Wednesday, March 6, 2013

A taste of the empty nest

It's a sad state of affairs when your 17 year old daughter has more money in savings than you do.....She got paid yesterday and as usual, most all of it goes into her savings account. Her goal was to get over $2000 and she is now at $2052, after 6 months of working at her hostess job.  She sent me a text that she made her goal and I texted back that $2000 in savings is my goal right now, too! Oh, to be young again with no house payment or bills other than to put gas in your car and a cell phone bill.

She's quite the responsible one with her money and I am grateful for that. Her brother is a spender. Not on big things, but the money he has just seems to trickle away. But, from our last skype conversation, I do think he is getting some good life experience and a good example of living on a budget. Right now he is staying with a guy only a few years older than he is. A guy with a job (teacher) and rent and it sounds like he is a frugal guy who tries to make his money go as far as possible. DS is even learning to cook meals at home, instead of fast food all the time!There might be hope for him yet as far as money goes.

Still no exact word on when he plans to come back home yet. His extended visa runs out the end of May, so sometime before then.  Call it mother's intuition (or do they call it "mum's intuition" in Australia?) but my bet is he will come home and spend the summer working, and racing locally when he can, until he can save enough money for a work visa, a one way ticket back to Australia, and an indefinite stay to work and live in the land down under. He hasn't specifically said anything, but it's just a hunch......But, boy do I miss him!


6 comments:

  1. What a good happy, post about the kids, I like it.

    HS

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  2. Awwww I can't imagine having my son that far away :( I missed why he's in Australia?? Was that his choosing?? Or did he get sent there for work? Sounds like he's loving it & glad to hear he has a responsible roommate!

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  3. Michelle - he's a race car driver and got offered a chance to go down there for a couple of months and race. He didn't have a whole bunch of luck (lots of engine problems) but he did win one race! Then a week before he was to come home he happened to start talking to another car owner (the guy he's now staying with) and he offered him to stay at his place and race his car.......so...that is totally awesome, but it hasn't stopped raining there in 3 weeks and his races keep getting cancelled. It's been a big bummer, but he is still having the time of his life. He was in Australia 2 years ago for 2 months, didn't race, but just got to meet a bunch of racing people, and it helped make the deal come about for him to go down this time.

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  4. It can be really difficult when the kids move out. I know that I've had a tough time of it, of letting go. BUT I want them to be happy, to lead their own lives, to make mistakes and learn. I don't want them moving back in with us LOL We tried that already and it went bad real fast, mostly because a significant other accompanied the kid back home and that was not part of the plan. I look on the bright side: we will have so much more money when the kids are all independent, less stress and the opportunity to lead OUR own separate lives again. It sounds as though your son is having a great time. Let him go off and do his thing because, apparently, they DO come home again later on in life when they get older LOL

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  5. Quest - I'm good with him moving out and going on his own, but I guess I was just expecting him to be in the same area code - not a different continent! LOL

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  6. It sounds like you have done a wonderful job with your kids and you should be so proud!!!

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