Reflecting & Coming Full Circle

 

Over the years I’ve talked a lot about what to do and how I would operate in the event of a crisis or change in circumstances.  I’ve had a lot of things happen to me early on in my lifetime that have tested me and taught me what to do and how to survive until things improved.  After retiring from being a full time nose to the grindstone, work your guts out employee on April 1^st 2022 I’ve spent a fair bit of time thinking about those earlier years and have taken many, many walks down memory lane.  A lot of what I used to do back then I’ve put back into practice today.  This may sound strange to you, but I find it brings me great peace and a lot of joy to step back in time and bring it forward.  It really makes me feel good.

 

As a young woman and then as a single mother money was always limited.  Despite my education and work experiences I’ve never really had high paying jobs so I had to learn to make the most with what I had.  Whenever I purchased something, no matter what it was, I always had to put a lot of thought into it first to make sure I was doing the right thing.  I often asked myself “do I really need this?”  The answer was most commonly “No.”  Recently, as I’ve worked hard to declutter my home and am now navigating life on my retirement resources and a small paycheck from my new “job” I find myself doing just that once again.

 

In the past I used to strategize ways to make the money I had in my hand last as long as possible.  I’ve not been one to utilize credit or amass a lot of debt because I was always frightened about what might happen if I couldn’t pay the pill when it came due.  Paying cash and living within my means became a way of life for me.  Now, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

As time went on my strategies allowed me to acquire a home, a vehicle or two, a savings account as well as retirement accounts and thereby build some wealth.  I had nice clothes and household furnishings and more money to buy the things that made life nice and comfortable.  For many years now I have been able to pretty much purchase whatever I want without worry, however to purchase too much just seemed wasteful so I have never been one to go hog wild.

 

All of my adult life I have always lived in smaller homes and driven smaller vehicles.  I have never needed nor wanted to live in a big home with big utility and property tax bills.  I’ve never wanted to drive a gas guzzling vehicle that also came with a high priced insurance bill.  I’ve always kept it on the smaller side and fairly simple.  Economical and practical.

 

My current home is the largest home I’ve ever lived in.  It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms and comes in at just 1120 square feet of living space.  Pretty small by today's standards.  I could downsize to something even smaller, however with the current housing market the affordability to so at this time isn’t practical.  There is no place in this country where I can live for less than what I currently do, including my utilities and taxes.

 

After selling my daily driver last year I now have just my 1997 Nissan pickup, which I absolutely love, and it suits me just fine at this time.  It is perfect for taking me wherever I wish to go whether that is the grocery store, Home Depot or Lowes, or off to the mountains to go hiking.  I’ve been the only owner of that truck having bought it brand new in 1997 and I’ve taken good care of her.  She’s been babied all these years and only has a little more than 83,000 miles on the odometer so far.  She's practically brand new!

 

My one indulgence right now is my motorhome and I’ve got a big decision to make this spring.  I just don’t use her and I think it is time to let her go to someone who will.  I always thought I would travel and use her in retirement, that is why I purchased her to begin with, but the type of traveling and the places I like to go aren’t all that conducive to a motorhome.  I found out that I don't really care for RV parks.  I have some other ideas in mind that would make keeping her impractical.  It doesn’t really cost me anything to keep her, but it also isn’t good to let her sit and not be driven and used for her intended purpose.  I just have to not let my heart overrule my head and do the right thing, I suppose.  For me, that’s a hard one.

 

After a lifetime of nearly sixty years this is where I’m at and I know that I’m very fortunate.  I am very blessed to have a good solid home in a nice neighborhood in a beautiful city and I do not take that for granted, not for a moment.  I am super blessed to have a sweet little job that I absolutely love and to be surrounded by amazing people every day.  Every week I get to blog about my simple little life and interact with my wonderful readers.  As long as my defective little heart is allowed to beat on this earth it will remain a joyous one.  I am such an amazingly lucky girl and for that I am truly grateful.