Simply Enjoying Life On a Budget
“By removing the physical distractions around us, we’re able to look inside ourselves and begin the process of mental, emotional, psychological, and spiritual decluttering.”
-“Love People Use Things” by The Minimalists
We could give All of Our possessions away and only live off what Our body needs to survive, but that’s not really living.
Everyone has different definitions about what “living the good life” looks like.
“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.”
-“The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo
Personally I enjoy eating healthy food, taking naps, and going for walks in nature.
I aspire to living a calm and deliberate life with a little spontaneity sprinkled here and there.
“Simplicity is the Key if We want to live a life that is joyful and free!”
-“The Simplicity Lifestyle” by Ted Wind
If I asked my Wife and Daughter what their ideal daily lives look like I would probably get very different answers.
This is why it is important to get together with Our Families and figure out what’s important to everyone.
Listing everyone’s wants and needs then making a “fun budget” is a great way to prioritize and incentivize.
It’s hard not to give up if Life is all work and no play.
It’s important to remember to not spend money We don’t have.
Spending can easily get out of control during fun activities, budgeting a specific amount brings this spending under control.
Ideally We want income producing assets, like stocks that pay dividends, to pay for all Our expenses, including fun, but it takes a while to grow those assets.
In the meantime it’s important to live Our lives.
Weekends, birthdays, and holidays are great times to budget for, but what do We do if We have free time every day?
Activities don’t have to cost Our hard earned money.
We can change Our habits from living consumer lifestyles to living intentional wealth building lifestyles.
“All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow. The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us. And the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.”
-“Atomic Habits” by James Clear
Personally, I love going for walks.
I walk around my neighborhood, I walk on the beach, and I walk on walking trails.
Walks are a great way to get some fresh air, soak up a little sunshine, get a little exercise, and just let Our minds wander.
Walks are also very inexpensive, especially if they are close so We don’t have to spend too much money on gas.
If We can have some of Our income from Our income producing assets pay for Our gas, even better!
For my birthday every year my Wife gets Us a Family Zoo Membership Pass, which is inexpensive and provides a lot of great walking opportunities.
We just have to be careful with spending money at the Zoo and make sure Our spending is within the fun budget and/or food budget.
Zoos, Aquariums, and Museums are great places to get inexpensive Membership passes.
It’s always a good idea to bring water and some snacks, so We don’t end up eating out and going over Our food budget.
“Intelligence has nothing to do with IQ or SAT scores. It simply means being patient, disciplined, and eager to learn.”
-“The Intelligent Investor” by Benjamin Graham
It is also possible to go on “temporary spending fasts” where We purposely don’t spend money for a week or two so We can invest that money instead, knowing that fun is just around the corner.
Taking on an inexpensive hobby, like Fishing, Swimming, or Bird Watching, is another good way to have an inexpensive and enjoyable activity that We can do when ever We need to get out of the house and get some exercise and fresh air!
I hope I provided some good ideas on how to have fun without going over The budget.
It’s possible to live a wonderful lifestyle that is not consumer driven and still enjoy life and have fun!
Comments
Post a Comment