Weekend Ramblings & PF Blog Love: Quarter (or 1/3) Life Crisis Hits

I’m not sure what it is, maybe it’s the fact that my relationship dissolved and major things happened that I didn’t ever foresee happening (e.g. house selling, long term relationship going kaputz)… or maybe (and more likely) it is because I am hitting the big 3-0 this year.  Or it is because I am ridiculously busy with work, school, trying to find a love life.

I feel like I am reading the Eat Pray Love of my own life at times.  I realized that I need to just chill out and perhaps take some time on my own to reflect on where I am, what I want to do, and think about what I want out of life.

I thought I knew what I wanted, but when that all fell apart, I don’t really know what I want anymore.  Hopefully I will find it.  Sometimes we may think we know what we want, like that house with the white picket fence, marriage, a big $25,000 wedding, children, and then it hits you and you wonder…maybe you don’t?  These big life decisions are, frankly, kind of scary and I think seeing all my friends get married, trying (or having) children, really makes me think about where I am at in my life.  Obviously its not good to compare and longing for something is the root of all suffering, but it’s easier said than done I guess.

In the impulsive fashion characteristic of me (I can be impulsive and I can be completely anal-retentive and super organized) I am thinking about booking an overseas trip for a meditation retreat.  Hopefully I will be able to find myself, figure out what I want, have some time in solitude to reflect, and most importantly, learn to not suffer by learning that everything in life is impermanent and the only thing we have control over is our thoughts and our mind.  It is something I have always wanted to do and I have some friends who went previously (in a different continent though) who found the experience to be life changing.

Then when I come back, I’m going to buy myself a Porshe Caymen S.

Just kidding!

Readers (young and old!) have you experienced your quarter or mid-life crisis?  How did you work through it?

PF Blog Love!

Grayson @ Debt RoundUp writes Budget Fail: Unrealistic Expectations While Shopping – We all shop, but when we go shopping with unrealistic expectations, then we are destined to fail. I blew my budget in one fail swoop by not researching the product I wanted to buy fully before venturing out.

KK @ Student Debt Survivor writes Financial Lessons Learned From My 80 Year Old Grandma – The original frugalista, my grandmother stayed at home with my mother and didn’t begin working outside of the home, or driving a car until she was in her 40?s. Because they didn’t have a lot of money, grammy knows a whole host of frugal tips and tricks.

John S @ Frugal Rules writes Taking the Plunge: Why I Hate Being Self-Employed – Being self-employed is not what the late-night infomercials would have you believe. It is hard work and requires a lot of discipline, make sure you know that before taking the plunge for yourself.

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Soft or Hard Water- Is Your Water Softener Costing You Money? – Sometimes it’s all the little extras that can add up to more money spent than anticipated. Doing your research will always help you stay one step ahead of the rest.

Sean @ One Smart Dollar writes The Rise of the 15 Year Mortgage – With interest rates at such low levels, 15 year mortgages have become increasingly popular. Are they right for you?

eemusings @ NZ Muse writes Picking up the tab when you’re out with friends – What do you do when friends insist on paying for everyone and refuse to accept cash?

Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes How Finances can Stress a Relationship and What You Can Do About It – The money talk is extremely important because things can change very quickly when financial struggles begin. The pressure of a job loss or debts piling up can have a powerful impact on a relationship.

MR @ Money Reasons writes Why Unemployment Is Likely To Be Higher Than In The Past 50 years – Here’s my take on why unemployment will continue to be a problems for the united states in the future.

Maria @ The Money Principle writes Tax Avoidance for the masses (well some of them anyway) – The masses can indulge in tax avoidance to save losing Child Benefit by contributing to additional pension and the government chips in!

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Fear and Anger Are Freaking Motivating – I want to grow my passive income and the income that isn’t affected by Page Rank. Here is my plan of attack and my results from February 2013.

Lance @ Money Life and More writes What to Do If You Are A Victim of Identity Theft – Last week I discussed what happened when I was a victim of credit card fraud. Unfortunately, the night before you read about my experience with credit card fraud things took a turn for the worse. Turns out my credit card fraud case turned into identity theft quickly.

krantcents @ KrantCents writes The case against paying off your mortgage! – Many personal finance experts suggest paying off your mortgage. I realize that interest rates are very low on savings, but mortgage rates are historically low too. If you itemize your income taxes, you can write off your mortgage interest and the government subsidizes your rate by giving you a tax deduction.

CT @ Cashtastrophe writes Why You NEED To Work Through College – How to Avoid a Cashtastrophe – Save more, spend less, and live a good life

Michelle @ The Shop My Closet Project writes Pride, Prejudice, or Preference? How your choices affect your financial life – I don’t like to eat fast food (Taco Bell, McDonalds, Burger King) . I will only eat at local businesses such as: Smashburger, Lark Burger, Chipotle, or Noodles and Co. and I only go to those places no more than 10 times a year. I would say that in the past year I’ve eaten fast food fewer than 10 times. Why? For several reasons: taste, smell, cost, and vanity.

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes What Extreme Couponers Know about Coupons that You May Not – I’ve caught a few episodes of the show Extreme Couponing in the past, and each time it has led me to wonder about the logistics of these people’s lives: how

Edgar @ Degrees and Debt writes Make Money While Shopping – How to make money while online shopping!

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes Warning: The Market is NOT the Economy – there’s a disconnect between the market and the economy. When I say that our economy is in shambles, it doesn’t necessarily mean that stocks will immediately suffer. For example, last year we were subjected to many congressional battles over fiscal policy, a global economy refusing to grow, and an increasing debt-crisis that needs to be tackled.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes The 10 Most (and 5 Least) Profitable College Degrees – With February nearly over and spring rapidly approaching, there’s many things that you need to do to get ready for the rest of the year.

David Leonhardt @ Self-Help Happiness Blog writes Quirky ways to save money on your car – Anybody can save money on one’s car the tried and true ways – and why not? But a special person can really have fun saving money. All it takes is some discipline and the willpower to be quirky. Do you have what it takes?

Alice @ Hurricanes, Panties & Dollars writes The Empty Wallet Romantic Evening – You don’t have to rolling in dough to give that special lady in your life a romantic evening to remember. You can do it for cheap with a little bit of effort.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Make Life Better for Yourself–Change Your Attitude – Your life is pretty much a reflection of your attitude to it, so if your life isn’t going as well as you would like, it’s possibly time to check your attitude.

Penny Thots @ Penny Thots writes Be Wary of These Scams – The scammers and swindlers are always one step ahead of the authorities when it comes to producing scams. Be cautious of anyone you don’t know that contacts you through phone, email, or social media sites. If they tell that you won a prize, think long and hard before continuing the conversation. You should never have to give up anything to claim your prize.

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Bad Choices Can Be Deadly – Thankfully, many of my poor choices occurred when I was young and I had time to repair them. That’s not the case for an old friend. He knowingly made one terrible choice many years ago and has been paying for it ever since.

Nick @ A Young Pro writes Why You Can’t Get an Interview – The reason you can’t get an interview has little to do with you, it’s all about the resume baby!