My husband and I were very careful with money spending when he was full-time into church ministry. Our income were 50% less than when we were both holding full time corporate job. Every cent spent must be accountable. If we needed to eat out, drinks would be omitted, and cheaper food were ordered. We saved on clothing and entertainment. We taught our children to be careful with spending, and to save money to buy what they wanted. My children were unable to get "more expensive" toys they wanted immediately, but to save money and to wait for their birthday, Chinese New Year or Christmas. We have not brought them to oversea trips as this is not, and not yet, our lifestyle.
Life was not easy when income was limited. However, we were grateful that we were not indebted to anyone during those "cheap" period as God was with us. I said "cheap" because some people would see this as "cheap" when we couldn't spend like others and gave to children for whatever they asked for. I couldn't afford to go to saloon to have my hair done properly, to paint my nails, to pay for massage and to have nice wardrobe. Looking back, all of these were only material things and the importance was all in our mind.
Now that my husband is no longer in the ministry, he runs his own business. God has been good to us, and we are starting to have excess money to save for our children's tertiary education. We look for reasons to go to buffet. My husband and children love good food and have varieties of them. One thing that our whole family agreed is, you tend to appreciate what you have if at one time you didn't have. If a person has never been lacked of anything in his life, he will not appreciate what he has. In another word, a person is happier if he has what he didn't have.
A friend runs a workshop. He always has the latest phone to show off. When I advised him to put aside some money monthly for his children's education in the future, he couldn't even willing to commit RMl100 per month. He said that he couldn't live like us. He would rather spend money the way he likes. He would worry about that when time comes.
Such behaviour is arrogant. He despises people who are careful with money spending. Should he have financial problem, he would blame others not helping him out.
It is not surprising to meet people of such kind around us. They could be driving better cars, using better phones and eating at better place than us. When I talk to them about financial planning, they will start cursing their low paid income. In fact, most of their income is above average.
Financial Planning, comes with attitude, and spending pattern our parents pass down to us.
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