We wish happiness (and kinder critics) for MP Dunleavey
Posted
Jun 17 2008, 02:19 PM
by
Karen Datko
Here's a little snapshot of reality we never thought we'd see: MP Dunleavey owns fewer pairs of jeans than we do. (She has one; we have two.)
That factlet about the often loved, sometimes maligned New York Times and MSN Money personal-finance writer was contained in an e-mail interview she did with U.S. News & World Report. We've been among those who have sometimes wondered about MP's spending choices, particularly when she bought a larger house, but that wardrobe confession compelled us to give her another look.
The subject of the interview was MP's book, "Money Can Buy Happiness." In it, she says that spending choices tied to quality of life issues -- relationships, good health, creativity -- can bring you joy. She also writes about the "60% solution" -- spending that portion of your income on the necessities of daily living, and allocating the rest for savings, emergency funds and fun.
The research for the book caused her to change her spending habits, she said in the interview.
Case in point -- and this is just one of many examples: I have one pair of jeans. One. I know people with 12 or 20. It's not that I don't shop. I do. I think I'm an L.L.Bean Preferred Customer. But writing this book taught me something my grandmothers knew: You only have so much. Make sure you spend on what you really want, what you really need, what truly matters.
Spending that spawns happiness -- tied with a reasonable savings plan -- sounds like good advice. But we doubt it will satisfy her critics. In our perusing of the PF blogosphere, we've rarely see the level of vitriol that's directed at MP.
In a post called "M.P. Dunleavey is going medieval on her debt (finally)," "Boston Gal" (and her commenters) bashed MP's recent decision to put retirement and personal savings on hold in order to pay off her remaining consumer debt. "LivingAlmostLarge" further dissected the issue at her blog. "Life always happens and justifying cutting her retirement savings to pay off debt is stupid. ... She should be cutting her lifestyle," LivingAlmostLarge opined.
Tough talk, but we suspect MP can handle it. She also told U.S. News & World Report:
No one is perfect, especially when it comes to finances. And that's OK. It would be better if we had more freedom in that regard, less fear of censure, so we could talk to one another about what we earn, what we spend, what's a reasonable way to live. That's the only way to make financial progress.
We have to agree with Jim of My Debt Blog, who responded to snarky comments made about MP at LivingAlmostLarge: "I don't worry about what everyone else does. Why you can't wait for them to fail because you don't agree with what they're doing I don't understand."
