My Lifestyle and Increasing the value of my paycheck
As the world advances in technology at the speed of light, and so is inflation. We are all expecting that life would be a lot easier with all the gadgets and ‘luxurious’ technology we can buy, more often we cannot afford - we are dead wrong. Have you not noticed life became more complicated and difficult?
I can recall how simple and comfortable life before without the prompting of my PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) for my next task or appointment; when I can take a brisk walk to the nearest fast-food or grocery; when I can go for a week without a telephone ringing; when I pound the keys of my rusty typewriter, I know I am writing sensibly; when I have to worry only of paying my electric and water bills only. Yeah, I missed those days, compared to what ‘living’ has become now.
What is the big difference?
My paycheck is no longer enough to even make both ends meet. Broadband connection, Mobile Phone and Cable TV subscriptions, Car amortization and maintenance, Credit Card Bills, and more obligations that I could not even recall taking into serious account are vying for a portion of my paycheck. Is there respite in any of these? Now, the inflation rate is soaring at 12% plus and gasoline at $5 a gallon, (arggh!!!) even doubling the value of my paycheck will not suffice.
A quick analysis reveals that there a lot of things that I perceived to be necessary are not, actually. Some are simply lifestyle’s aesthetics that do not add value, but greatly devalues my paycheck. Taking out these unnecessary costs or things that I can live without can improve my finances. I realized that the value of my paycheck is actually the value of the lifestyle I chose to live with. In effect, a salary increase and an additional income source will not necessarily improve the value of my paycheck, but instead a redefining of the lifestyle that I ‘need’ to live and is expedient at the moment.
I can recall how simple and comfortable life before without the prompting of my PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) for my next task or appointment; when I can take a brisk walk to the nearest fast-food or grocery; when I can go for a week without a telephone ringing; when I pound the keys of my rusty typewriter, I know I am writing sensibly; when I have to worry only of paying my electric and water bills only. Yeah, I missed those days, compared to what ‘living’ has become now.
What is the big difference?
My paycheck is no longer enough to even make both ends meet. Broadband connection, Mobile Phone and Cable TV subscriptions, Car amortization and maintenance, Credit Card Bills, and more obligations that I could not even recall taking into serious account are vying for a portion of my paycheck. Is there respite in any of these? Now, the inflation rate is soaring at 12% plus and gasoline at $5 a gallon, (arggh!!!) even doubling the value of my paycheck will not suffice.
A quick analysis reveals that there a lot of things that I perceived to be necessary are not, actually. Some are simply lifestyle’s aesthetics that do not add value, but greatly devalues my paycheck. Taking out these unnecessary costs or things that I can live without can improve my finances. I realized that the value of my paycheck is actually the value of the lifestyle I chose to live with. In effect, a salary increase and an additional income source will not necessarily improve the value of my paycheck, but instead a redefining of the lifestyle that I ‘need’ to live and is expedient at the moment.
FREE Downloads and Magazines
- Global Finance
- Website Magazine
- Oracle Magazine
- BusinessWeek Magazine
- Browse our Resource Page for other titles.
2 Comments so far:
I left my last job about six months ago, by my own choice, but have not been working since. I have found out the hard way that I CAN actually live much more frugally and simply. It was a lesson I needed to learn after years of overspending. I understand your perspective in this entry.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Sandy.
Yeah, sometimes we only learn to 'reinvent' our lifestyle when our income source was cut-off or reduced. It's a bitter experience, yet worthwhile.