“Come on, guys, we make money now!”
Is a common refrain I’ve used to my friends lately. For the times when they agonize over really small money matters. Such as paying the extra few bucks to get guacamole at Chipotle. Isn’t the point of making money so that we don’t have to think about these trivial things? The extra few dollars here and there isn’t going to amount to much savings. But a burrito bowl is immensely better with guac.
I get it: my friends and I are from working-class upbringings, so scrimping to the last dollar is sort of innate in our money psychology. Our parents did so in order to give us a better life, so why not live that? We should pay extra for more leg-room on an airplane, and we shouldn’t drive to Costco for gas just because it’s significantly cheaper. If an item is under $10 dollars, why bother with the hassle of returning it? Just throw it away (sorry, environmentalists).
Not to say we should go super crazy with it and not save a single penny. As with everything in life, it’s about moderation. If we are consistently putting away a comfortable percentage of our income every month, why not go slightly crazy with the rest? Preparing for the future is fine, but we still have to live right now. That is why I spent six-figures on a car.
I remember a guest on a certain podcast said he lives and spends with the confidence that his future self will always make more money. While I don’t quite have that kind of bravery, some modicum of that mentality is good to have. I am young: I can and will earn the money later to pay extra for guacamole today.
Movers and shakers.