Cost of living

(the story was first published on https://cathopper.blogspot.com/ on 11th March)

Just recently I got into a discussion with my friend about the cost of living, how it has changed our way of thinking, and not only in the last couple of years but at least in the last few years over a decade. As far as I can remember, prices started rallying slowly almost about ten years ago. At first starting with rental prices, and then commuting and service fees. I remember how ten years ago I decided not to go to the hairdresser anymore as it was and still is too expensive for me. I cut my hair myself. But it's not that I want to talk about. The cost of living has made me value time and this itself is somewhat even good. I've also spoken about it to my another friend, and it seems to me that there maybe more people who think like that. Life has gone so expensive in the last ten years that there is no point for us to work full-time anymore. Motivation is lost. 

My friend said how he can't much remember those five years when he worked full-time non-stop. He felt like a zombie and lived with his parents, he is still living with them because renting or getting mortgage and buying home is not so easy anymore. After being accepted for mortgage there is house bidding between multiple applicants which creates the final feeling of giving up. Everyone should have their own home or place to be, it should be our human right. Yet, there are people who work full-time but have to live in a car and it's very sad, unfair.

According to all the previous reasons has my friend decided to work part-time and spend more time with his family instead because at least in this case he has more time. Time is something that I myself have started to appreciate highly, too. The cost of living is already high but time is more precious. If it's already difficult to manage costs while working full-time then that's when you start valuing time. 

In November I got salary increase which I was very happy about but even more so the rent increased in December which not only takes away all my salary increase but leaves even less money in my hands than before. Complete zero motivation. This is when you start to think - what's the point? This is when you start to appreciate time and decide. 

Photo by Alina Levkovich on Pexels