The More Money you make the More you spend? - Page 3

Maman1 · 01-14-2008, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlg264

It's funny that I'm reading this post today. I've spent the last week trying to get ready for taxes and I've been going over my Quicken reports and I'm atonished as to how much money my husband and I made this year...where did it go?? I mean really?? Somewhere I lost track of a lot of things and I need to get back on track. It was a real wake up call to see the figures on paper and I could kick myself now for not saving more this past year. I think a lot of it has to do with seeing the money in the checkbook and automatically thinking if it's in there I can spend it. One of my "resolutions" is to keep careful track of the money we earn this year....I hope that made sense. Reading these other posts helps me realize that other people make more and spend more too.

Yes! That was my eye-opener and what set me on the track over the past few months of really turning around the way I think about our spending. And I've discovered that without lowering our quality of life any at all, just by paying attention, we can cut our spending & improve our financial situation so much it's not even funny.

MissLucie · 01-14-2008, 02:47 PM

I can easily see how that happens.
I mean, there's just a wider range of feasible activities/goods you can finally attain.
The trick is to keep breathing and stay grounded.
There's tons of wealthy people, elbow deep in debt - just like there's those $30,000 millionaires.

MandaRenee · 01-14-2008, 04:33 PM

It can easily happen. I know that when I was on maternity leave and still receiving full salary and not having the expenses that working caused we spent more than we did when I was working. Granted some of that was getting ready for the baby but a lot of it wasn't. I am trying to get to living below our means now and continuing that even when we are making more money again.

bargainbabe · 01-15-2008, 07:28 AM

When I got a (pretty good) raise back in July, I put most of it in my 401k. I figured that way I wouldn't adjust my spending upwards, because I wouldn't see the money in my account. I'm pretty lucky, because my company does match up to 10%, which I am happy to say I take full advantage of. Now my 401k gets a total of 20% of my pre-tax dollars. I would suggest that to anyone who gets a raise. I can really see my retirement savings, with no decrease in my take home pay.