Which one is “livin’ the life”?

this is going to sound weird, bouncer, but i've always felt you're good with money. i mean you were able to visit again, didn't you? (so belated congrats on that) some people would rather do it after 20, 30 years when they're really successful, while some don't think it's worth it, so they'd rather travel to other places like europe to get the most value for their money (and the pictures to show for it). and i guess that's part of livin' the life, too, choosing where to go and you're reasons for it. yes, i've traveled, but it didn't feel like i was livin' it up because it wasn't my decision, i just followed along, and i felt restricted all the time. i think it's so much different when you travel on your own terms because you get to decide everything, your flight schedule, where to stay, what to eat and do, heck, even when to sleep and wake up.

Livin the life to me is being at peace regardless of your surroundings. I sometimes struggle with that mostly because I live with a extremely negative husband, but when he is in a good mood or not here, I can find peace. I don't have a car and live too far away to go into town. We barely make it from paycheck to paycheck and as for trips? Yeah right, haven't been on a vacation in I don't know how long, but I personally take one day a week where I don't work, and I rest. That is livin it up to me, especially when I have books to read, except now, the 19 books I won a couple months ago are all read, so I will have to check out more from the library..lol

I don't travel much any more, but I do enjoy getting away now and then. I think it depends on the person and what is more important to them. For instance, I don't remember the last time I went out to eat because it isn't important to me. If your priorities are going out to eat once a week and being able to buy the kids something special now and then, I'd say you were "livin' the life!" That's the life you want, so how can you be missing out on something? Unless, of course, you want it all.

I'd love to be able to save up for a trip.. but we spend our money on smaller treats every week. In fact hubby and the kids are off to McDonald's right now for some treats. We do still try to take smaller trips during the year.. the zoo or other places like that. No major vacations lately though. We used to go to Ottawa a lot because I had a friend who lived there so it was a cheap vacation. We'd stay with her while there. But now she moved so we haven't been able to go in a few years.

When my girls were growing up I would plan a trip using the money from the income tax returns. Then I didn't have to worry all year round about how to make the money for the trip. So we would still be able to go out for that occasional dinner or breakfast, movies etc.... It would be a week in Mount Airy Lodge or a week in Wildwood which was their favorite places to go. If you keep putting things off till you have saved the money you will never get to "living your life."

This "livin the life" really depends on the person. Ever since I resigned, I feel like I am now "livin the life". I feel like my life before is not mine and I'm just going with the flow. I am not rich. But I do travel once a year outside the country and travel in my own country as many as I can. I always save for retreats. Because it gives me peace of mind and I feel like a new person again after the retreat. I don't have kids yet and I'm not married. I want to live my single life to the fullest for I know that when I have kids, my priorities and plans will all change. And I know that it will be harder for me to travel when I settle down.

To me, I believe it depends on individual's preference. People usually like to spend their money on where they think it's more worthy. I think it is good to choose the middle path, spend the money wherever you like, but also save some for emergency. The main point is you need to have a plan. Of course, you can enjoy going for the trips, but if you have spent all, but not savings at all, then what if something urgent happen that need some money later? It may still be fine if you are single, but if you have family, you really need to think for your family, so there will be more restriction in spending money. But, I do not agree that only through spending money will let you living the life. I have not been traveling ever since my son was born, as I decided to quit my job, and take care of him full time. I have to learn how to spend money wiser than before, as income was much lesser than before. But, now I think I am really living my life, I enjoy what I am doing, I enjoy spending the time with my family. To me, as long as you are enjoying your life, appreciating every moment, being happy all the time, that's living your life.

Living the life of what? You are living the life right now every moment that you breathe, talk and love. Your life is what you make it and you prefer to spend time with your family and give your kids a treat. This is great and you are already living your life the way you want it. And now, if that doesn't make sense then blame my mother as she was Irish.

We can see how some people get social envy or that Facebook depression. I've had a couple friends say they had to get off FB because they couldn't stand everyone's lovely photos and wonderful statuses about their amazing lives. Well, I personally only post the "good" things - but that doesn't mean there are never any downsides . . . a Facebook posting does not represent the whole picture. And I believe it is that way with anyone else's Facebook stuff . . . so I'm not going to even try to compare my life to theirs. But in reality one can't help but to do that at times, right? I guess "livin the life" is in the eye of the beholder. To some it means big time traveling - and as "nice" as that might be, that's not our aim - for now anyway. We like to create every day memories - that doesn't necessarily have to cost an arm and a leg - afterall, we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I think we have many memories throughout the year as a family and we get to experience life all around us. One does not have to go to a far away land to create an amazing memory. Missing out - I guess that depends on how you feel about it. I don't feel I'm missing out - if I don't get to climb Mt. Everest or venture through the Amazon - I won't regret it. But surely if we ever to get the chance to go on some big time vacation, you bet I won't take it for granted!

