All too often, we assume that if something sounds too easy, it’s most likely either not very effective or worthwhile. This is often the case in the short term. However, there are many so called ‘easy things’ we can do every day that will reap handsome dividends in the future.
We’re so focused on ‘wanting it all now’, that we often literally put the future on the back shelf of our mind. We’re told that life is short, enjoy the simple pleasures now. What if we learned how to do both? What if we learned how to enjoy the simple pleasures of life now, yet still take ownership of our future?
Sounds pretty easy – right?
Let’s suggest that you head to a quick drive through every morning for a cup of coffee, having not had the time or inclination to make a cup at home. That’s roughly $1500 a year literally out the window for a cup of just ok coffee. Why not head to an awesome coffee house in Raleigh, NC once a week and truly enjoy a fresh aromatic richly flavored cup of coffee served to you in an amazing setting. Bam. You’ve upped your pleasure for the week and still saved over $1,400 a year.
The intention is not to beat up on drive through coffee or suggest that you should purchase an expensive coffee machine for your home and actually use it. Rather, the purpose is to take something as ‘easy’ as coffee, and use it as an example for ways to accumulate some serious savings for the future without taking away the small pleasures in life.
We can use this same example to examine the purchase of consumable products, wardrobe pieces, gadgets & services. For example, while you ‘cut the cable’ and saved over $100 a month on cable service fees, does that mean accumulating ‘nuisance’ fees of $8, $10 & $12 a month for online streaming sites is a better option? Maybe not. Be selective.
The take away here is not to examine the cost of every item you purchase and every dime you spend, but to realize that the elimination of small costs accumulates handsomely over a 12 month period. Start thinking in terms of annual costs instead of individual costs. Oh, and to actually succeed in saving money without noticing, those unspent funds need to be tucked away in an off limits savings account.
Happy savings!
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