Moving Forward

With the wedding planning and school starting again I've been spending a lot of money lately. And as such, I have been thinking about money a lot.

As my money flows out the door and my savings accounts dwindle I've found that I need to take a moment and remind myself what personal finance is. It is about more than budgets, numbers, and restriction. It is not about how much money you have in the bank or saved for retirement. It is not even about how much money you make.

Instead it is about your future, your goals, and your priorities. It is about deciding what you are going to spend your money on and what you can do without. It is about the compromises you make to get to where you want to be. Personal finance is as complex as you are. Books, blogs and classes can give you the tools to take control of your finances, but only you can decide what really matters.

I've been thinking a lot about the future (probably having to do with my upcoming wedding). If all goes well I have one more year left of school and F and I have to decide where we want to be next. I love living in NYC, but it is expensive and F and I cannot have the lifestyle we want if we stay here. I've also been thinking a lot about what is next career-wise after I finish with school. I enjoy my job, but it is not what I want to do long term. I also feel overworked and underpaid on a regular basis. Will this continue to happen if I stay in this field? How do I balance making the money I want to earn and continuing a job I love? These are big decisions and personal finance is going to weigh heavily in them.

In the short-term F and I are focused on paying for our wedding. And I'm focused on finishing my degree. I'm determined to finish by next summer. Personal finance matters a lot in both my short-term and long-term decisions, but it is not the be all and end all decision maker.

Photo by h.koppdelaney