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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: MsSindy on August 06, 2014, 02:37:22 PM

Title: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: MsSindy on August 06, 2014, 02:37:22 PM
In the last 2 years there have been 4 people (friends and/or colleagues) that were in perceived good health that have died suddenly (or very seriously injured) - all where around my age (late 40s).  I know that we can all be hit by a bus at any time, yada, yada, yada, but it does get me to thinking about spending now versus later.  Especially around the bigger items like travel - things that we're going to do in retirement, but are putting off now so that we can invest that money.

Now obviously, if I die, then I really don't care.....because, um, I'm dead.  But let's say my husband goes early, will I have regrets that we didn't live more for today?  My DH has some serious heart problems in his family, (he checks out okay for now), so it's a real concern and not just hand-wringing.  I think this becomes real for us because we're debating purchasing a small trailer on a lake just a couple hours North of Toronto where his family is and where we vacation every year.  If we're saving for RE, then it's a dumb purchase (lifestyle inflation even?), but if this is our plan for retirement anyway, we could do it now and enjoy it a couple years early - although it pushes out our RE date about a year (5 instead of 4).  Of course, my non-Mustashian DH says, "see, this is why we should have fun now, life is too short"....and I find myself slowly getting swayed by the logic (not for dumb stuff, but stuff I value).

Just wondering if others have experienced outside events that make you re-evaluate your plan. (tragic events, not happy ones like weddings & children which have been thoroughly discussed here).
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: lackofstache on August 06, 2014, 02:40:59 PM
My MMM philosophy entails enjoying life now, while saving for later. My wife had a bout of cancer about 18 months ago, it scared the sh*t out of us & informed our current lifestyle. It GOT us to think about saving more. You have to enjoy your life now, while making sure that you're setting yourself up to enjoy it all the way to 100 if you live that long. If you're missing out on things you'd like to do so that you can save, I'd say you need to take a look at your own philosophy & make sure there's a solid balance.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: Emilyngh on August 06, 2014, 02:44:38 PM
My aunt just died at 66.   We wound up having to go through her things and clean out her apartment, and came across boxes and boxes of unpaid bills.

She had a hard life, never made much, but always lived to the fullest- lived in Manhattan, traveled, and bought what she wanted with no thoughts of paying for it.   She had no kids, and just seemed to kind of talk her way through life, figuring out something.

Now, I don't think I'd be happy living like this (too stressful), but it did get me thinking.   I don't blame her for doing it, I actually feel good that at least she did what she wanted while alive.   I'm not sure if this changes anything for me, but it was a reminder about how short life can be, and how if I figure out that I really value something I need to do it (and not do stupid shit I don't value).   It also got me thinking about taking better care of my health, and yet also somehow not always following the rules (which I can be too focused on).
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: Cheddar Stacker on August 06, 2014, 02:45:54 PM
Good question MsSindy. I had a family tragedy recently and posted about it here (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/life-is-short-make-it-count/) if you care to read.

It has emphasized and accelerated my desires to FIRE. It has made me re-think my journey. It has made me re-evaluate everything. In the end though, life goes on and it has just become motivation.

Sorry to hear about your losses. I hope it has motivated you to carpe diem.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: J Boogie on August 06, 2014, 03:09:21 PM
I don't mean to trivialize the word tragedy, but I once purchased a Mazda Millenia.  This is one of the worst vehicles ever manufactured in terms of reliability and consistent performance.  It will have mechanics scratching their heads while they bill you for the work they did that didn't solve the problem.

I was grunting and sweating to make $10/hr at the time, and I wanted the feeling of a luxury car.  Instead what I got was the feeling of seeing $3,000 go up in smoke.  That's over 300 hours I wasted not only because I failed to do thorough research, but also because I wanted to look and feel richer than I was.

That's when I started thinking of the time I've spent working as my life energy and started valuing it as such.  I started to realize the connection between my purchases and how I'm choosing to spend my time here on earth.  Choosing to be the type to finance a vehicle immediately seemed insane - spending one week out of the month (+- $500) to pay gas & ins & car payment means you're spending almost one quarter of your life dedicated to your car.

Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: Lis on August 06, 2014, 03:15:20 PM
I think it depends on how happy you are now with your current lifestyle. Is working that one extra year detrimental to you or your husbands plans? I would assume not, but what if it becomes two years, or five years, or ten years...

A good friend of mine in her young 30s just had a major health scare. 30 is young, and, at 24, it terrified me too. I wasn't fortunate enough growing up to have the opportunity to travel anywhere, and now that I'm an adult making my own money, I can 'afford' to. But I still have that student loan debt hanging over my head, plus saving for retirement, plus yada yada yada.

I spend much less and put a lot more towards both my SL and my retirement than my friends. Sometimes I feel a bit left out when they try these phenomenal meals at these restaurants or sample all sorts of crazy craft beers. At the same time, I'm taking my overtime income from last month and have planned a somewhat-frugal long weekend vacation with my boyfriend to Niagara Falls next month.

There's a philosophy I picked up at Get Rich Slowly (another PF blogged where I heard about MMM for the first time): You can have anything you want, but you can't have everything you want. What's important to you now, what will be important to you later, and which of the two is more important than the other?
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: DoubleDown on August 06, 2014, 03:37:29 PM
Wow, what a great question.

Personally, if I died today, I'd be completely content never having hiked the Appalachian Trail, scaled Mount Everest, or gorged on hookers and blow in Bangkok. Honestly, every day is a gift to me, living the simple life I want to live. I'm just happy to have spent the day with my wife and children doing everyday things. I think the idea of doing adventurous (or expensive things) is overrated, but maybe that's just because I'm more of a home-body.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: Rebecca Stapler on August 06, 2014, 03:46:53 PM
Recently, I feel like tragic events have made me grateful to be on the "right" financial path for us.

A father I know was recently diagnosed with a debilitating illness and he's self-employed with no disability insurance. I count my lucky stars that we have that in place.

I'm also grateful that I'm focusing on the things in my life that bring me joy and happiness instead of thinking about material things -- this is 100% due to the cutbacks in spending we made as a result of me finding MMM. We don't need to spend $$ to have a fun afternoon or express our love. We live on less $$, so me being under-employed doesn't cause a terrible financial strain (although having more money for debt payoff would be awesome). Could I work more? Sure. But our family harmony is so good right now with the balance, that I don't want to trade it in for earlier financial independence. By keeping our costs low, I feel more financially independent now than I did when I was working ridiculous hours for more pay.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: Chranstronaut on August 06, 2014, 03:55:17 PM
I'm sorry for your losses MsSindy.  I'm having one of those years myself and it's been really difficult to cope.  One of the things that keeps me from feeling helpless is already having a handle on my money.  My specific circumstance has definitely resolved my desire for FI.  Right now, I'm watching my parents' finances spin out of control while traveling to see ill family and attend funerals.  It's already more difficult to deal with emotionally than they can bear, let alone the added stress from not being able to handle all the financial squeezes.  I would never want money to limit my ability to be where I needed to be during tragic times or cause undue mental anguish.  It's awful.

That's answering a different question than you're asking, but for the most part, I don't consider the big "what ifs" much at all in my FI plan.  If I suddenly lost my SO, I would want to be FI even more and have always arranged it so that I can achieve it alone.  I expect to die with leftover money and no heirs, and I'm okay with that.  If it tragically happens sooner rather than later, the only thing I will worry I missed out on is owning a dog.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: sandandsun on August 06, 2014, 04:59:36 PM
MsSindy,
Actually, my wife and I have been having this same discussion lately, almost verbatim.  We are 42 and 40, could probably RE now, or at least within a year or so, and maintain our current lifestyle without working at all if we chose. That was sort of the first part of our goal and we have reached that more or less... But the second part of our goal is to be able to do more when we retire than we can now. Nothing extravagant in terms of consumptive spending, but we do want to own a second (modest) home at the beach. That will be our one anti-mustachian splurge in life and we are ok with that, particularly knowing that it will be used heavily by family and friends.  Knowing that we will make that purchase eventually justifies making it early for us. We havent yet, but will likely purchase and pay off at least a building lot before retiring, then build at or just before retirement in 5-7 years. Location is too far for us to want to upkeep/rent right now, but if we were closer and it didn't negatively impact our ability to get/stay FI, we would probably do it even sooner to begin enjoying it before retirement.

