because the next ten to twelve years look like much more of the same.
Low job creation, home values, and consumer spending.
High unemployment, foreclosures, and taxes.
Doesn’t look like much fun any way you cut it.
Following the experts advice to save more, work longer,
and reduce your standard of living are grim reminders of a stalled economy.
All pursued, of course, to protect your standard of living later.
The nasty conclusion is what most of us at midlife are trying to avoid:
we will run out of lifestyle before we run out of money.
In other words we will reduce spending on the fun stuff
to stretch what little we have over the duration of our retirement.
I for one am not prepared to have less fun after the last few ugly years.
I will certainly cut back but not on my passions.
Those dream delights are what makes it all worthwhile.
Without these there is an emotional poverty that no future security can buy.
So how do you cut back and still enjoy the best in life?
Being frugal and spending less on the trinkets and trash is no sacrifice, right!
Can you live with a lot less $60 restaurant meals. Yes indeed!
Will you get all choked up having to buy private label Balsamic Vinegar? NO!
And it won’t ruin Christmas if you sleep in and miss the Boxing Day Sale. Really!
So let’s pretend a consciousness of abundance but be clever about it.
Spend on what you value most and give up what you value least.
Surely even the most irrational consumer can see the logic in that.
Copyright 2010 William M. MacKay
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