In all of my time working on saving money, creating a budget, paying down bills, I have never stopped living my life nor have I ever stopped having fun. Those of us with a family have to take their lives into consideration when making big, life-changing decisions. Things like stopping the kids from doing activities, or going places as a family, or even making them live in the dark on only a water diet. These things, while cost saving, make for a miserable life. Sacrifices, although necessary, have to be reasonable to be successful. You can read a bit about that HERE.
So here is a bit of history….
Last year, at about this time, things were going pretty good. The money was flowing as were the great family times. We were living life like the true Financial Morons that we are, oblivious of what lay ahead financially. No matter though as even now that we are where we are, we still don’t stop living life. Admittedly, we concern ourselves with saving money more often, but we just do what we can do and prioritize a bit more than before. At least until we get thing back in order, the way they should be.
Almost historical……
This post is from October of 2017. I had it posted on another blog that I had that nobody knew about. I mean nobody. That was ok because for me it was more therapy than anything. Besides that, I wasn’t completely convinced that I had any writing talent. I’m still not convinced really.
Anywho, enjoy this piece as it delves into a little bit about how twisted my mind works. You’ll be entertained while I work on the next Budget-friendly post that I owe you. See you on the other side…..
I have a lot of cool stuff.
I am, or rather we are, big motorcycle fans. For me it started when I was 8 years old and my Dad brought home one of those minibikes with the Briggs & Stratton motors in it. Yep, 3.5 horses of pure fury wrapped up in a bike with no suspension and only a metal flap rubbing against the rear tire for brakes. I rode that thing every day up and down the lawn. We used to have a picture of me on it wearing real short, purple shorts with white pockets. I’m not sure where that picture went but I’m glad it’s gone. This is the internet age.
But it’s a family thing….
My wife has always been into motorcycles as well. Her father and her uncles raced pretty much every type of motorized two wheeled racing when she was young. Together, we have spent many days at tracks and of course that didn’t change when we had the kids. With both of us being tied to the industry, her more than I, we have had many perks. We have attended Dealer Shows, been in Manufacturers’ Private Box Seats for races, and got to meet cool people that we otherwise wouldn’t have without our connections. Our kids have it even better than we did.
Most of my stuff revolves around motorcycles.
I have a garage full, it’s a small garage, sadly, and it’s full. With the whole family into bikes, I have to have some for them as well. It’s their fault my garage is full. The cool part about them riding is that I always have someone to ride with. It’s really fun to ride with your kids. It’s good bonding time and I cherish it often.
I’m going to have to figure out some space this week. I just bought a new dirtbike. I have a dirtbike that I bought new not too long ago. Only 12 years. Yes, that actually was some time ago and the poor bike is showing its age. While I’m certainly not against getting new bikes frequently, for me it was about saving money.
It has been a great bike.
It has handled Motocross, Trails, Dunes and Supermoto. Each of those disciplines are hard on a motorcycle in their own special way. It’s like taking up skiing, swimming, wrestling and football for 12 years and wondering why it hurts to get out of bed for the rest of your life. You had a good run at it. You won some, you lost some, but most importantly you had fun, which is why you did it. Now though, you moan and groan when you do anything strenuous, like come over a jump with a 210 lb., 51 year old monkey on your back. You know, like my 12 year old bike. Oh and it moans. The wife and the kids say that they can hear my bike land while they are in the stands. A cry for help, so to speak. But issa ok, really.
The last time out at the motocross track in Lake Elsinore, I pulled in to the pits after doing laps for a half hour or so. I felt pretty good. I rode well and I was having fun. As I leaned the poor 12 year old Yamaha against a pole and there, she began to bleed. She had a stream of fluids running down to the concrete. Not a drip, a stream. The Yamaha said it was time to pack up and go home.
Here is where you’ll think I’m nuts…
Back a couple of years ago I was in the market for some new blue jeans. Mine were very faded and had developed holes. Not the type of holes that you pay extra for these days, but the kind of holes that end up being all wrong for your pants. Body parts and loose change begin to fall out of these pants. That’s when you know that “It’s time”. Saving money
may eventually have consequences.
So I go to the local Sears store because they carry the Levis that I crave. I go to the rack and pick out a couple pair, take them into the dressing room and try them on. Success! So with new jeans in hand I head for the cashier and get in line. I’m about three people back, so I wait.
Bad situation right there. The waiting.
See, I suffer from some serious buyer’s remorse. Not for everything, seemingly not for motorcycle parts, but for most other “non-essential” things, like jeans, and sometimes food. So I’m waiting and now I get to be the next person in line, and I freak. I couldn’t do it. Spending $80 for two pair of jeans seemed ludicris to me. So I turned and ran. I put the jeans back on the shelf and GTFO. No jeans for me, not yet. Sadly, that was my second attempt in just over a week. No kidding. At least this time I made it all the way to the checkout line. My personal consolation was that I was saving money, again.
It’s a sign, he says….
Back at home after riding the motocross track, I cleaned up the Yamaha and ran some tests to find the bleeder. It appears that the water pump is the main culprit, but there are other issues as well. It should only be a few hundred bucks to get it back up and moaning, haha. Ryan thinks I’m nuts. He says that the Yamaha bleeding out is a sign to buy a new bike. I’m thinking, what does he know? He’s a kid. He has no sense of value, of cost. BAH, shush child, the adults are thinking. Here I am working on saving money, but you know that you have been milking out that old bike for too long when your wife even says it’s time. She’s the reasonable one in the family. She can buy jeans in one visit.
So here I am.
A new KTM dirtbike on hold at the dealership, financing in the works at the credit union, and I’m panicking as usual. Just like my jeans, maybe I can patch the holes in the Yamaha and run it for a few more years. You know, for the purpose of saving money. When I bring this up to the family I get yelled at. For unlike my jeans when the Yamaha fails completely, I could get seriously hurt, not just embarrassed about things hanging out from where they shouldn’t be. I should be excited at this moment, but I’m not. I should be planning how I’m gonna set it up and how great it will be to ride it. Instead, I’m concerning myself with anxiety about the purchase.
It’s gonna be cool, but damn this sucks.
I guess I’ll have to get over it, before the Yamaha kills me. Anxiety be damned. I’ll try to make myself feel better by not going out to buy some food for work, but instead drink a lot of water and eat a granola bar that I have in my desk. Issa ok, baby steps…..