This is an introduction and a question all in one. I’m new to blogging in the Money section. What brought me here?
When I was growing up, money was tight. My mother was the primary provider for our family, and my dad was a stay at home dad who worked sometimes and not at others. Our family was often stressed about money. From an early age, I became interested in saving money and managing money. This was a way to take control of a hard situation, and it still is.
As I grew older, I became a graduate student in a small apartment with a small scholarship, a small job, and an equally small amount of money. I was the frugal queen, making blackberry jam for Christmas gifts in salvaged containers and with blackberries harvested from the local forests. I kept a spreadsheet of my expenses and tracked every penny. I lived for The Dollar Stretcher and The Tightwad Gazette.
When we got married and moved into an apartment, we had several years of double income no kids. This was an easy, easy time, but I realized that harder times were coming. We moved to a larger townhouse, and in our area that means rent or a mortgage that is through the roof. Our daughter was born, and I began to stay home part time and freelance part time. I also acquired a rather expensive chronic illness. Budgets became tight again, this time balanced with expenses related to medical care and children. Soon there will be expenses related to homeschooling as well. It’s a struggle to balance all of this, but we’re gradually getting there.
As I look toward our future, I see a future in which we may pay off our mortgage sooner than expected. Being mortgage-free will afford us all kinds of freedom, including the freedom for both of us to work part time.
I look forward to sharing my ideas and hearing yours in the money section. What is your money history and how has it shaped your goals and visions for your present and future?