Save It For What
Why is it that we are raised to work for a living but then later we are guilted into feeling like it’s bad to splurge a little on ourselves? If I hear one more adult tell me about opening up a savings account I’m going to lose my cool. Okay, maybe it would be wise to open one but not for how most people use a savings account. I know that life doesn’t always go according to plan and that being prepared to take a financial hit (due to a medical emergency or job transition) is probably wise, however my message today is for those who love to always save their income. By the end of this read you’ll be thankful for every penny you spent!
When I first started making money I was taught to put 30% away into my savings account (which at the time was just a piggy bank). I knew that would be the smart thing to do but it’s not what made me happy. If I wanted to go to a concert or maybe buy something extra at the mall and I technically didn’t have the money in my hand, I would go bananas just thinking about how dumb it was that the money was sitting at home doing nothing.
As I’ve gotten older I’ve met too many people who (not only use real savings accounts instead of piggy banks), but who just enjoy having their money sitting in a bank not being put to use. And again, my whole motto is not “spend every dime cause you never know what tomorrow holds”. My motto is simple: if you work for your money then feel free to spend it on a few luxuries. Luxuries can mean different things to people. For some people it could mean designer shoes, or lavish trips, or spoiling others with gifts. For other people it could be smaller scale things like that extra Starbucks drink, or seeing a movie, or maybe even some silly gadget from Amazon that we will probably only use twice.
Personally, I like to treat myself to Starbucks- a little too much for it to be considered a healthy habit. My mom always tells me how silly I am spending my money there because I can easily make that drink at home if I invested in the proper machines. She makes a very valid point, but I also blame her for my mischief. When I was younger and I would model, my mom would treat me by buying me a McDonald’s happy meal after every audition I went to. Ironically enough that did not help my modeling career but we can tap into that later. It was this feeling of getting a happy meal that just made me feel accomplished. Okay, maybe as a kid I didn’t really have that feeling, but it did make me feel like I was being rewarded for doing something good. Fast forward to present day when I treat myself to a Starbucks after I feel like I accomplished something worth celebrating. Sometimes I catch myself spoiling myself for the silliest things (putting gas in your car is not really an accomplishment). I know plenty of people who like to take themselves on weekend getaways when they have succeeded at yet another thing in their lives. (If you live in Los Angeles, a weekend getaway can be very inexpensive and very efficient) so why not!
My mom recently told her friends that she isn’t leaving any of her money to my brother and I for when she dies. She said that she feels confident enough that she has given us the tools we need in order to be successful on our own. I also agree with that, I just don’t see why she’s gotta be salty about it. Her idea is very simple though: she made her own money so she gets to spend it however she wants. Who can’t agree with that?!
Being smart about your finances is vital, but acknowledging your achievements no matter how big or small is also vital to #livingyourbestlife . If you’re not one to spoil yourself necessarily then think about the other 7 billion people on the planet! Or you can just think about the few hundred you probably see on a regular day. Pay it forward, gift something to a friend, be kind to a stranger with a simple Starbucks coffee, just stop letting your money accumulate dust in your savings account. If you can’t think of five things you are saving your money for then chances are you are just putting your hard earned money to waste!