You know your plans for ER and whether this lot/home is what you will want eventually... If you are within a few years of ER and this has been a desire for a while, it is unlikely to change much... If it is what you want, and if you can swing it now without substantially impacting you ER plans, go for it and enjoy: )

Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: frompa on August 07, 2014, 06:23:10 AM
MsSindy - My experience makes me fall in with the others who said dealing with tragedy pushed them in a more frugal direction. A few years ago, I had one year where everything fell apart - child with sudden life threatening illness, major medical expense, sudden death of a parent, unexpected divorce after 25+ years. Whooe.  I couldn't even take a deep breath for about two, three years.  I didn't have the mental resources to pay attention to anything financial.  Some days I couldn't even get out of the house.  But the years I'd spent earlier putting a frugal life in place made it possible for me to survive that horrific year, even without paying much attention.  Mind you, I didn't thrive in that time.  But I got through it.  And since then, that experience has underscored for me the importance of living low on the food chain and putting enough aside for the proverbial rainy day.  If you already have that kind of deep financial security in place, then your second home may be worth it, even if it's a splurge. Good luck in making the decision.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: MsSindy on August 07, 2014, 06:41:42 AM
Good question MsSindy. I had a family tragedy recently and posted about it here (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/life-is-short-make-it-count/) if you care to read.

It has emphasized and accelerated my desires to FIRE. It has made me re-think my journey. It has made me re-evaluate everything. In the end though, life goes on and it has just become motivation.

Sorry to hear about your losses. I hope it has motivated you to carpe diem.

I think this is exactly what I'm struggling with now:  accelerating FIRE vs carpe diem.  I'll figure it out.....just need to let the emotions cool and be level-headed before any real decisions/commitments are made.  In true Mustachian fashion however, I guess the answer would be to find ways to 'carpe diem' without impacting your finances (much) - that's what I'll probably work on.

Thoughtful discussion by everyone as I expected - great group of people on this forum
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: Neustache on August 07, 2014, 06:53:34 AM
My sister died when she was 15, I was 9.  As such, I'm an excessive worrier, and worry about...well...everything. 

This has pushed me to want to reach FIRE rapidly - one less thing to worry about, and having a small bit of control over something, in a world where I'm not usually in control, is comforting.  Although, really.....while money may occassionally stress me out, losing someone at such a young age gives you a perspective that others don't have.  So what if we lose a job...lose a house...have to live with in-laws?  We will be alive!!  I don't wish this perspective on anyone, unless they come by it in a tragedy-free way. 

Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: pachnik on August 07, 2014, 07:45:36 AM
Hi MsSindy,

Firstly, I am older than probably most of the people on this board.  Two of my closest friends died quite early in life - one at 44 and one at 57.  So I do think about what you are saying.  It is hard to know when to spend for today and when to save for tomorrow. 

We spent quite a bit of $ this summer on a trip to Quebec to visit my husband's family.  To me, it was worth it since no one is getting any younger and I don't regret spending a dime of the money.  There was huge value in this trip for us.  Having said this, we have no other big trips coming up - next year we are staying close to home for our holidays.  But I don't really enjoy travel much anymore so this is no hardship. 

I am currently saving about 35-40% of my income and gratefully watching my nest egg grow.  This gives me a huge feeling of security.  I know if my job doesn't work out, I have money to fall back on.  Not FI money but definitely a good sum.

