If Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness, What Does?

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With the Powerball jackpot now over a billion dollars, many people purchasing tickets have fantasized about how incredible life would be if they somehow managed to beat the 292-million-to-1 odds and won the biggest lottery payout ever.

It would truly be amazing and it would certainly present opportunities that the average person could never imagine. But don’t be discouraged if/when you don’t win. After all, wealth and happiness are two very different concepts.

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal discussed a survey of divorced women and their relationship with money. The majority of the women polled felt that they were more secure about their finances than when they were married.

This may seem incongruent, given that most of the women left a two-income household. Now, with less money and more responsibility, they feel more content.

How can this be?

The answer is control. Many women do not have enough of a say regarding their finances while married and they have little control over their spouse’s spending. The author went on to point out a poll that mentions financial issues as the leading cause of divorce, ahead of compatibility. It makes sense that divorced women with less money but more control over their spending could very well be more content than they were in their marriage.

Do you have a friend or relative who is newly divorced or considering the possibility? I can give her expert guidance on securing the mortgage that works best for her.

For those of you who are already content but want more, there’s always Powerball. Good luck!

If you have questions about mortgages or you are preparing to purchase a new home, please get in touch and I’ll be happy to help guide you through the process. I look forward to speaking with you.

January’s Home Improver

Marie Kondo’s Tips for Tidying

Even though we’re still a couple of cold and snowy months away from spring cleaning, your home may look its most cluttered in the winter. Boots, bulky coats and snow shovels are all within reach when they are normally in storage most of the year. Snowed-in kids break out their toys and games and many don’t put them back as neatly as they found them.

Marie Kondo is the author of the bestselling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” It has been at or near the top of the nonfiction chart for over a year. Here are some of her rules for decluttering:

  • Declutter not by room, but by category. Start with the easy stuff (old documents) and proceed to the things that are more difficult to part with (photos and mementos).
  • Only keep items that “spark joy.” Ask yourself that question when you pick up each item.
  • Rather than looking at what you want to get rid of, choose only the items you need to keep. Are they truly necessary?
  • Fold and store things carefully in drawers to maximize space. There are many YouTube videos demonstrating her technique.

Have fun decluttering and tidying your home!