Monday, June 27, 2011

Money Doesn't Grow on Trees....


But wouldn't it be cool if it did?

I would really love to have one of these babies growing in my backyard!!

Yeah....sigh....I know....Money doesn't buy happiness......

But considering that this family of mine is currently in the worst financial shape that it's been in since 2002 (damn recession).....a few extra bucks could make all of us a little bit happier.  It would at least take some of the pressure off....give us some breathing room. 

When I saw that image as the visual prompt for this week's GBE2, the materialistic streak inside me....the one I know I have and try to pretend doesn't exist....started to sizzle.  I started thinking about all the things that a nifty 'ol money tree could buy.  And I started to wonder....

If I were to suddenly have an obscene (almost never-ending) amount of money....what WOULD I actually do with it?
Well....I suppose I'd start off practical.  I'd pay off my credit card bills so that I can continue to build up the credit that I've been rebuilding the past year or so.  I'd pay off my car and probably buy a second one as well--something sensible that will fit all six of us comfortably.

I'd set up accounts for my kids to help them once they were out on their own.  Set aside a little savings of my own.

Just so I didn't feel like a colossal tool once I really started spending....I would make sure that I donated some of my good fortune.  Charities that support autism, diabetes, and cancer would top my list. 

I would buy some land and put up a house.  It would be in this school district so Bear could stay in the fantastic program that he's currently in.  The house would be spacious and each kid would have their own room.  The laundry room would be on the first floor--no creepy basements for me!  I would have enough land to have a vegetable garden but not so much land that I would feel overcome by nature.  I would have a room--just for me--where I could go to escape.  A place to read, write, play with my makeup--whatever my little heart desires.

I would take the family to Disney World.  I've wanted to go ever since I was a little girl.  What little kid doesn't?  I would spare no expense. We would SEE and DO everything!! We would NOT be doing Disney on a budget!!

We would do a bunch of traveling.  See the world--or at least the parts of the world that we are actually interested in seeing.  Go to extravagant places.  Do extravagant things.  Ever see that special on the travel channel about Hershey Park?  The one where it showed how you can go to a chocolate spa and soak in a chocolate bath??  I would SO be doing THAT!!

I'd give each kid a chunk of cash and set them loose in the stores of their choice.  Look out Toys R Us,
Best Buy, and Barnes and Noble!!

Jeff and I would probably do the same.  Lane Bryant, Casual Male, REI, and Sephora might never recover!!

Once we had our fill of shopping and traveling, we'd settle in to our new home and just live life.  I would keep going to school.  Only now, I would have the luxury of not having to work while I pursued my degree.  I'd take my time but when it was all said and done, I would have my Masters in nursing and I'd be fluent in American Sign Language.  When I wasn't studying...I'd be tending my vegetables, reading, and attempting to finish that novel I started oh so long ago....

Jeff would build a disc golf course and spend a good chunk of his day playing and maintaining it.  When he wasn't golfing, he'd be in his art studio painting, drawing or working on his photography.

The kids could pursue whatever fun things they'd always wanted to do....but couldn't...because I always told them we didn't have enough money in our budget for it.

It would be just a regular, normal life except more relaxed because there wouldn't be that whole pesky money thing to worry about.

We could just breathe easy.

Or at least that's how it plays out in my dreams :)


16 comments:

  1. A lovely and honest approach, like your ideas very much!

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  2. What amazing plans!! I love it!! How much easier things would be with enough money for anything one's heart desired!

    Kathy
    http://www.thetruckerswife.com/

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  3. Life would be easier if money weren't a concern, that's for sure. I love that you want enough green space for a veggie garden, but not so much as to feel all naturey. You are a city girl, through and through! :O)

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  4. Or at least that's how it plays out in my dreams :)
    All I can say is....ME 2!

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  5. @Claudia Thanks! Now if only I could get my hands on one of those trees....

    @Kathy It would be much easier! Thanks for stopping by :)

    @Beth I am such a city girl!! My mother-in-law taught me how to grow a veggie garden before she passed away. I can honestly say that until she did, I could never picture myself being even that much involved with nature :)

    @Jo We all have similar dreams, don't we??

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  6. I think we all honestly will want a lot of those things when our money trees grow. I'm a city girl too, my yard is big enough, certainly for the skunk that keeps visiting.
    Pam
    A Pirate Looks Past Sixty

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  7. If only, if only! Send the kids down the back to grab a few leaves from the money tree.

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  8. I LOVE that fantasy. Mine is similar to yours (except for the nursing degree). I always wanted lots of land around a lake, so all my loved ones could live in homes around me.
    http://theresawiza.wordpress.com/

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  9. How lovely is to dream... I like your plans!

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  10. I think Florida residents get automatic discounts going to Disney. You might get one if you're a AAA member. I would do so much if I had money as well. Great post.

    --Diana Jillian

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  11. i will meet you there!!!! hehe now i am singing " i wanna meet you in disney..so freakin baad"
    LOL MUAH!!!!!!

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  12. @pam Oh no! Not a skunk...ewwww! :)

    @peter If I send the kids...they might not return lol, at least not until they spent all the leaves on snacks at the corner store!

    @Theresa your house on the lake sounds lovely...not for me though...perhaps a small pond but no lake for me :)

    @vanessa If only those plans could come true...*searches online for money seeds*

    @D Ana But, but...I'm not a FL resident! Maybe someday we'll get to Disney...with discounts but six people at Disney isn't even cheap on a budget!

    @Brenda that's too cute! I'd meet ya in Disney ;)

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  13. Sounds like you have some wonderful dreams! You don't like basements? Here's an old post of mine about them that you might enjoy.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/2011/04/basement-phobia.html

    Joyce

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  14. @Joyce I despise basements!! I don't care if they are the "finished" kind or your traditional dark, damp area....I don't go below the ground in a house if I can get away with it. I'm going to check out your post...I'm intrigued :)

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  15. Oh the things we parents could do if the money tree was endless!! We can always dream :) Cheers, Jenn.

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  16. Thanks for sharing your dreams! Our family has sure felt the brunt of this darned economy too. A little relief from financial worry would be nice!

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