Overspending

Yesterday I got a shock when I checked my bank account. I was surprised when I saw my credit card deduction. I knew that my ‘extravagant’ spending ways for the past months will soon haunt me. And it did when the bank statement came. At first I thought there was some fraud and I called the customer service to complain. But it turned to be correct so I was left mulling about my behavior. I was suddenly faced with financial ruin, especially in the coming months when my kids will go to college and my wife not working. I started thinking of ways to earn more money by getting a job or completing a book.

Suddenly my dreams of security in the US was threatened. But I knew that I could work something out because it’s the way things are here. One can have 2 or more jobs if one wants to as long as one is physically capable. So I started to wonder what type of jobs are good for me. Previously my mind would go on blaming mode, accusing everyone who I think is conspiring to keep me down. Nowadays I am settled to accepting responsibility. It will be on my shoulders that my family will succeed. I had always wanted a strong partner to help but I guess that is not possible. Hopefully for the time being only.

Most of my purchase where paid for by my saving stored in my Singapore account. Now I am faced with the near depletion of my savings if I keep on spending. The coming major expenses are my wife’s medical treatment and my kid’s college tuition. If there will be any emergency expenses, I will need to borrow money. The only thing left for me to do is to pay for the fenceconstruction. I think that would be a good investment so my family with have an additional area to go to. My expenses in the sport club I think is also needed to provide my kids withopportunities to exercise and meet people. So I am keeping expenses to a minimum.

I now understand how people can be over extended here. Credit is easy and there are all sorts of things to buy here. So it is a temptation nightmare. So I have to go back to my discipline again. Even my health is suffering because I can’t stop myself from eating. Now I am being more careful going back to my water and oatmeal days. I have gained about 8 kilos and I need to lose it fast. I also need to live within my means again. Last month I was in the negative, meaning I withdrew more money than I received from payroll. It was due to the balance I gave for the car purchase. So at least there was a reason for my over extension.

I also need to realign my values and focus on the important stuff. There is a different mind set here and the emphasis is on practicality and values. I can’t help but think that I have been living a dissolute life in Singapore. Previously I thought that I had lived a dissolute life in the Philippines when I just moved to Singapore. It seems that the more I move to a more prosperous country the more circumspect and chaste my life should be. I guess that may be the result of being in a progressive country: people are more serious and working on activities of true value while maintaining their conservative ways.