Every ~3 months, Nikki & I sit down for an hour or three to do some financial planning. This process starts with a quick inventory of all our bank accounts, which grow shockingly frequently (the number of accounts, not necessarily their balances). Then, we assess our debts and expenditures and grumble about the fact that the expenditures are higher than we want them to be. Finally, we assemble all of Julian’s odd assets (company stock, weird bets, and amusing derivatives).
Today, the question arose because we walked through our apartment. The ceiling in one of the bedrooms is starting to have a smoke alarm hooked up, so we can see the potential maximum height. Julian has always been on team “raise the ceilings in the whole apartment”. Nikki was nervous about cashflow. Julian respects the importance of feeling not-worried about cashflow. Nikki has, since we last pursued our financial planning, started a new job. Her signing bonus will pay for the ceilings in two of the three remaining rooms. The ceilings also make the two smaller bedrooms muchos more liveable: at an 8.5ft ceiling, one cannot use the vertical space. At an 11ft ceiling, one can have a lofted bed that one can sit up in and stand under. For a 100-square foot bedroom, eliminating the footprint of a bed is meaningful.
When I present this idea to my contractor on Thursday, he will be somewhat grumbly that we are changing our minds. He will also, likely, just support our decision. We are accepting of the delay, after all, and our cashflow situation has changed.
Generally, our financial planning answers a question. We have had more significant financial questions over the last year than ever before.
To that, I say: Let’s raise the roof!