So I think it is a balance between spending now and saving for later.  Not always an easy choice.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: CarDude on August 07, 2014, 09:15:26 AM
As others have said, it's a balance. We chose the path of a slower approach to retirement in order to provide ourselves and our children with experiences that we valued more. That meant newer cars with safety features you just don't get in old tiny ones, cruises, multiple children, and so on. The older you get, the more you realize that not everyone makes it to 80, 70, 60, or even 50, and starving yourself excessively for the future is just as senseless as gluttoning yourself in the present.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: frugaliknowit on August 07, 2014, 09:33:03 AM
I do not see a disconnect between mustachianism (i.e. frugality) and living life (however short or not) to it's fullest.  Being financially secure aids us in dealing with illnesses and potentially short lives of loved ones (like if your spouse or partner unexpectedly gets sick and cannot work or worse dies and you have to put your life back together).
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: norabird on August 07, 2014, 09:35:16 AM
Quote
The older you get, the more you realize that not everyone makes it to 80, 70, 60, or even 50, and starving yourself excessively for the future is just as senseless as gluttoning yourself in the present.

+1

I would defer RE the extra year to get the trailer; but I'm not a very hardcore mustachian.

Planning for the future is great but we have to live in the now and to realize, as you do, that the future is never a guaranteed thing. It doesn't sound like the lake place would be a crazily out there expense, so I think it's worth going for it.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: limeandpepper on August 07, 2014, 10:36:36 AM
I come from a conservative background where quitting a job without another one lined up isn't the kind of thing one does, but recently I quit my job to travel, my plans are open-ended and I don't even know when I'll get back into working again. I think this is something I would have done eventually anyway (especially with the encouragement of my partner who is super keen on long-term travel), but I knew someone who lost a battle with cancer last year, she was young, led a healthy lifestyle, and had so much going for her... I think this did make me a bit bolder in making my decision. It's not just about my own mortality, either. I want to spend more time with my parents while they're still here, too. We have been living in different countries for so long, and it has been years since I went back to my hometown.

You've got to weigh up what is more important to you and what risks you are willing to take. For me, FIRE is great, but there are other things I'd rather achieve first.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: Dalmuti on August 07, 2014, 11:29:32 AM
Nobody knows the future, so not knowing how many years you have left is always a challenge.  I think the Mustachian way to think of things is to maximize the number of scenarios where you would be happy with how you spent your time and money.  I'm 31 now, and it is certainly possible that I might die by 40.  If I knew that I was going to, it's true that I might take more trips, donate more of my money, or give that really nice waiter a $500 tip.  But it is far more likely that I will live much longer.   

The SS website says there is a 98.5% chance I will make it to 40 and an 80% chance that I will make it to 70 and that's just based on average life expectancy, it doesn't give me any bonus points for my regular exercise and safe driving habits.  If I can live frugally and retire at 45, then 80% of my scenarios will include 25+ years of financial freedom.  To me, that 80% chance at a great payoff is definitely worth the risk that in 1.5% of the scenarios I will die before 40 and wish I had carpe'd a few more diems.   


       
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: ThirdTimer on August 07, 2014, 11:51:39 AM
I think that at its heart, the Mustachian philosophy is about spending money only on those things that are truly important to you, and not wasting it on things that don't, because what you're really spending is hours of your precious time on this earth.

I think the question of when you spend the money--now vs. later--is sort of a side issue. Yes, there's a benefit to doing more earning and less spending early vs. late because you get those extra years of interest accumulation, but there's also a cost in terms of fewer years of enjoying said purchase for things that can be enjoyed over a lifetime, and, yes, the risk that you may not be there when "late" comes to reap your hard-earned rewards.

So I don't think the only Mustachian path is to work like crazy until you can retire for life. It's just as consistent with the core philosophy to, say, switch from a 60-hour stress-filled job to a part-time gig that leaves you plenty of time for family and friends, or to take a year hiatus from work in your twenties to backpack around the world, or to take several years off when your kids are young and return to work later. The main idea is to pare back your material wants so that you have to spend as few hours of your life as possible in an office meeting those needs. But when exactly over the course of a lifetime you spend those hours can be largely a matter of personal preference. And if there's some material thing, like a trailer on a lake, that you think would add enough joy to your life that it's worth logging the hours it would take to buy it, then I think you should buy it, and if you think it would start adding joy you to your life immediately, then I think you should buy it as soon as you can afford it.

