The Never-ending Dilemmas of Time and the Value of Money

Sometimes I find it difficult to shake the feeling that I'm always running out of time! That is, there just isn't enough time to take care of the things that "must be" done.

I spent a large part of today working on one of my online businesses, and when I was about halfway through what I hoped to get done today I realized that I was already "running out of day."

I can't say it's the first time that has happened, and I bet that's happened to you as well!

I suppose I could break this all down logically, and reach the conclusion that I'm just planning to do more than is actually realistically possible. Is that really the case?

Well, yes and no. In many cases it is a little unrealistic what I set myself up to get done, but the realistic part about it is that my plan represents how much I need to get done in order to be in line with things like... being able to pay bills and keeping up with taxes and stuff like that.

Meanwhile...

I belong to a local community group that has an online forum where we discuss events in the community and share hints and tips on how to best manage life in this day and age. It's not just about who knows the best plumber, but also about managing daily life."

Over the past couple of years, I've noticed a greater and greater number of people talking about how it seems like various benefits and sources of help or drying up, while the cost of everything is steadily increasing.

I live in an area that has a lot of retired people, and this is a particularly relevant issue for those who are dependent on investment income in order to be able to live and pay their bills. If your investment income is pretty constant, but your cost of living is constantly going up you're invariably headed towards some trouble!

My own parents, back when they were alive, faced a similar dilemma because they were on fixed income from investments and their cost of living kept going up. What they were experiencing in their final years was that there is only so much you can do to cut your expenses.

At some point you have cut everything down to the most basic items and there are no more places to cut.

Fortunately for my parents, they had some very nice pieces of art that they had acquired during much better times and they were able to sell those to help keep their little ship of life afloat. But not everybody is that fortunate.

In extreme cases - metaphorically speaking - you can end burning the wood used to build your house in order to keep warm. But what will you do for shelter?

Of course, the situation is not yet that serious. The uneasy feelings are more based on being able to look forward, and seeing that the future might get a little bit dodgy if things continue the way they are.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful Friday!

How about you? Do you ever worry that you will struggle because your expenses are growing faster than your income? Do you have a plan? Leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

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Created at 2024.02.02 02:48PST
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