When is it okay to say “F*ck it” and spend money when you haven’t budgeted for it? As someone who still struggles to save money, I dive into a checklist I use before splurging on an unplanned purchase. I also wrap up the second half on my list of 21 pieces of advice for my 21-year old self, covering items 11-21. Finally, I walk through some recent milestones I’ve hit with the FI after 40 blog and podcast after 50 days of producing content and connecting with people in the FI community.
Note: I marked this episode as "Explicit" although I don't actually use explicit language.
Day 50 Milestones
21 pieces of advice – Part 2 (11 through 21): https://fiafter40.com/21-pieces-of-advice-part2/
The F*ck it checklist for buying stuff
I’ve been super focused on paying off my debt
I have a rule in pace that I won’t spend money on discretionary items until I have my CC paid off
Considering buying kayaks since last summer
I live on a river and I've seen a steady stream of kayakers floating by
Recently opted to order kayaks for each other as birthday presents
I had an initial feeling of guilt – feeling like I was doing something bad
Instead of paying off my debt, I splurged on an expensive purchase
I thought about it for a bit and came to the conclusion that I’m ok with this decision
Here is a checklist you can run through to decide
Assumption – this is not a mandatory purchase and it’s not an emergency
If you can answer yes to these questions, you can say “F it” and feel good about spending the money.
Examples that are “No” for me: new iPhone, new car, new bed
Examples that are “Yes”: new kayak
It was a compromise within my relationship
I asked this question online and most people responded with Travel opportunities.
For people who budget for travel, that’s really the best approach.
I’m still not good at saving for things. I expect that to come after my debt is gone.
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