TL;DR: I think Mustachianism is first and foremost about tightly aligning your spending with your values, not about denying yourself every indulgence until the day you FIRE.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: limeandpepper on August 07, 2014, 12:06:39 PM
The main idea is to pare back your material wants so that you have to spend as few hours of your life as possible in an office meeting those needs. But when exactly over the course of a lifetime you spend those hours can be largely a matter of personal preference.

Well said!
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: Dicey on August 07, 2014, 12:29:09 PM
MsSindy, this is such an important question! The sooner you realize how tragic and fleeting life can be, the earlier you will discover the magic of every single day.

I call myself a lucky girl because I had cancer when I was 22. I was on a great career path, worked like a fiend and had high aspirations. The cancer experience made me re-evaluate everything in my life. I instantly understood that I didn't want to be a wage slave forever. I had FIRE in my belly before I knew what FIRE was. I decided that I wanted to enjoy my friends and family, travel and buy a house. Plus, I always wanted enough of a cushion to protect myself in case of recurrence.  By age 28, I had over a year's salary in the bank. I bought my first house at age 30 and set a goal to see all 50 states by 40. I did both by being creative and stretching every buck, while continuing to save for my escape from the rat race. I never found "the one", but I had fun looking!

In my forties, when all my friends were married with kids and living under the tyranny of the school calendar, I moved to a new area. I bought a couple of houses. I started volunteering in my community. I made a number of older friends who were free to play and travel. I always asked them about how they achieved their retirements and what they would have done differently. I also expanded my travels to the wider world, as my new friends were eager to fill in some of the blanks on their lists. I continued dating and hoping to find a good partner. I honed my skills in frugal, but fun living. I spent 12 days in Hawaii for under $200 out-of-pocket. I once flew eight flights in a single day to earn two free RT tickets and a slew of other perks. I did that sort of thing more than once, but that was the craziest one. I wasn't the married mom I longed to be, but more than once my married friends told me they wanted my life. I continued to save and finally learned how to invest. I had saved enough to FIRE, but was reluctant to pull the trigger, due to the expense and virtual unavailability of health care coverage. (I also have a congenital heart condition, so I was a pariah.)

In my fifties, I finally married a wonderful man. He has incredible health care coverage, and savings to match my own. I was finally able to pull the trigger and quit my corporate job. He loves his no-stress job. He walks to work and will have a defined benefit pension with lifetime healthcare coverage in seven  years. These days, when we open our monthly investment statements, we laugh out loud. Our gains are frequently more than either of us have ever earned in a single month. (Note: Neither of us was a six-figure income earner and we have always lived in high COLAs.)

These last few years have been better than I ever imagined. However, last Sunday we hosted a Celebration of Life for one of my old friends. He is the third of my older group of friends to pass away. Each of them lived long and varied lives full of family, friends and travel. None of them had to worry about money at the end. They will be missed greatly, but I'm glad I was able to have them in my life and learn so much from them.

I could go on and on (okay, I already have), but the point is to enjoy every single day while being as frugal as possible. Live for today with a plan for tomorrow. All of the things you read on blogs such as this really, really work. And now that people like Pete and JD have held up their lights to show the way, it is so much easier than ever before. I wake up every morning with a smile on my face and hope to die the same way. A long time from now, of course.

Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: Calvawt on August 07, 2014, 12:52:36 PM
While not my favorite topic discuss, this might be the most eloquent thread I have read on the MMM forums.  Rarely are the threads so supportive and full of introspection.

As a newer dad (2 boys ages 2 and 7 months), I am trying to balance giving the boys a great upbringing without overspending.  At the same time I worry a lot about how long I will be around for them.  I am almost 37, so I had kids later than most (though my wife is only 28).  Consequently, I have already planned our 2015 and 2016 vacations to Hawaii and the Cayman Islands.   We will be using mostly points to make it very cheap, but I would have paid full price to make sure I get to take enough time off to spend a week away from everything.  They grow so fast!

