I've always assumed it was more time-consuming to live on a low budget. For example, keeping a price book, cooking from scratch, doing things for yourself rather than paying for a service.
But I've been feeling kind of frazzled lately, and realized something strange. It can be even more time-consuming to have money on hand!
The health insurance stuff is finally straightened out, and money available in the HSA. So over the past few weeks, I've had to find time for a dental appt, a doctor appt, and a mammogram.
If I didn't have $500 I could spare to do the Netbank deal, I wouldn't have that deal to keep track of.
If I didn't have money for buying clothes, I wouldn't be spending time shopping for, buying, or returning things.
If I didn't have money for mulch, I wouldn't have to buy, haul and spread it.
If we couldn't afford to catch up on deferred maintenance requiring the electrician or the plumber, I wouldn't have to get hold of them, schedule appts and arrange to be home.
If we didn't have money going into IRAs and a 401K, I wouldn't have to spend time figuring out how to allocate the funds.
If our only income was from working, our taxes would be a lot simpler.
I mean, really, it's a relief to be able to start catching up on things. But I'd forgotten how much time it takes to actually DO things. As opposed to spending hours online, or reading, or watching movies because you don't have the money to do much else.
Time and money, a new perspective
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