As someone who subscribes to and reads a dozen personal finance blogs, I have noticed something that many of those in the blogosphere would probably see as a wonderful problem to have. As both a hard worker and a diligent saver, I have been able to save the maximum retirement amount and the maximum SEP amount each year. I no longer meet the income level to contribute to a Roth, but you better believe I did when I was able. I also fund my 3 kids’ 529 plans every month. Educational charities and my kids’ PTA also get nice donations every year.

    After doing this for a decade or more, I realize that I love the idea of saving the money. I have prepaid my mortgage so that I have only a year to go to pay off a 15 year loan in 8 years. I also have non-retirement assets that have experienced the ups and downs of the uncertain economy.

    Poor me, right?

    What astounds me is that for the first time in my life, I can do whatever I want, but I don’t know what to do. I never prepared myself for this day. After 15 years’ of diligent and careful saving, I find that the spending of money doesn’t provide the joy or happiness I thought it would.

    Don’t get me wrong. The freedom to not worry when a car breaks down or I need a suit is satisfying. I love my house even more now that it is about to be all mine. My favorite luxury is actually using a service to do our laundry. For $1.00/lb they get it, wash it, fold it, and return it. I know it isn’t worth it, but both my wife and I hate doing laundry.

    For all you savers, please pay attention — do your best to figure out why you are saving the money. For me it was always the ability to stop working early — something I coveted when I was 25. Now that I am about to turn 40, I realize that I like my jobs, and that I don’t do as well without structure in my days. So yes, I saved, but now what?

    Here are 7 questions to consider in advance:

    What are you going to do once your financial moves come to fruition?

    What will you concentrate on next?

    What will make you happy?

    What will you do with the money?

    What aspects of my financial planning will be difficult to change?

    How have your priorities changed over time?

    And finally—how are they likely to change going forward?

    I always thought I could turn off the saving, frugal, careful part of my brain once I reached a certain level of financial security. However, I am increasingly aware of the fact that if you pursue something diligently for 15 years, it becomes who you are.

    Be careful in what you wish for. Please comment if you have experienced something similar.

    當某些人在預定以及閱讀許多個人理財博客的時候，我發現許多博客里都能看到有一個麻煩大家都很樂意去惹。作為一個努力工作以及努力存錢的人，我已經存了足夠退休養老的錢以及每年都交足夠的公積金。我現在沒有到達可以買得起陀飛輪腕表的工資水平，但是請相信我如果一旦我有能力我一定會買的。我還每月為我的三個孩子在529計劃基金里交錢。每年教育慈善基金和我孩子的家庭教師協會也從我那里得到了不小的捐助。

    這樣交了幾十年的錢之后，我意識到我喜歡上了攢錢這個想法。我已經為我的抵押貸款存了一筆錢，現在十五年的貸款我把它縮短到了8年付清，現在還有一年我就付清了。我還有一些經受了不穩定經濟震蕩的永久資產。

    我很可憐，對嗎？

    令我驚訝的是我第一次發現我可以隨心所欲的做我想做的事情，但是我卻不知道該做什么。對此我根本沒有準備。經過了十五年的努力攢錢，我發現花錢竟然不能帶給我原本我認為應該有的快樂。

    認為我做的不對？車拋錨不用擔心或者隨心所欲地買套套裝都很令我感到滿意。因為我的房子即將正真屬于我的所以我更加愛我的房子了。我最喜歡的奢侈享受是讓別人為我洗衣服。取、洗、疊、送整個服務按照每磅一美元計算。我知道不值那價，不過我和我的生活不能忍受自己洗衣服的日子。

    所有的“存友”們注意了，你必須搞清楚你攢錢是為了啥。對于我來說就是為了早點退休，我25歲就有這打算了。然而我現在都快40了，我發現我喜歡上了我的工作，而我的日子也不會過得無所事事。所以我開始存錢, 但是當你決定要在攢錢的時候首先應該干嘛呢？

    以下是首先要考慮的7個問題：

    1. 一旦你手頭的資金穩定下來你打算做什么

    2. 你下面將要以什么為重心

    3. 是什么讓你開心

    4. 你的這些錢要怎么用？

    5. 在哪些方面我的攢錢計劃很難做出相應的調整

    6. 隨著時間的推移你的側重點有哪些改變

    7. 最后，他們怎么樣向好的方向改變

    我總是想著一旦我有了一定的經濟實力我可以擺脫攢錢、節儉以及絞盡腦汁。然而，我越來越有一種感觸：當你努力追求某樣東西十五年之后，那樣東西基本已經變得和你一樣。

    謹慎地決定你到底要追求啥東西。如果你有同樣的問題請給我留言。