愿意惹的麻烦

As someone who subscribes to and reads a dozen personal finance blogs, I have noticed something that many of those in the blogosphere would probably see as a wonderful problem to have. As both a hard worker and a diligent saver, I have been able to save the maximum retirement amount and the maximum SEP amount each year. I no longer meet the income level to contribute to a Roth, but you better believe I did when I was able. I also fund my 3 kids’ 529 plans every month. Educational charities and my kids’ PTA also get nice donations every year.

After doing this for a decade or more, I realize that I love the idea of saving the money. I have prepaid my mortgage so that I have only a year to go to pay off a 15 year loan in 8 years. I also have non-retirement assets that have experienced the ups and downs of the uncertain economy.

Poor me, right?

What astounds me is that for the first time in my life, I can do whatever I want, but I don’t know what to do. I never prepared myself for this day. After 15 years’ of diligent and careful saving, I find that the spending of money doesn’t provide the joy or happiness I thought it would.

Don’t get me wrong. The freedom to not worry when a car breaks down or I need a suit is satisfying. I love my house even more now that it is about to be all mine. My favorite luxury is actually using a service to do our laundry. For $1.00/lb they get it, wash it, fold it, and return it. I know it isn’t worth it, but both my wife and I hate doing laundry.

For all you savers, please pay attention — do your best to figure out why you are saving the money. For me it was always the ability to stop working early — something I coveted when I was 25. Now that I am about to turn 40, I realize that I like my jobs, and that I don’t do as well without structure in my days. So yes, I saved, but now what?

Here are 7 questions to consider in advance:

What are you going to do once your financial moves come to fruition?

What will you concentrate on next?

What will make you happy?

What will you do with the money?

What aspects of my financial planning will be difficult to change?

How have your priorities changed over time?

And finally—how are they likely to change going forward?
I always thought I could turn off the saving, frugal, careful part of my brain once I reached a certain level of financial security. However, I am increasingly aware of the fact that if you pursue something diligently for 15 years, it becomes who you are.

Be careful in what you wish for. Please comment if you have experienced something similar.

当某些人在预定以及阅读许多个人理财博客的时候，我发现许多博客里都能看到有一个麻烦大家都很乐意去惹。作为一个努力工作以及努力存钱的人，我已经存了足够退休养老的钱以及每年都交足够的公积金。我现在没有到达可以买得起陀飞轮腕表的工资水平，但是请相信我如果一旦我有能力我一定会买的。我还每月为我的三个孩子在529计划基金里交钱。每年教育慈善基金和我孩子的家庭教师协会也从我那里得到了不小的捐助。

这样交了几十年的钱之后，我意识到我喜欢上了攒钱这个想法。我已经为我的抵押贷款存了一笔钱，现在十五年的贷款我把它缩短到了8年付清，现在还有一年我就付清了。我还有一些经受了不稳定经济震荡的永久资产。
我很可怜，对吗？

令我惊讶的是我第一次发现我可以随心所欲的做我想做的事情，但是我却不知道该做什么。对此我根本没有准备。经过了十五年的努力攒钱，我发现花钱竟然不能带给我原本我认为应该有的快乐。

认为我做的不对？车抛锚不用担心或者随心所欲地买套套装都很令我感到满意。因为我的房子即将正真属于我的所以我更加爱我的房子了。我最喜欢的奢侈享受是让别人为我洗衣服。取、洗、叠、送整个服务按照每磅一美元计算。我知道不值那价，不过我和我的生活不能忍受自己洗衣服的日子。

所有的“存友”们注意了，你必须搞清楚你攒钱是为了啥。对于我来说就是为了早点退休，我25岁就有这打算了。然而我现在都快40了，我发现我喜欢上了我的工作，而我的日子也不会过得无所事事。所以我开始存钱, 但是当你决定要在攒钱的时候首先应该干嘛呢？

以下是首先要考虑的7个问题：

1. 一旦你手头的资金稳定下来你打算做什么

2. 你下面将要以什么为重心

3. 是什么让你开心

4. 你的这些钱要怎么用？

5. 在哪些方面我的攒钱计划很难做出相应的调整

6. 随着时间的推移你的侧重点有哪些改变

7. 最后，他们怎么样向好的方向改变

我总是想着一旦我有了一定的经济实力我可以摆脱攒钱、节俭以及绞尽脑汁。然而，我越来越有一种感触：当你努力追求某样东西十五年之后，那样东西基本已经变得和你一样。

谨慎地决定你到底要追求啥东西。如果你有同样的问题请给我留言。