do some shopping in order not to be bored. Therefore, I am obliged to rent a place within a very specific area and that area is expensive. I consider this a small sacrifice though.

This year I am taking a 3 week vacation in the US. I have planned and budgeted for this for a long time so, no it is not a mindless splurge. I will be staying at some friends for some of the time so, my hotel costs will not be a budget buster. I have a set budget and will stick to it.

Although, our lifestyles inflate with the increase of our incomes, this doesn't have to be. I promise myself that, I will not be splurging and that I will be making wiser choices to tuck away as much as I can. I am not suddenly going to become tight-fisted either. I think moderation is the key in every aspect of life.