This makes me want to force myself to find more time to spend with them since my job as a CFO can be pretty demanding.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: Trudie on August 07, 2014, 02:16:43 PM
+1 Diane C

I think you have to balance FIRE with living for today.  Personally, I find a big difference between being frugal on things like cable TV, go-go entertainment, and eating out versus saving for plane tickets to visit places I've always wanted to see, especially with family.  Tomorrow is promised to no one, so if you're obsessing so much about FIRE today, or thinking "When I finally RE, then I'll be happy," you're missing the point.

Think about ways to make yourself happy today -- and it need not cost a lot of money either.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: mrsggrowsveg on August 07, 2014, 03:29:27 PM
MsSindy:  I am very sorry for your losses.

All of the points made so far are very wise and uplifting.  I agree that this type of lifestyle encourages focusing rouse time, resources and energy on the things that truly matter in your life.  This philosophy helps people live life to the fullest and be happy.  My family had our own tragedy this year that has changed our plans entirely.  There were two changes that I noticed about myself from this experience.  One is that I realized how little control I have over matters such as life and death.  As much time as I spend planning my life, I will never know exactly how it will play out.  For this reason, I have aligned with the MMM philosophy about worrying only about the things I can control.  The other change from this experience was that I became stronger.  I am more motivated to do things myself and and take risks because of what I have been through.  I am more appreciative of each day and the little moments that I spend with my family and used to take for granted.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: arebelspy on August 29, 2014, 03:38:46 PM
My philosophy doesn't involve any sacrifice; I do live for today.

If I died today, I'd have no regrets.

That being said, the idea of dying suddenly and unexpectedly is all the more reason to be Mustachian.  What if you're pondering that idea at age 30 and decide to blow all your money to live it up today, so you keep working, and working to keep earning and spending.

Here are the two scenarios:
1) You don't die early.  You keep working until you're 70+, then finally live on a tiny SSI.

2) You do die early, let's say unexpected heart attack at 55.   Would you rather have blown money on stuff that didn't make you happy and been working those 25 years until you died?  Or would you rather have cut some spending, FIRE'd at 45, and had a decade to do whatever you want?

In either scenario (die early or not), I personally would vote for the Mustachian choice.  I'd rather have FIRE'd for a decade than have "lived for today" up until the early death.

And that's just aside from the fact that spending more doesn't make you happier, and blowing your money on useless crap today won't make you happier either.
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: scrubbyfish on August 29, 2014, 04:48:55 PM
Tragedy brought me to MMM, in the sense that homelessness motivated me to get my finances on track, including enough security to carry me through most circumstances. But then I let a lot of savings go when another tragedy of sorts (my son being born with a disability) came along, and I used my savings and credit to recover him as much as possible. Recently I started saving again and, as I just said to my counsellor, "I feel like all I'm doing every day is chasing money" so now I will accept how far I've gotten, put it on auto-pilot as much as possible, and focus on living.

So, I guess tragedy inspires me to save, and tragedy inspires me to spend, depending on various things. I hope I'm seeing money as a tool, and being realistic about balance, navigating things as need and opportunity dictate.

Also, while I help other people locally and internationally, almost every day I wonder how to use my money to help resolve things where war and genocide are happening, specifically. That, I remain at a loss over in terms of how to align my MMMing with tragedy. I did read one snippet in Oprah about how a fence around a garden eliminated women's need to sell sexual services in order to survive. THAT was inspiring, and to me a perfect answer to how we can resolve tragedy by having money available to share (a primary motivation for me in saving).

Edited to repair a mis-phrase. Thank you to the member who PM'd me my error!
Title: Re: How do tragic events affect your MMM Philosophy?
Post by: Thegoblinchief on August 29, 2014, 06:14:09 PM
The level of peace that's come into my house since becoming Mustachian is hard to overstate. Do we live on less? Absolutely. Do we deny ourselves? Not really, we've just realigned our wants.

I could have kept working more hours and kept the kids in regular school, but downshifting and homeschooling wasn't a huge financial loss on paper. And 12 months in, it's actually been a huge financial AND lifestyle win. Everyone has benefited from caring less about material things and more about our core personal flourishing.

Finally, I would rather work 0 days than enjoy any experience that I have to pay for.

Some really great perspectives on this thread.