Delayed Gratification: Is it worth the wait?

Hi All,

Just after leaving school, I inherited some shares from my granpa. Not knowing what to do, I asked others for their opinions. All my young friends told me to buy a house, and all the elders said I should travel. And travel I did.

I saw the stars above the Sahara, walked the Bungle Bungles, followed Jesus's path, treked the Alaska's tundra, crossed Canada by motorcycle, got drunk in Mexico, saw Fjords in New Zealand, went to the Jazz festival in New Orleans, got robbed in England, was charmed by Japan, got malaria in the Congo and...... returned home broke.

Now in my later years, I think I did the right thing. Three months after I sold my shares, we had the 80's crash. My health won't let me sleep on the ground for two years now, and I doubt I could climb any mountains. I don't think I fit into the youth hostel mould now.

As a child I was never taught to save, was never given financial books and money was something to spend. Investing was never talked about at home. My father always dreamed of retiring in Byron Bay, then died young from cancer, never realising his dream.

So I ask this question to you. Is it worth putting up with less now, for the sake of a future life? Or is better to live for the present?


Cheers, Johny.

 

Hi JCL.

My answer would be to find a balance.

Personally, I have sacrificed things to be in a position to invest but I have also travelled and bought treats along the way as well.

I don't really think it has to be one or the other. Just live within your means and make allowances to invest a portion of your income. In time, (all things going to plan), the investments will provide the income to fund the purchases.

 

Hi JCL

I say, enjoy investing. If you don't enjoy it, don't do it.

How can you enjoy investing when you are reading through pages and pages of boring PDS? Realise that your planning is not (or should not) exist in a vacuum. Be planning towards something other than merely being rich. ANd then realise that all of these mundane tasks are bringing you closer and closer to your goal and be present to the simple pleasures this brings you.[/zen investing]

 

I also like to find a balance. I save a fixed percent of my salary every pay check and use this to invest, and spend the rest.

You get to have some things now, and while you have to wait for others. Which I don't think is a bad way of doing it.

I also quite like to travel, but depends what I can fit into my 4 weeks holidays a year.

Ash.

 

All of us need to find a balance that suits our situation, our cashflow and our lifestyle. And investing can be as simple or as complex as you allow it to be. We're here for such a short period of time anyway (in the scheme of the universe!) - the majority of us just want to be able to maintain our lifestyle until the very end, and not have to rely on a measly pension. Having financial independence for my entire life is what drives me

 

I think most people have said it above - just find the right balance for you.

However more important than balance is making sure you are doing what you enjoy doing. In my book there is nothing wrong with working every hour of your life if you enjoy what your doing.

So for me the vitally important thing is making sure your are getting the best ROI from your life as possible. As in make sure you are maximising your happiness when it comes to everything; money, work, relationships, health etc.

You're only here once, and for me there is no bigger tradegy that wasting the best years of your life doing things you hate to get you somewhere you are told by society that you should be, only to find that when you get there it isn't all that its cracked up to be.

 

Its a great question and I think there are already some good answers

The fact that this question implies that you have to decide between enjoying life now or enjoying life later is a great example of why lots of people aren't happy.

Like the old saying says "If you can find a job that you love you will never work a day in your life"

 

Even though I have done lots of travelling, there is still one place I haven't been. Northfolk Island. I have been wanting to go there for 11 years. My mum and I were planning to go, then she got sick. Somehow I kept missing opportunities to travel. So in 2011 will go. There, I have said it! I'll have to go now.




Johny.

 

OK. I will make a goal of not telling anyone my goals. Yes. I'm starting to get that good feeling right away.....








Johny.