Bang For Your Buck
"You don't need that!" claims the misers in our life. For as much as we like to characterize our society as materialistic and financially irresponsible, there's another undercurrent at play. Many people around us believe in the don't-buy-it-if-you-don't-need-it way of life. Some call them cheapskates. They trade in the currency of guilt. They are everywhere!
Instead of asking if we need something, I ask a different question. Will it add value to my life? If the answer is yes, then the follow-up question: Will it add more value to my life than it will cost? If the answer is yes, we should consider purchasing it.
For the first time in many years, I bought myself several items on Black Friday. I had a bunch of personal spending money saved in my CashApp account, so I decided to splurge on some fun impulsive purchases.
For context, I'm a big believer that each spouse in a marriage should get some money each month solely for their personal enjoyment. No questions, no criticisms, no negotiation. Just personal fun for that person. Sarah and I started doing this during our very first month of marriage, and I recommend other couples do it as well. Sarah is known for depleting all her monthly spending money by the 6th of the month. My habits are a bit different. I don't spend a lot month-to-month, so my personal spending account often builds over time.
Back to Black Friday. Since I had a bunch of personal spending saved up, I was ready to pull the trigger on a few fun items. One of them was an item I had been interested in for a while: A coffee mug warmer. I don't just like my coffee hot; I like it McDonalds lawsuit hot. I want to risk my personal safety with every sip. Unfortunately, coffee gets cold quickly. Enter the coffee mug warmer. It's a simple little device - think of it as a fancy coaster - that keeps your beverage hot for hours. Now, while I'm sitting at my desk, I always have a piping hot coffee sitting next to me. Brilliant!
Better yet, this fun little purchase cost me only $30. Huge bargain! Was it a need? No. Did it add value to my life? Absolutely! Did it add more than $30 of value. You bet it did!!! Thus, it was an amazing purchase.
Don't let guilt-trippers get you down. Don't fall into the "you don't need it" trap. Don't rob yourself of adding value to your life simply because there's something "more responsible" to do than buy a fun item. It's not about having a bigger financial scorecard in life.....it's about having a better life. And it turns out my $30 mug warmer helps provide me a better life! I'll take that little win.
What about you? What are some sub-$50 purchases that added a bunch of value to your life? I'd love to hear your examples!
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