Spending on what matters . . . to you

Glad to be back at it today after a good mental break yesterday.  You know something?  Fish will do that for you.

You: You went fishing?

Sort of.  I went to look at fish. Also saw some penguins, sharks, and giant sea turtles.  I visited the New England Aquarium with my wife and two daughters.  Total cost outside of gas in a high mileage car: $0.

You: How did you do that?

Simple, my tickets were free because we’re become a family that is fiscally responsible, not cheap. We buy local memberships.

You: Okay, but free parking in Boston?

That’s easy too. Just make sure you’re saving money while you’re spending it. Sure it takes a little effort, but if you’re willing to drive around the block a few times and walk a quarter-mile, you shouldn’t have to pay parking in Boston on a Sunday morning.

Later on yesterday afternoon, we went to a playground that my eldest called “HUGE!”

You: And that cost – ?

Nothing, of course.  It’s a playground.

You: So did you spend any money in Boston?

Sure, we had a great lunch at an authentic local eatery – the kind of food we haven’t yet been able to find where we live in New Hampshire.

You: You realize that you could have brought food with you and ate it at the playground.

I know that.

You: So why didn’t you?

Because the point of the day was NOT to spend NO money.  The point, financially speaking, is to spend only on the things I value. I do not value parking. I do not value paying more for admission tickets than I have to.  I do not value overpriced museum hamburgers. But a good meal I can’t get at home?  Totally worth it.

Living Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck has always been and always will be about balance.

Tags: balance in life, spend on things you enjoy, unnecessary spending