For the last four or five years my main goal has been to get good grades and land a solid job. Now that I have accomplished this goal, it feels like I made it past Level 1 – Get a Job and moved up to Level 2 – Enjoy Life. The last few months, I have been listening to podcasts and reading books about how to live a more meaningful, satisfactory and happy life. What I learned has led me to increase spending in a few key areas in an effort to increase life enjoyment and essentially purchase happiness.
1. Rent – I moved to downtown Dallas, where my rent is about double what it was out in the suburbs. That said, I went from a 2-3 hour round trip commute by bus to a 20 minute one with the option to walk, bike, or ride the train. This change was monumental for me, as it meant I got to sleep more and enjoy more free time to work out and socialize, all beneficial for overall life satisfaction.
2. Dining Out – It still pains me to spend 20 dollars on a dish I could have cooked myself for 2, but I’ve come to learn that the time spent with other people is often worth the price. My new policy is whenever someone deliberately asks me if I would like to get food with them, if I’m available I’ll join them.
3. Travel – As with dining out, this one is all about the social connections. All of my travel this year has been to see family and friends all over the world, and the memories I’ve made are priceless.
At the end of the day, my goal isn’t to save as much money as humanly possible, but rather to hone in my spending habits to maximize efficiency and life satisfaction. Stay tuned.
#MoneyGoals
(Pictured: Kayaking with the family in Minnesota, September 2018, courtesy of my increased spending on travel)