Food at the coast guard festival when my daughter's friends unexpectedly joined us. Instead I made a bit of a fuss and made everyone split a burger. Four years.This is stuck in my head as a failure. Not so much because I didn't spend the money, but because I didn't just go with the flow more. I'm sorry my kids had to experience that version of me. The rigid, inflexible me. My later versions are so much more relaxed.
Nine years ago, I found myself suddenly single, and with pre-approval for a (low, but good enough for a solid 3 bedroom) home loan. I procrastinated, vaccilated, and ended up replacing my ailing car instead - I worked in one town, lived in another, and wanted to be able to drive more than I wanted to own a home.
I *should* have bought a house and walked to work until I saved for a car. Instead, it took me another 6 and a half years, and I bought a house that would have been in my price range back then ... for 50% more than it cost back then.
My ex-husband and I began creating a small-scale apartment rainwater catchment system made from recycled materials. I wish we had spent the money to patent that idea. I'm sure others have created and patented similar things, but I mainly wish I had gone through with the development of the product itself, to give life to something that would be useful to encourage people to utilize natural resources wisely and find creative ways to grow food for themselves, even without land.
We live in New York -- the state, not the City. The "City" is more than 245 miles downstate and visiting is "A Thing!"
On one trip-- a little business, a little pleasure -- I learned that Lena Horne was performing during the final week of her stage show "The Lady and Her Music." I was a huge fan but $60 a ticket?! I decided not to go.
I wish we’d borrowed against the house to get the kitchen sorted rather than saved up for it first. Prices doubled after Covid - so it would have cost us way less, and we would have enjoyed it the whole time rather than making do with the deleterious one we had for years and years.
In regards to purchases not made at all, there have been a couple of paintings that stick in the mind that I wish I had bought/bid for.
When I purchased my current ranch style house with an in ground pool, there was also a larger 2 story on a double lot with a wraparound porch that was partially screened in and a fenced in back yard. It’s in my same neighborhood, but the price was $40k higher. At the time I thought the ranch made more sense but I have regretted that decision ever since!! I go past this house every day while walking my dog and wish I lived there.
That is also my biggest regret! Not buying a piano when I had the space and money. My brother and I had lessons as a child, but then life got in the way and we both stopped. My parents got rid of the piano and I have missed it every day since. I briefly had lessons when I had my own house, and a keyboard I bought for my daughter to play with. But again, life got in the way again. I was a single Mum at the time, so I thought the money would be better spent elsewhere. But again I regretted not following my dreams and getting a piano. My daughter is grown now into a wonderful young lady, and now have the time to learn again, but I no longer have the funds! It may still happen in my life, and I certainly think about it every now and then. Great question x
Maybe I should wish I hadn't spent so much money on travel and getting the things I really wanted. LOL Really, at 82, I have no regrets and am pretty happy with how my life has turned out. Maybe I'll wish I'd started photography earlier in my life. BTW, I have your book and it has really helped me notice how many "eyes in the sky" we have everywhere.
I would have purchased an Ancestry DNA kit sooner than I did. I would have found my birth Father & extended family a lot sooner. I am suffering regrettable procrastination now, because I missed that opportunity by 11 months. He passed & put an end to a 50 year search ❤️🩹
Commonwealth Bank shares when they were first floated! I had just enough to purchase the minimum amount, but I was only 17 and it was everything I'd saved.
Food at the coast guard festival when my daughter's friends unexpectedly joined us. Instead I made a bit of a fuss and made everyone split a burger. Four years.This is stuck in my head as a failure. Not so much because I didn't spend the money, but because I didn't just go with the flow more. I'm sorry my kids had to experience that version of me. The rigid, inflexible me. My later versions are so much more relaxed.
Nothing comes to mind immediately but it raises the bigger question: which regrets could I have prevented, perhaps with money?
Nine years ago, I found myself suddenly single, and with pre-approval for a (low, but good enough for a solid 3 bedroom) home loan. I procrastinated, vaccilated, and ended up replacing my ailing car instead - I worked in one town, lived in another, and wanted to be able to drive more than I wanted to own a home.
I *should* have bought a house and walked to work until I saved for a car. Instead, it took me another 6 and a half years, and I bought a house that would have been in my price range back then ... for 50% more than it cost back then.
My ex-husband and I began creating a small-scale apartment rainwater catchment system made from recycled materials. I wish we had spent the money to patent that idea. I'm sure others have created and patented similar things, but I mainly wish I had gone through with the development of the product itself, to give life to something that would be useful to encourage people to utilize natural resources wisely and find creative ways to grow food for themselves, even without land.
We live in New York -- the state, not the City. The "City" is more than 245 miles downstate and visiting is "A Thing!"
On one trip-- a little business, a little pleasure -- I learned that Lena Horne was performing during the final week of her stage show "The Lady and Her Music." I was a huge fan but $60 a ticket?! I decided not to go.
It was June 30, 1982 -- the closing night.
I wish we’d borrowed against the house to get the kitchen sorted rather than saved up for it first. Prices doubled after Covid - so it would have cost us way less, and we would have enjoyed it the whole time rather than making do with the deleterious one we had for years and years.
In regards to purchases not made at all, there have been a couple of paintings that stick in the mind that I wish I had bought/bid for.
When I purchased my current ranch style house with an in ground pool, there was also a larger 2 story on a double lot with a wraparound porch that was partially screened in and a fenced in back yard. It’s in my same neighborhood, but the price was $40k higher. At the time I thought the ranch made more sense but I have regretted that decision ever since!! I go past this house every day while walking my dog and wish I lived there.
architecture school and an overseas plane ticket to be at my best friend's wedding in 2006.
A fancy scientific calculator
Piano Lession and a Stone Collection 🙂 nice question 👌
That is also my biggest regret! Not buying a piano when I had the space and money. My brother and I had lessons as a child, but then life got in the way and we both stopped. My parents got rid of the piano and I have missed it every day since. I briefly had lessons when I had my own house, and a keyboard I bought for my daughter to play with. But again, life got in the way again. I was a single Mum at the time, so I thought the money would be better spent elsewhere. But again I regretted not following my dreams and getting a piano. My daughter is grown now into a wonderful young lady, and now have the time to learn again, but I no longer have the funds! It may still happen in my life, and I certainly think about it every now and then. Great question x
Maybe I should wish I hadn't spent so much money on travel and getting the things I really wanted. LOL Really, at 82, I have no regrets and am pretty happy with how my life has turned out. Maybe I'll wish I'd started photography earlier in my life. BTW, I have your book and it has really helped me notice how many "eyes in the sky" we have everywhere.
a graduate degree
I would have purchased an Ancestry DNA kit sooner than I did. I would have found my birth Father & extended family a lot sooner. I am suffering regrettable procrastination now, because I missed that opportunity by 11 months. He passed & put an end to a 50 year search ❤️🩹
An acrylic painting by a Native American Indian.
Singing lessons
Commonwealth Bank shares when they were first floated! I had just enough to purchase the minimum amount, but I was only 17 and it was everything I'd saved.