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By Melissa Tosetti
Here is a statement that needs to be understood - money should be enjoyed!
Why do we work? We work so we can earn money to take care of ourselves, but too often we get into the mindset that we work to “pay the bills”. That’s a TERRIBLE way to live!
Often we think we can’t do the things we want because we don’t have enough money. At the same time, we are bleeding money by mindlessly spending it on things that are not important to us.
Every day I come in contact with people that are just in arms reach of achieving their financial goals, but they can’t see it. They need guidance to get them there.
An example of this is two women I met during a speaking engagement a few months ago. They worked together as administrative assistants and told me that they always talked about going on a cruise to Mexico, but never seemed to be able to put the money away for it.
I asked them if they knew how much a cruise to Mexico cost. They said no. I suggested they go home and find out how much the trip would actually cost, including getting to the port. The next day I received an email from them saying that a four day cruise to Mexico would cost $319 and because they lived in driving distance from the port, it would take just one tank of gas to get them there and back, plus $15 per day to park their car.
During our initial conversation they mentioned that they go out to lunch every day. I asked them if they would be willing to take their lunch to work four days a week which would save them $32 - $40 weekly and $128 - $160 per month. If they were willing to do that, they would have the money for their cruise in just over two months. Of course they would want to set aside money to spend while on the cruise, but in two months they could actually purchase their tickets.
Six weeks later I received an email from them saying that they had just purchased their tickets and were leaving the following month. Once they realized the trip was attainable, they were able to find so many other ways to save for it - achieving their goal far faster than they ever imagined!
They realized that sitting on the deck of the ship, sipping margaritas while watching the Mexican coastline pass by was going to be a far better memory than any deli sandwich eaten in a hurry at their desks.
The Savvy Life Philosophy is to save money on the things that are not as important to you so you can afford to spend money on the things that are! Identifying where to save and where to spend amplifies the power of every dollar and is key to living savvy!
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