Some acquaintances consider me a skinflint because I don’t spend money on a lot of the same things they do. They know I’m not poor. I have money in the bank, but as a self-employed investigator and author, my income is variable and the future is always uncertain. I don’t want to spend my retirement living in a cardboard box down by the railroad tracks.
So I try to make thoughtful choices about my spending. I save my money for the things I truly want to do, like making my third trip to Africa. (I even wrote a little book about how to decide what’s most important to you and stop spending money on things you don’t care about.)
This is definitely not me.
I decided long ago that I value experiences, especially adventures, more than possessions. So I don’t have a flat screen TV (unbelievable, right?) or a smart phone or the coolest clothes, but I am rich in memories. I have been to some incredible places and done some amazing things. I am not bogged down by debt.
I spend my money traveling, hiking, snow shoeing, kayaking, and scuba diving. I have a small fortune invested in all the necessary gear. (You should see my garage!)That’s my contribution to the consumer economy. The malls would all be ghost towns if they depended on me as a customer.
I’m a great believer in everyone pursuing their passions in life. For you, that could mean following a sports team, wearing the latest fashions, or getting your child into a private school. But unless you have a fabulous income, you may need to bypass daily distractions and focus on what you really want.
For me, that means that when friends ask why I don’t join them at an expensive restaurant or buy that new sweater or go to that concert, I say, “I’d rather go to Africa.”
My flight leaves in November.
What is your passion? What are your dreams?
And what are your plans to get there?
 Looking forward to lions… |
 …Giraffes… |
 …leopards, and everything else! |
I would love to travel more and hope that in the future I will, but most important is to write and be with my kids. Sure I go without a lot of things and sometimes it’s not fun, but I’ve managed to publish my 1st novel and there are more to come, so it’s all good!
Love this post, Pamela. That test wasn’t so far off, was it? You have had such a wonderfully exciting and varied career: THE perfect background for a novelist!