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My top 3 money memories

nzmuse-money-memories

What purchases stand out most in your memory to you? A car? Wedding? A particular gift?

Running back through my memory banks, these are the three instances that jump out at me:

$6 fried rice Mondays

Back when I was in my first year at uni, Mondays were the day from hell. It was literally a 12-hour day, nonstop. I went to my first job in the morning, where I typed up documents and made photocopies. Then I’d rush down to Queen St and the underground International Food Court, where I’d buy a massive fried rice to get me through the rest of the day. After wolfing down lunch, it was off to classes, and then my second job from 4-8pm, loading newspaper content online.

That stall sold fried rice for $6 in 2007; now in 2014 it costs $8.50.

$700 guitar package

I worked my ass off during that year of high school, pulling evening shifts at a call centre and weekend day shifts at a cafe. What I could save now in a few weeks took me months back then, but I was so proud of myself. My reward: a red Ibanez RG170 and a 20-watt amp.

$30,000 RTW trip

Hmm, I’m sensing a pattern here… In the months leading up to our departure, I hustled into the nights and on the weekends bashing out freelance assignments to beef up the travel fund. The highlight was earning almost $1000 in a single day – a batch of five pieces I churned out in one sitting on a Sunday. But ultimately it all came down to one day last summer when I finally sat down and calculated the total we spent on the trip, and seeing that figure staring back at me. It’s an alarming number, for sure, but one with zero regrets attached to it. I know I’d much rather a $30k honeymoon than a $30k wedding.

Your favourite money memories … go!

10 thoughts on “My top 3 money memories

  • Reply save. spend. splurge. August 14, 2014 at 23:44

    I love these money memories!!!

    My favourite on that list is your $30K honeymoon instead of your $30K wedding. I would have done the same.

  • Reply Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life August 15, 2014 at 00:35

    Yeah a 30k vacay around the world is money WAY better spent than a wedding. I think my money memories are also very travel centric. Well, travel and food, my two greatest vices.

  • Reply Lauren August 15, 2014 at 02:18

    $1k in 1 day? Fabulous! I have so many money memories, I think I may need to write my own post. Not a purchase, but one that really sticks out is when I received $1,000 from an insurance settlement at 18 years old. I deposited it right into my bank account. It felt like so much money at the time.

  • Reply Kassandra @ More Than Just Money August 15, 2014 at 03:00

    One of my best money memories was our wedding day, some of the best money we ever spent! Another one was being able to take my mom and late step-father to Niagara Falls (Canadian side) for a long week-end and treat them to whatever they wanted. Their smiles were my thank you and that was more than enough.

  • Reply The Asian Pear August 15, 2014 at 03:42

    My memory purchase was a stereo for $265. I really wanted it. My parents paid for it in advance. I saved up cash from a job I was doing that paid $35/week. I paid them back after 2 months with cash. I was 12 or 13 at the time.

  • Reply Tracey August 15, 2014 at 15:47

    Is that $30K for both of you? If so that’s incredibly good! I’m budgeting $40,000 for 8 months, just me (striving for under $30K but better safe than sorry).

    I remember having $2 fried rice every day when I was studying. Predictably it was pretty crap and occasionally you’d risk breaking your teeth on a stone!

    • Reply eemusings August 15, 2014 at 15:50

      Yep two of us 🙂 6 weeks in Asia, the rest in Europe/N America.

  • Reply Michelle August 15, 2014 at 23:40

    Taking my mom to NYC and going to the US Tennis (and seeing Novak Djokovich) Open last year was FANTASTIC. It had been way too long since we had taken a mommy/daughter trip together. It was amazing how much fun it was.

  • Reply jefferson August 17, 2014 at 02:41

    Nice thought.. If I had to rank my list:

    1> Paying off over 20k in debt
    2> Getting my first job
    3> Planning a super-frugal wedding

  • Reply Daisy August 19, 2014 at 01:49

    Man, that $30K RTW trip sounds amazing right now. I have tried to convince J to go on one of these with me but he won’t be convinced to quit his job to do so. I guess I have to stick with travelling with friends!

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