Alice: Which way should I go?
Cat: That depends on where are you going
Alice: I don’t know where I’m going
Cat: Then it doesn’t matter which way you go
I tried to make a 5 year plan, but I can only get through 2011 before it is too vague and uncertain to be meaningful. I’m not sad upset about this — I like having options open, and even my plans for the next 2 years could be crushed by unexpected events.
In short, my plan consists of staying at my job (in new position, transitioning soon) and get awesome at it while enjoying life as much as possible. Then things get fuzzy. T may finish school in two years (spring ‘11), or it could be three. We’re hoping for two, because it frees up our options. We can stay here, or we can go. Choices!
The longer we are here, the more perfect it seems to stay here forever and ever. Our apartment is incredibly awesome, plus we’re under rent control. Sometimes T talks about staying in our apartment indefinitely, like many of our neighbors. Two problems: 1) No dogs allowed. 2) If we ever have babies, we’ll have to store them in the dresser drawer. Not sure what we’d do when they turned 4 or 5.
There is the question of when to start a family. “Later” seems like the most precise answer I can give, other than “not soon”.
Or wait, what about moving abroad for a period of time? We still really want to do this, but each year we stay in L.A. makes it harder to pull off. We won’t be young and free forever. (T, finish in two years! Please!) And if we do that, then where to? How will it all work?
This makes long term financial planning hazy. Once we finish the wedding and the car fund, then what is the next goal? (And if we are leaving in 2 years, we may not even get a newer car if mine holds out.)
But no matter what, cash in the bank gives us options. If we decide to stay here (and have kids and buy property), we’ll eventually need to get a large down payment. Or a much larger dresser.
So, I don’t have a five year plan. I certainly don’t have a life plan, or even some sort of personal mission statement. But I like my life today, and I like the direction it is heading. And I think that is good enough.
6 comments
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June 26, 2009 at 12:39 pm
moody
wow, a life plan seems like overkill. i think you’re on the right track.
June 27, 2009 at 2:47 am
eemusings
Oooh, great post. I don’t know either. But I def. agree with you – having cash in the bank gives you choices. I don’t have a long term plan at all either…it’s all pretty up in the air at the moment. I want to travel, but I want to get started career wise (which will probably mean staying put for a few years, esp if BF decides to do his degree, which’ll take the next 3 years plus time to get registered as a teacher after)…and I guess get married and have a family. Have to hammer out some things first though – BF wants me to take his name, and he’d rather have kids sooner than later!
Just trying to get set financially so we have flexibility whatever happens!
June 27, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Miss M
I found it very hard to plan or make financial projections in my 20’s, partly why I had debt and little savings! I think it’s great that you are making plans now, even if they end up changing along the way. Whatever you decide to do, you will be prepared. Lots of luck.
June 27, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Abigail
I have no idea where we’re going. I know that, at some future date, we’ll be moving to Arizona. Almost certainly. When? No idea. First, we need to visit and see how his skin does. Then figure out how to afford the move. Once we’re down there, Tim’s skin should be clear enough to let him work full-time, which should help the debt repayment go faster. At some point in the next few years, we’d like to have kids. But I’d prefer to be out of debt first. Again, it shouldn’t take all that long, once we can have at least one full-time check.
June 28, 2009 at 6:03 am
Money Maus
It’s really difficult! At least it’s on your mind & you’ve thought about it
July 4, 2009 at 7:11 am
paranoidasteroid
I have a hard time making those kinds of plans as well. Sometimes I like to talk about the possibilities for the future, but ultimately time is going to alter all of my plans. I never could have imagined in college that I was going to move to California, and when I moved out to California, I never thought about grad school or moving back to the east coast.
Perhaps when (if) we have kids, things will have to be a little more stable and we can develop a real 5-year plan. For now, though, I feel like a plan would only limit us. Who knows what I’ll want to o in a few years? Maybe I’ll want kids, or maybe I’ll move to Australia!