how do you strike a balance

Like I mentioned before, it all boils down to needs vs wants. If for example, you want to go on a holiday. What are some of the things you need to consider? 1) Can I afford it? if no, end of story. If yes... 2) How long will I take to accumulate back this expense? Forever... end of story. If it is possible within the next year... 3) Are there any plans in the following year that will possibly disrupt my savings plan? If yes, end of story. If no... 4) Where to? Or something to that effect. As long as you can justify your decisions to yourself, and you are answerable to yourself, why not spurge on yourself once in a while? You worked so hard, nothing wrong in rewarding yourself. Of course if you are planning for your retirement, then it will not be a yearly affair. Say, every alternate years? I mean, these are goals and boundaries that you set for yourself. Why not make a few exceptions every few years? We do have to re-evaluate our investments every few years. Why not our goals and boundaries to satisfy our needs AND our wants?

actually both cases are just wants. since i've gotten my flat just last year, the apartment is really more of a want. the trip is also a want as it's not something that must be done. things is i've only got limited resources. i don't want to touch my other savings as they are meant for my retirement. so now i'm torn between what to do with my extra (pay increment and bonus) 1. use it for a long trip with my parents, or 2. save it to pay for a small apartment the apartment thing is more due to the market downturn. i was beating myself up for not getting a place during the last downturn. i would have netted myself a tidy sum if i had just acted. ;p

yup i do know that no one can answer that question for me. thing is the 'something' i want requires me to save religiously. to achieve that goal, i basically has to dump any extra i get into savings. the live-for-today-me is saying that 'let's thake the money and go for a holiday' while the plan-for-tomorrow-me is saying that save it to get the 'something'. sometimes it's really tearing me apart thinking about it. one day i'll be thinking 'okay i really want the something badly and i shall be a good girl and start saving'. the next day i'll go 'i'm really stressed up and a holiday will do my soul tons of good'. sigh...

wow that's a good way to live. some times i do feel this way and try to live like that. but there are times when i feel i want to save up for something big. i'm always torn between these two thoughts. to save for that something means forgoing little pleasures now. but what if i don't live to see tomorrow? it's really driving me crazy especially now. :(

u always need to have you some money saved back. u never know when your health might deteriate & you'd need it. always thank ahead w/your money & stick a little back every week when u get paid. i had a stoke 4 years ago. one day i was working the next day i couldn't so that can be quiet a shock if u don't have some money put back. it's not only old people who get sick.

i'm so sorry to hear about that. have you recovered somewhat from the stroke? it is not a laughing matter as i know that stroke patients has a very high risk of subsequent strokes. do take care and be mindful of your diet. yes i know the importance of saving. i actually have a few savings account for different purposes. i also have some insurance thing going on which insures my life and gives me a tidy sum back when i no longer need the insurance. hopefully i won't need my insurance but at least i know i have something to fall back on if anything happens to me.

Hi dear yeah i sagree to u somehow, wish u all the best Take care

yes i get to do the really basic things that make me happy. thank goodness there are things that makes me happy but doesn't cost a lot of money. i know the importance of saving for the future. i've actually got my retirement fund going and am putting aside some every month. it's more like the extra money like bonuses. on one hand, i want to keep it to build my home-buying fund. on the other hand, i feel like going on a long trip. my latest dream is to take the trans-siberia rail from beijing to moscow with my family. that's gonna cost me quite a bit of money. i'm really torn between saving for a home or saving for a trip. ;p

hi tamara, thanks for your encouragement. yes i agree that life goes on. we'll just have to make full use of what we have. nobody knows what happens in the next moment. in fact, this is what makes life interesting. i've ever read a book about a man who got the power of knowing the future. he lived miserably since the moment he attained the power and choose to end his own life. guess we'll have to take the bad with the good. cheers ;p