How do you spend your money?  Is it gone before you know where it went?  Do you scrimp and save before making big purchases?  Would you like to know the proper way to spend it?  Get ready for a ride my friend, because you’re going to start flying!

When I was a kid, it was not unusual to receive a five dollar bill for my birthday from my maternal grandparents.  Let’s be honest, I expected it.  That’s what every grandchild got every year. 

So it was no surprise, but nonetheless exciting, when I received $5.00 from them on my 6th birthday.

Lucky for me, there was a small grocery store just a few blocks away from my house; where I was always happy to go and spend every last penny I owned on candy, including several pennies from the “give one – take one” cup at the register.  (I never gave one, btw…)

After making bank on my birthday, I knew exactly what I was going to get.  For quite some time, I had had my eye on a life-size hot dog entirely made out of gum!  And not only did I get that hot dog, but I spent the rest of the $5 and then some on everything-gum!

Bazooka gum – Rain Blo – Hubba Bubba –Fruit Stripes –you name it, I got all the gum!  (Remember, $5.00 went a lot further back then than it does today!)

I was quite pleased with my purchases as I walked back to show everyone what I bought.  And I when I got home, I found that not everyone shared my same enthusiasm.

I had a friend reply, “You spent all your money on GUM?!”

I hadn’t even realized that everything I picked out was gum, until they pointed that out.  What can I say, I really liked gum!

But hearing those words really gave me a different point of view –one that my 6 year old self did not naturally think of.

I suddenly felt foolish for the fact that I’d blown all my birthday money on GUM.  I felt very sorry for myself and the choice I made.  And I can tell you that that hot dog was not nearly as delicious or satisfying as I originally thought it would be because it tasted like regret.

This lesson actually served me well because it helped me “think before spending” and I really appreciate the way I’ve been able to save and make “smart money choices” throughout my life, which I truly believe stemmed from this experience.

And now that I’m 40 years old, I’m sittin here, thinking to myself… wait a second… that was MY money… my grandparents gave ME $5 to spend however I wanted!  And buying all that gum is how I WANTED to! 

My friend didn’t say that I had done something wrong.  They didn’t tell me that I made an unwise decision.  They did not say anything about me or the way I should feel.  They simply couldn’t believe that I spent all my money on gum, and left it at that.

I didn’t have to feel bad about this!  But because I let someone else’s opinion get in my head, suddenly, I didn’t like my choice anymore.

Was there anything wrong with how I spent my money?

What IS the proper way for a 6 year old to spend money?

–> However they want to!

I wasn’t breaking any rules…

I repeat – this was MY money!  I asked my mom if I could walk down to the candy store to spend my five dollar bill, and she said YES!

So why couldn’t I feel good about spending my money however I wanted on whatever I wanted, just because someone else would have spent theirs differently?

I had let another person’s opinion shape my own.  Where I once thought buying all that gum was a good idea, I suddenly believed it was a foolish idea.  When the truth is that it didn’t matter either way. 

I was 6!!  6 year olds are going to blow their money on things that adults think is a waste of money (I’ve seen my kids buy things that I thought was a waste!).

The point I’m trying to make is that you and I have other people’s opinions swirling in our heads, and it’s up to US to choose our own thoughts.  We can limit ourselves to what we think we “should” do, or go ahead and do the things our hearts are telling us we want to do.

What’s your gum?

What do you love that other people don’t love?  Let’s talk more about the way you spend your money…

• Do you like to get a new car each year, but feel embarrassed about it because someone in your life thinks it’s smarter to keep the same car until you drive it into the ground?
• Do you want to remodel your house but hesitate because there are voices in your head telling you to just be grateful for what you have?
• Do you want to vacation more, but don’t because you were told that expensive trips are a waste of money?
• Do you enjoy frivolous spending but feel consumed with guilt afterwards because deep down you know that you shouldn’t “waste” money like that?
• Do you want to buy new clothes all the time but struggle internally because you think you shouldn’t give into the ever-changing fashion industry?

What are your beliefs about spending money?  Maybe I didn’t give a specific example of your situation, but can you think of your own?

