Why I’m not back in college (yet), and why I don’t mind a little debt (for now)
I came across this entry over at Soul Shelter and it was a concept I could really go with. My favorite quote has less to do with the topic of school, but it illustrates the point.
Let’s say you want to write a book. From a moneymaking standpoint, that’s a terrible idea for most people; it’s like moving to Australia so you can date Elle McPherson, or starting a rock band because you want to become famous—sweet thoughts, but dreadfully naïve.
[From Soul Shelter » Blog Archive » Recognizing the Opportunity Within]
I want to go back to school, but not so I can “get a degree and a better job.” I want to go back to school because I enjoy learning. The degree and “better job” (or at least better pay at the job I already have) would be secondary to my enjoyment of learning. The reason I’m NOT in school now is not because I don’t love learning enough. It’s because I have young kids, and while I can go to college at any point in my life, I can only enjoy their childhood now. I plan on going back to college at some point, but at this point in my life the added knowledge and income would in no way offset the loss of the time with my kids.
The same goes for debt. I don’t like to carry debt, and I know it’s going to cost me more in the long run to have it now, but it’s better than the other options at this point. I could get a second job, or my wife could stop homeschooling our kids and go take a job somewhere, and we could take care of our debt in just a year or two. But, it goes back to the kids. An extra income from my wife 10 years down the road can still take care of our debt if we’re frugal and reasonable with it (which we are), but if she does it now, we lose that time with the kids while they’re young and WANT us around. So I’m more than willing to pay an extra $10K-20K (or $50K-100K even) in 10 years for the chance to spend more evenings with the little ones NOW, and my wife to be there for all those times they do something wonderful and heartwarming that no day-care or school would ever share.
If time is money, I’d rather give up my money and time when I’m 50 and don’t have the little ones there to wake me up with a hug and request for honey-nut Cheerios shared, than I’d like to give up that time now, and have the money for a new HDTV, Wii, or Macbook Air.
