I have been contemplating for the past two months what we will be doing with my share of the sale proceeds. It's not much so it's with some sadness that as I realize there won't be much if anything left over after we pay off the debt we incurred just to buy this house. IN fact, we will still be left with significant credit card debt.
Still I can dream, can't I?
When I stopped to ponder if I could buy just one thing.. what would I want the most. After all, I have been longing for a Sony Ereader, a Tassimo beverage system, a Kitchenaid mixer, new clothes, new furniture for our bedroom and the list goes on. Sometimes you see so much you'd like but can't buy that it never really gets down to a choice. After all, when dreaming we really don't have to make choices do we?
So it was some careful consideration before I finally decided that I'd buy a Kitchenaid. Perhaps it's the mom and wife in me that would pick the one item that would benefit not just me but the family as well. I have been using a Sunbeam MixMaster for the past ten years which is that delightful shade of Harvest Gold. Worn and beat up this old thing has been tried and true for me. One thing I can say is that Sunbeam built those motors to last. This mixer has got to be at least 30 years old. The bowls unfortunately are another matter. The bowl set I have is not the original and I was only able to purchase them with another mixmaster. I gave the mixmaster to my mom and kept the bowls, her mixmaster having given up on her. She is much harder on her mixers than I am . Now I have broken the big bowl in the great Christmas Cookie disaster and so have been unable to mix much in the mixer that can't be mixed in a small bowl.
In all my ponderings I hadn't mentioned anything much to my husband. As we approached the closing date of the store sale, I've begun to dream about perhaps keeping a $1,000.00 to myself to buy what I'd like or need for the family. Imagine to my surprise then when my husband started the conversation first and without so much as a second thought outlined to me what he thought we should with the money. I say thought but it felt like an edict.
First we'd pay his parents and then the rest would go into savings. He'd rather carve away the debt ourselves and continue to have our savings account grow. After all we need to save if we are ever to take the kids to Disneyland. I'd get my mixer, of course. He knew about that, in fact, he wants one too.
Well, thank you very much honey. Is it too much that I should want to spend just a little money on some of the things that I know will never be in our budget to buy? Yet I am sure if I suggest we buy a bluray player I think he'd be all gung ho.
I know we've been married ten years and all our money has always been pooled together but I really thought that he'd consider the sale of my business to be "my money". After all, it's not like our household funds ever contributed anything to it from the get go. It was my mom who gave us the initial downpayment to purchase the store. Not that I don't consider it my duty to help the family out after all that's what his paycheques do and mine did too up until I stopped geting any. But really, I would have thought he would have started the whole conversation asking me what I thought we should do with it.
One thing I am certain of though is that I am going to buy a mixer. I've chosen Kitchenaid because it is supposed to be a good brand. I want a mixer that will be with me in the long haul and since I have carpal tunnal a mixer with a dough hook is, I hope, more likely to inspire me to bake more. And it won't be no Wal-Mart Special either. Why are they $100.00 cheaper than say the one at Sears? Even with a good Sears coupon? Because the motor doesn't have the same horsepower. That's why.
It will be another couple of weeks before I'll be able to buy it as I have to wait for all the final bills to go through the work bank account before I can divy up the dough.
Second on my list... one of those Tassimo one shot coffee machines. I had one at a friend's house once and I absolutely loved it. Hmmm maybe I should get Hubs that for his birthday in May? Heh heh. Just a thought.
Does it make me selfish though to just want to keep a little of that money for myself?
NOOOOO!! It's not selfish at all to splurge on yourself! Especially with money that you worked hard to earn!! Celebrate the sale of your store by treating yourself to whatever you want, especially if it's something you wouldn't normally buy for yourself.
ReplyDeleteI bought myself a KitchenAid mixer last year as an early Christmas present...Tim was so relieved to be off the hook. It was one of the best purchases I ever made, besides the Shark steam mop.
I've been really into baking cakes and cake decorating and that dough hook comes in handy. Seriously, buy yourself one! You won't be sorry...it's worth every single penny!
I agree. You need the mixer. You really do. It's not just a matter of convenience. It's about fulfilling a wish. Besides, once you get cooking with the mixer, you use it every day--which makes a per cost use like one penny.
ReplyDeleteStopping by from SITS.
http://mommamaybemad.blogspot.com/2010/04/to-sleep-perchance-to-dream.html
I don't think it's selfish to want to do something fun with the money. In fact if you really want a Tassimo or an eReader or a mixer than I think you should buy one. A few hundres out of the proceeds won't make a huge difference to the debt.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind a bit of financial advice: Make sure you pay off the highest interest debt first. Credit cards are usually the highest interest and should be the first debt you tackle. In fact if you have room on a credit line with lower interest it's usually a good idea to transfer as much credit card debt to the credit line as you can. That will save you hundreds or thousands in interest. Then pay off the credit card debt. THEN tackle the credit line. Last pay down the mortgage. And finally have a well deserved vacation. :)
I love spinning dreams about stuff like that. I do have a kitchenaid though! I didn't want it initially, but I LOVE it now! My mom and aunt bought it for me for Christmas - the BIG one - and they laughed about the deal they got. Finally, quite a few years later, they spilled the beans. They had a coupon, it was seniors day so they got a senior discount, it was marked down and priced wrong! They got it for a song! Of course, about 3 years down the line, I had to pay some money out to replace the motor and some other important piece. I did ask them, "Can't this one last 25 years like my aunts?" They really couldn't answer that.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I finally make perfect bread and rolls, awesome mashed potatoes, cakes and EVERYTHING! You will love it!
Best of luck in your transition. I always have plans that seem to get grounded, but I still dream!