I have always been a diligent tightwad. No eating out, cheap phone plan, budget brand nappies for the baby (yes, I hate myself), spreadsheets, trackers and all the compound interest calculations a guy could ever ask for.
It was all going great until my stinginess was caught in the light of day and I saw it for what it really was.
Picture the scene - Young professional. Suit and tie. Work in a big company in the city. Young dad. Sole earner. Packed lunch every day.
Along comes C0VlD-19 and the sudden requirement to work from home.
perfect… guess who saved $99 per month cancelling their home internet last year!
I'm the only one in the team who needs a 4G WiFi dongle. My boss, the company' s Head of Compliance, walks me down to the IT Service Desk to get one.
IT: Sorry, all out. Why do you need one anyway?
Me: Speed issues (kinda the truth - i would have to use my wife's mobile data as a hotspot which is slow)
IT: Don't you have NBN?
Me: No
IT: How about ADSL? No, why?
Me (not realising just how much stronger my scrounging game was than a normal person): Financial choice
As this conversation is taking place I am about 25% through the Millionaire Fastlane . There are a few chapters there where MJ sarcastically talks about the "benefits" of the slowlane. The sentence "financial choice" is halfway out of my mouth when I realise MJ might have a point.
Great, now my boss thinks I can't afford WiFi. F*ck. She knows how much I earn. How the hell can I not afford WiFi? Maybe I have debt (I don't). Maybe my wife is sick (she's fine). Maybe I have a gambling addiction (I don't). Being a serial saver must be so far down the list of possible reasons I don't have internet at home.
It was on the walk to the TelCo with the boss's company credit card to buy a mobile broadband plan that I decided something has to change.
I am sick of feeling guilty for every non-essential purchase
I am sick of feeling guilty every time I miss my monthly savings goal
I am sick of worrying that my colleagues think I am poor
I am sick of fantasising of winning the lottery
I am sick of fantasising of DYING, just so my wife can get my life insurance payout and not have to stress about money(WTF)
And I am sick of cheap, non-absorbent F*cking nappies
And all this for what? Once I've saved enough for a house deposit, I will compromise and buy a shitbox, live in misery so that I can pay it off early, so I have more time to save for retirement. As MJ said in his monologue "WHERE DO I SIGN?"
I realise now that instead of waiting for the world to GIVE ME something, I need to GIVE MYSELF to the world if I am to get out of this mediocre life.
I've always had "Million Dollar Ideas". I've also always had the million dollar excuses not to take action.
This time next week I will have home WiFi.
This time next month I will be building knowledge to get my product going.
This time next year I will have my own company and at least one MVP out there for the world to enjoy.
Thanks for the kick up the a$$ MJ - I owe you one
It was all going great until my stinginess was caught in the light of day and I saw it for what it really was.
Picture the scene - Young professional. Suit and tie. Work in a big company in the city. Young dad. Sole earner. Packed lunch every day.
Along comes C0VlD-19 and the sudden requirement to work from home.
perfect… guess who saved $99 per month cancelling their home internet last year!
I'm the only one in the team who needs a 4G WiFi dongle. My boss, the company' s Head of Compliance, walks me down to the IT Service Desk to get one.
IT: Sorry, all out. Why do you need one anyway?
Me: Speed issues (kinda the truth - i would have to use my wife's mobile data as a hotspot which is slow)
IT: Don't you have NBN?
Me: No
IT: How about ADSL? No, why?
Me (not realising just how much stronger my scrounging game was than a normal person): Financial choice
As this conversation is taking place I am about 25% through the Millionaire Fastlane . There are a few chapters there where MJ sarcastically talks about the "benefits" of the slowlane. The sentence "financial choice" is halfway out of my mouth when I realise MJ might have a point.
Great, now my boss thinks I can't afford WiFi. F*ck. She knows how much I earn. How the hell can I not afford WiFi? Maybe I have debt (I don't). Maybe my wife is sick (she's fine). Maybe I have a gambling addiction (I don't). Being a serial saver must be so far down the list of possible reasons I don't have internet at home.
It was on the walk to the TelCo with the boss's company credit card to buy a mobile broadband plan that I decided something has to change.
I am sick of feeling guilty for every non-essential purchase
I am sick of feeling guilty every time I miss my monthly savings goal
I am sick of worrying that my colleagues think I am poor
I am sick of fantasising of winning the lottery
I am sick of fantasising of DYING, just so my wife can get my life insurance payout and not have to stress about money(WTF)
And I am sick of cheap, non-absorbent F*cking nappies
And all this for what? Once I've saved enough for a house deposit, I will compromise and buy a shitbox, live in misery so that I can pay it off early, so I have more time to save for retirement. As MJ said in his monologue "WHERE DO I SIGN?"
I realise now that instead of waiting for the world to GIVE ME something, I need to GIVE MYSELF to the world if I am to get out of this mediocre life.
I've always had "Million Dollar Ideas". I've also always had the million dollar excuses not to take action.
This time next week I will have home WiFi.
This time next month I will be building knowledge to get my product going.
This time next year I will have my own company and at least one MVP out there for the world to enjoy.
Thanks for the kick up the a$$ MJ - I owe you one
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