Wants Are Not Waste
As I was scrolling through social media a few days ago, I stumbled upon a post by Dave Ramsey. Whenever I see something posted by Dave or anyone on his team, there's a 50/50 chance I'll disagree with it. On one hand, no human in history has helped more people out of debt than him. For that, sincere props. That's amazing work. On the other hand, he has many perspectives that I flat-out disagree with. This post, though, frustrated me to a different level.
"How to waste $5,000 a year: Spend $13.70 a day on things you don't need."
Did you catch it? Did you notice it? At the heart of the message is an appeal for people to harness their income for good. Or as I like to say, gain awareness, gain control, and gain traction. These are inherently good things. Take responsibility. Have ownership. Be disciplined. Yes, yes, and yes. But there's something else in there.....
"How to WASTE $5,000 a year: Spend $13.70 a day on things you DON'T NEED."
In other words, spending money on things you don't need (i.e. wants) is wasteful. Now, Dave isn't alone in expressing this sentiment. This is the perspective of much of our culture….and I find it utterly toxic. Despite the prevailing narrative that today's young people are out recklessly and irresponsibly spending money, a significant portion of our population has been conditioned into feeling deep guilt and shame when spending money on things they "don't need."
Then, there's the blurring of the lines between need and want. In order to justify spending and remove guilt, people will twist wants into needs. Here's an example. I need a car. I need a reliable car. I need something big enough to transport my family. So I'll use those very real needs to justify buying a $75,000 luxury SUV. On the flip side, I'd argue some wants are actually needs. Personal spending is a great example. What we use our personal spending money to buy are definitely wants. A drink with a friend. Lunch at a fun restaurant. A new video game. Want, want, and want. But in the decision to spend that money is a release valve. It allows us to be human and enjoy a little bit of what we're blessed with. I'd argue that's a need.
Instead of lumping things into a need bucket or a want bucket, I think we should take a different approach. I'd prefer we categorize them based on adding value to our life and not adding value to our life. Some of my "needs" don't necessarily add value, but some "wants" add tremendous value.
When we look at purchases through the lens of adding value to our lives, we're less likely to justify bad decisions or feel guilt. Instead, we get to make an honest and self-aware decision and then go about living our meaningful lives. In my opinion, that's meaning over money.