Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Trade Stuff and Worry for Freedom

If I could trade everything I've bought to date for a financially independent future, I would do it in a heartbeat. 
If I could start with a clean slate; I would:
only have ~50 items of clothing; everything would fit perfectly
own one suitcase that flies as a carry-on
buy 5 acres of land for a hobby farm and save the proceeds to build a manor house
(alternatively, I'd buy the smallest house on the biggest lot I could find)
invest in rental property to produce a reliable stream of income
find a job I could work remotely
This is so hard; I seem to be lacking focus today
If I could already be done; if there were something I could do other than wait, I would be doing it already. 
Perhaps there is something I just don't see. 
It's only 139k more steps until the finish line but the first 210 or so has taken a toll and I am back to feeling this untoward sense of dread that my finances are not all I could wish of them. 
So, I can't start over but I can still strive to attain my goal.  Perhaps I need to look at the numbers for perspective. 
Let's see, in 2006, I bought the albatross for 282k, paying 2800 per month for the mortgage.
In 2008, my mortgage payment escalated to 3000 with higher rates to come. 
I sought to refinance and given my limited knowledge and time (I had to work to earn that 3k), I ended up with a bunk refinance job that essentially put me into debtor's prison via a foreclosure on my credit report, despite holding on to the house and debt and paying as agreed for all but the 3 months it took for the company to take my pleas seriously. 
After an additional 30k in fees, the loan was back on paper and I was still paying at least 60% of my salary for the mortgage.
In 2009, I rolled up my sleeves, stopped whining and decided to banish this bane as soon as possible.  To that end, I paid off my car loan and a modest amount of credit card debt (3k).  I then dedicated 80% of my salary and any additional money (TDY stints) to pay off this mortgage.

The rest is history, as they say.  I've been doing this for the past five years and it is getting tiring.  It isn't not spending money that is the problem.  Everything I 'want' could be purchased with less than a single paycheck.  I've even made a nice little list for you to read: 
Vitamix Blender $500
Brewing Supplies $200
Pressure Canner $300
Canning Supplies $50
Box Grater $20
Stock Pot $50
I couldn't spend all the money I earn in a month if I tried.  Even if I bought all the clothing I dreamed of, that would still fit into the same paycheck with a only one or two exceptions.  Other than that, I desire some unnamed intangibles; to-be defined accomplishments, journeys, trials and travails. 
Five years and one beautiful baby later, I'm married, employed in my chosen field, a mother, and yet, yearning for... something...adventure? travel? connection? freedom? self-expression?
 I am on this journey, putting one foot in front of the other and will keep walking until I reach my destination. Then what happens? 
So what is the rub?  I am unfulfilled and uninspired by my job; my enthusiasm a dull shadow of what I once felt for the field I work in.  Another unfortunate case of reality getting in the way of my dreams.  What is the solution?

First, I need to define the problem. 

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