You might have noticed that over the last couple days, the markets have been a bit . . . volatile. To put it mildly.
As the person who did the big grown-up thing and put a chunk of her savings in Roth IRA at the beginning of the world, all this economic drama, drama makes me feel kind of like this:
I feel like I go over this all the time, but I'm constantly struggling to determine if the pennies I manage to squirrel away are better utilized by being tucked into long term savings or spent on an airline ticket. Security or experience? Experience or security? Hard to know which is really the truest investment in yourself.
If I opt for security, I get a posh nursing home room with a great view. If I opt for experience, I get to be the kookie lady who pulls her great-nieces and nephews to her and croaks, "Did I ever tell you about the time I met Prince William." (Obviously, in my old age, I'll be a bit demented.)
We've reached that point in the summer where anywhere, anything sounds better than blah, blah everyday I currently exist in. During last week's hot snap, I took to checking the forecast for London (England). Highs in the 60s! I almost cried!
Then the bimonthly newsletter from the London Ritz Hotel showed up in my inbox. I've received the newsletter since having tea at the Ritz 3+ years back and I've never bothered to unsubscribe. I enjoy a bimonthly dose of unattainable luxury. And as I read through the Ritz's newly announced tea menu, it was all I could do not to get over to kayak.com and start searching for the most affordable flight.
(Granted after this week's senseless rioting in the U.K., London kind of slipped down on my list of dream destinations, at least until they've all settled down. . . . maybe time for Australia. It's winter there right now, right?)
In an ideal world, we're able to invest in ourselves fully: to opt for both experience and security. But in a crap economy, with a schizophrenic Wall Street to contend with, it's easier said than done.
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As the person who did the big grown-up thing and put a chunk of her savings in Roth IRA at the beginning of the world, all this economic drama, drama makes me feel kind of like this:
I feel like I go over this all the time, but I'm constantly struggling to determine if the pennies I manage to squirrel away are better utilized by being tucked into long term savings or spent on an airline ticket. Security or experience? Experience or security? Hard to know which is really the truest investment in yourself.
If I opt for security, I get a posh nursing home room with a great view. If I opt for experience, I get to be the kookie lady who pulls her great-nieces and nephews to her and croaks, "Did I ever tell you about the time I met Prince William." (Obviously, in my old age, I'll be a bit demented.)
We've reached that point in the summer where anywhere, anything sounds better than blah, blah everyday I currently exist in. During last week's hot snap, I took to checking the forecast for London (England). Highs in the 60s! I almost cried!
Then the bimonthly newsletter from the London Ritz Hotel showed up in my inbox. I've received the newsletter since having tea at the Ritz 3+ years back and I've never bothered to unsubscribe. I enjoy a bimonthly dose of unattainable luxury. And as I read through the Ritz's newly announced tea menu, it was all I could do not to get over to kayak.com and start searching for the most affordable flight.
(Granted after this week's senseless rioting in the U.K., London kind of slipped down on my list of dream destinations, at least until they've all settled down. . . . maybe time for Australia. It's winter there right now, right?)
In an ideal world, we're able to invest in ourselves fully: to opt for both experience and security. But in a crap economy, with a schizophrenic Wall Street to contend with, it's easier said than done.
