In this post I’m going to talk about 5 things that are worth spending on. To me, being frugal isn’t about spending nothing at all. That just makes you cheap. Being frugal is about saving on the things that don’t matter, so you can spend on the things that do.
I cut a lot of fat out of my budget, but there are some categories I don’t want to mess with. Here are 5 things worth spending on:
A good night’s sleep
If you get 8 hours of rest per night, that’s a third of your life spent sleeping. Being well-rested is a must for enjoying our time awake. I don’t mind spending on something like a good mattress or pillow if it means I’ll wake up feeling refreshed each morning.
My wife and I have a couple of Tempur-Pedic pillows that were about $50 each. I know, I know; $50 for a pillow?! Yes, for a pillow. It’s worth it.
Your health
What’s the point of having all that money if you can’t enjoy it? I’m happy to spend more for a healthy diet. I choose to do most of my workouts at home, but a reasonable gym membership is also more than ok if it keeps you fit. If you end up old, fat and with chronic health issues, no amount of money saved in the bank is going to be enough to help you at that point.
Reliable transportation
Whether it’s a bike, car or public transit, having reliable transportation makes life so much easier. Nobody wants to spend their time constantly repairing a lemon of a car or waiting for a late bus. And if you’re always late or missing work, you’re going to put your financial health at risk.
Now, this doesn’t mean I’m going to demand a BMW with heated leather seats or another luxury car for every ride. We have a 10 year old Camry. Could we save by downgrading to a rusty old beater? Probably. Would it also cause us a ton of headaches by breaking down more often? Most likely. I’ll pass.
Quality education
I wouldn’t be where I am today without my education. This doesn’t just mean paying for college- it could be online courses, career certifications or books, too. This could also be paying for lunch or coffee so you can pick someone’s brain and learn something new. It’s always worth it.
Memorable experiences
Again, what’s the point of having all this money if you can’t enjoy it? If you have the option to do something truly memorable, then I say go for it. With the right amount of planning, we can still reach our long-term financial goals while enjoying life along the way.
Do you have your own 5 things worth spending on? What are they? I’m sure we all have our own categories that are important to us. Mine may not be the same as yours. That’s ok- it’s how this is all supposed to work. Like they say, it’s called personal finance for a reason.