Do you ever tell yourself that you “should” or “shouldn’t” buy this or that?  If so, let’s start you going down a different thinking path today!

What is money and where does it come from?  It’s a form of exchange, and (besides coming from the government press), it comes from exchanging services or products with others.  And there is basically an unlimited supply because it can continue to be exchanged an unlimited number of times!

Now, I’m not telling you to go out and blow all your money just because you want to!  I want to talk about the difference between living in scarcity and being smart with your money.

Knowing that every choice you make has a consequence, and understanding what the consequences are will help you make smart decisions when spending your mula.

Years ago, my husband and I reeeeaaaaalllly wanted to do a major remodel on our house.  I was having a hard time feeling good about it, and felt like I wanted to hide the fact that I was going to spend so much money on something that wasn’t necessarily “needed”.

But here’s the thing:  We had the money.  We had a plan.  There was no debt involved.  And we wanted it.

If we didn’t have the money and would have had to finance it, then we would have had a monthly payment with interest.  This is still a fine choice for someone who doesn’t mind paying interest and can afford the monthly payment.

Of course, there is solid advice to avoid debt because you never know what the future holds -people unexpectedly lose their jobs, the economy changes, etc., and if you’re stuck with bills that you can no longer afford, there may be some sad consequences that you didn’t see coming.

So yes, think about the future!  Make wise decisions and consider carefully what debt you’re willing to take on.  And try to operate from a place of freedom and abundance rather than scarcity and fear.

If you like to go out to eat a lot, and at the same time, often seem to run out of money before the next paycheck, you could make a little assessment of your situation and consider making some sacrifices on how often you go out to eat.  OR –If you’re totally ok with having empty pockets for a few days, then so be it.

DON’T let the voices in your head bully you around and cause you to feel guilty.  DO let them guide you towards making wise choices.

DON’T spend or hoard your money with a fear-based mindset.  DO count your blessings and notice what an abundant life you live.

DON’T take this message the wrong way and start throwing all your money out the window.  DO give yourself permission to spend your money however you want to.

DON’T forget that all your choices have consequences.  DO remember that you’re the one who gets the consequence, so YOU get to make the choice.

DON’T make your choices based on what other people think you should or shouldn’t do.  DO consider good advice from others and thank them for their love and concern for you.

Remember, you are the pilot of your life. 

• You can’t choose the weather, so having a stash for a rainy day is always a good idea.  
• You can choose your destination, but air control gets to assign you your route, so be flexible enough for a detour or change in plans.
• Keep your eyes up and know where you’re going, every time you get knocked off course, make the corrections needed to get back on track.  (Review your spending plan often!)
• Autopilot is nice, but manually flying is fun! (No, seriously, my brother-in-law owns a plane, and he let me fly it!  It was SO COOL!)  So, wake up from your subconscious and make some deliberate decisions.
• And last of all, always remember to wear your seatbelt and fly safe. It’s your job to keep yourself flying, so be wary of making dumb decisions.  (Watch out for scammers, don’t gamble any more than you’re ok with losing, etc.)

Just as there was no right or wrong way for me to spend my five dollar bill all those years ago, it also doesn’t matter how you spend your money.  If it’s going to get spent either way, then what does it matter if you spend it all on gum or a vacation to Hawaii?

Think what’s important to you… Memories? Material possessions?  Food?  Having a place to live and keeping the lights on?  Building a nest egg?  Preparing for retirement?  Emergency preparedness?  Having fun?  The combinations of ways you can spend your money are endless!  And it’s all up to you how you “chews” to spend it, haha!

I hope this helps you get started on a healthy relationship with money.  I think that knowing there are no right or wrong ways to spend it is one of the first steps toward financial freedom.  And from there, it’s helpful to make wise choices based on gratitude and abundance.

Let me know if you’d like to see a “Part 2” to this post!  I love talking about money, so if you want more, I’ve got more!

Best of wishes!

Empowering you to embrace your agency and liberate yourself through conscious choice!

To drive this message deeper, read this post which can help you stop caring what others think of you.

Everything you are experiencing really comes down to WHAT YOU’RE THINKING!