Apr 23

How Do You Feel When You Spend Money?

Posted by admin

iStock_000001815695XSmall[1]Have you ever thought about how you feel when you buy something?  I never used to.  I walked around wearing Coach shoes and driving a $55,000 SUV (that I really couldn’t afford), thinking I had it all together…or at least that I looked like I had it all together. 

I have been going through a primal shift over the last several months.  This shift really began the day I realized that the SUV I was driving was really a very large anchor pulling me down in the sea of life.  

I knew the moment I walked into that dealership to purchase the SUV it was not right. But, I stifled those warning signs and did it anyway.  I pranced around showing my family and friends, when on the inside I was a scared little girl in the fetal position trying to figure out how in the world I was going to pay for this. 

I stayed up most of that night worrying about how I was going to get the money to pay the $700+ a month payments.  I was sick to my stomach.  Fast forward to August 2008, exactly one year later. 

Every time I looked at that vehicle I felt like a complete fraud.  I knew that people driving down the street did not know I could not afford the SUV, but I did.  I couldn’t do it anymore.  That is when I traded it in for a more practical sedan.  The point I want to make is how I felt.   

I want you to take stock of your feelings every time you spend money.  Yes, every time…
  • How do you feel when you buy groceries?
  • Did you make some good decisions when it comes to your wallet and your waist line?
  • How do you feel when you pay the mortgage?
  • Are you stressed out?
  • Do you wonder where the money is going to come from to pay it?
If you answered yes to the last two questions, think about a loan modification or selling.  I know this is your house, but is it really a home if you are miserable trying to pay for it?  How is that affecting your family life?  Your work life?  In contrast, how do you feel when you give to charity?  Does it feel good, even when no one else is looking?
 
You can buy big, shiny, fancy things that look beautiful on the outside, but if they make you feel miserable on the inside, is it really worth it? 
 
Maybe if you stop and think about that before you make that purchase, you can save yourself some heartache in the future. 
 
On the contrary, you can give money to charity and no one may ever see the effects, but deep in your heart, you will know you made a difference in someone’s life. 
 
That is the feeling we want to achieve more often.  If you stop and think before you spend, chances are you will be much happier with the way things turn out.
CATEGORY: Spending TAGS: , , , , ,
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