Yeah I would rather be able to do smaller things with the kids, more often than a vacation once or twice a year. When my husband was working his other job once in a while we could take the kids to chuck e cheese or mcdonalds playplace or to the park. They loved it.

I wouldn't be too quick to believe everything that people post on Facebook or what not. I know half of the people on my list can't even afford the stuff they brag because half of them had borrowed money from me (of course I can't afford to lend money to them, so, sorry!). I can't delete them sometimes because they are also related to this person and that and for "connections" purposes, I can't delete them just yet. Anyway, those who really can afford something don't necessarily feel the need to brag about it. And different people have different definitions of what is important and what to prioritize. Some people would rather spend money now then worry and go hungry later, while others are keen on saving first then enjoying all the excess after the whole year.

I have seen that at many other sites an places. People who tell me they have not enough money o live on, but in the last year or so have traveled all over the place. Not sure how they do it. I sure cant.

there are different ways of expressing one's happiness. You can choose the latter if you want and keep it among yourself and your family or you can choose the latter and post it in the internet to share your views about simple treats and effects to your children. In this manner, one can learn from your simple "living" the life way. It doesn't matter what you have read and seen in the social networking sites as they pose and post and say "we are living the life". what matter is are you living your life to the fullest?

well I am with you I dont have the money to travel or even get away as it would be nice it just wont happen so I do my life living right here at home on the computer

To me its the people that i am with matters, me and my friends are good with hanging out on the weekends in the local pub, so that works for us. Now if you and your buddies are more in to hiking and camping you would want to save up for a big trip. So it basically depends on the people you are dealing with, also what you would post on your social network website totally depends on you because to be very honest a very precise moment in cheap bar could end up being a memory of a life time. So live your life the way you want to and dont get influenced by others fb posts. :]

Traveling is my top hobby and every year I have to do a trip overseas. If I have very little money I book a cheap flight which I combine with buses or trains. I take my tent to I spend very little of overnight accommodation. I did that sort of trip in 2003 to Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia. I did this by getting a very cheap flight to Italy. Then I go a bus all the way down to Croatia. It was a lovely trip and I spend much less money than I usually do on a trip. The years before that 2001 and 2002 I had been on expensive trip to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. I booked flights to Argentina in 2012 however three weeks before our trip my son broke his leg. He was in hospital for two miserable weeks then he had a week at home before our trip. His leg had been operated on and I had to be especially careful with him. That trip cost loads of money. This year we will be traveling by train to Eastern Europe. One of my friends used to work for a travel company. She and her man traveled to lots of lovely places. They went to Florida and the Bahamas for their honeymoon. I do go skint so I can afford my trips.

I don't think you can make a judgement about someone's life from what the post on Facebook. You only see a snapshot, and a well edited one at that. As for the second part of your discussion, I think I would be like yourself and spread my treats out over the year. I've never splashed out on a massive, expensive trip, and I don't think I ever will.

My understanding of "livin' the life" differs in every person. As long as one loves what he's/she's doing and enjoys it, it's living the life. If one can afford to go places more often, there're living the most of it. Maybe they have work hard to save for those trips and they are just giving themselves a prize for having made it. But if one can't afford those trips but enjoys going out for dinner with their family, their living their life.I can't afford such trips but I can still enjoy my life with my family by going out with them, once in a while without spending much.

I completely understand what you mean. I was just thinking about this the other day. Many of my friends are able to travel to new and different countries and I often see the pictures on facebook. I'm happy that they are enjoying their life and are able to do things like that it would be nice to be able to travel. I in fact hope that in the future I will be able to travel more. I feel similar to you the things that my family and I are able to do now are the small things. We really can't afford to travel like that. I guess though we have to appreciate the life that we are living even though it may not be as exciting as other people we know.

i will not choose to save money for a trip in a year.cause i don't like travel much.it will make you tired after a long traveling.and you still feel tired when you have to go back to work.