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I read a great article over at Violent Acres today, and while I’m sure it’s a whole lot harsher than what most of us are used to, you can’t really argue with a lot of what she has to say here (Some of her writings I’m not so sure about, but we’re all entitled to our opinion, eh?). Anyway, I thought rule number 5 was particularly interesting and struck a chord with me.
After all, she’s right. We do live in a society that encourages rampant consumerism. We’re bombarded day in and day out with advertisements and sales and status, all of these things you need to buy to be happy! I mean look at that girl using the herbal essences shampoo…she’s happy…too happy, about using that lavender scented purple goo. It’s hard not to get caught up with it, to break down against the relentless assault of stuff that pours through all the channels of media everyday.
But we manage don’t we? You wouldn’t really be here if you didn’t have some sort of vested interest in maintaining your financial well-being. Unfortunately that’s not the only distraction we face, either. Our friends and family, perhaps in their own well-meaning way, also encourage us to spend money we may have saved otherwise. After all, they reason, shouldn’t you enjoy life in the present? If you work hard, shouldn’t you reward yourself for the effort? Why not buy that big gift for your girlfriend and worry about retirement another time? Don’t you want to travel and go to Las Vegas?
It’s tempting to rationalize these suggestions. I do want to travel, I do want to be generous and buy people nice gifts during the holidays. But what is the real cost? How badly do I want to attain financial freedom? Just because I have the money doesn’t mean I have to spend it. Living below your means is rule number one in the personal finance bible. But where is the line of being frugal and being Mr. Scrooge, counting his treasures in the wee hours of the night? What makes you frugal and what makes you a miser? In short, where is the proper balance?
Often times you’ll read stories of extreme finance at Getrichslowly and you think “wow, that person is miserable, I could never live without X,Y, and Z!” But who are you to say how happy they are? How can you tell someone that they don’t spend enough of their money? I can’t help but prickle defensively when someone tells me I focus too much on the future and not enough on the now, that youth is fleeting and I should live it up while I can. The problem is I do feel that way already. I do take vacations and I spend a comfortable amount on Christmas gifts. I feel like I’m living and enjoying myself and still preparing myself for the future and hopefully an early retirement.
Find your own proper balance between spending and saving and stick to it. Don’t let others dissuade you from your goals. If you are comfortable with the fact that you save like crazy and spend precious little, that’s your choice. Listen to others intently, get another perspective, it can only be good for you. Remember though, how your decisions will impact your future goals. A secure financial future does mean some sacrifices in the present, and not everyone is willing to make that sacrifice.
Are you?
-Xias