Differently able

When I got married, I told my wife of my goal of making monthly investments until we retire. She could not comprehend why we needed to literally stuff our calendar with some form of forced savings, then I shared with her the idea of "sacrificing now in order to have more tomorrow." Well, it has been almost nine years since, I would like to believe that I have been successful in persuading her.

I did not have much growing up, but I did not find the need to compensate when I became able. Frugality has been a friendly virtue from the day I started working. I learned to be content and happy with what was on the table. Until now, I try to live within my means. My only extravagance are the seeds that I used as capital in some so-so ventures that I have engaged myself in. Still, the mission remains the same: planning for retirement.

I am happy to be living a simple life with my family; they make me whole. Things that we can afford, we choose not to afford. My wife knows that her occasional slip in thought will never materialize, unless she swipes her plastic and pays for it herself. Likewise, my lapses here and there have remained just ideas. Anyway, we have been good so far, no void that needs artificial filling.

Going back, I think our investment horizon is clear.