17 Things You Are Missing Out on for Spending Too Much

Many of us will never reduce our spending even though we know it’s beneficial. We put it on our to-do list, only to leave it there indefinitely. But don’t fret, you probably aren’t missing much more than these 17 things.

  1. A job you like instead of one that makes you money. The vast majority of us work because we need the income. If you have great spending habits, you can work on jobs that you are passionate about instead of one that just pay your bills. Over time, you might end up making more money.
  2. A safety net for unexpected events. Accidents will happen sooner or later. You don’t have to reduce your spending if you have a job that makes you oodles of money, but for the majority of us, get busy!
  3. The beauty of less clutter. Do you remember rediscovering all your spending memories when you move? Unfortunately for us, most of what we buy is usually useless. If we spend less, we just have less to throw away!
  4. Less clutter in the house. Forget waiting until we move. When we buy less, we have less clutter so there is more room for us to enjoy.
  5. Less stress from the little costs. Gas prices are creeping up again, but I’m not too worried because it’s a very small portion of how much I’m able to save every month. If I lived paycheck to paycheck, then I need to worry big time even though I can’t really do much about it.
  6. Ability to make investments when they are undervalued, not when money finally comes your way. Wealthy people can invest more when the market is down because they have the cash. Can you?
  7. Quiting when you want. Many people want to quit but they can’t. Reason? No savings and too much spending. Funny how this is as much a problem for high income earners as well as low. For some people, their paycheck is never enough.
  8. Being a good example for your kids. We all want the best for our kids and want to teach them sound financial fundamentals. If we can’t control our spending, how can we expect anyone to?
  9. Feeling financially secure. Need I say more?
  10. Sharpening your mind. Spending less is not as easy as spending whenever you feel like. When you need to think more, you train your mind. It’s like going to the gym but instead of toning your muscles, you are sharpening your brain cells.
  11. Money to ride the emotional waves. When you are living paycheck to paycheck and cash flow is always tight, it is very hard to stay calm when the stock market tanks. More savings means that you are less dependent on short term results, which often translates to better long term success.
  12. Less debt. No matter how you spin it, there is no good debt. 3 words for you, eliminate, eliminate, and eliminate.
  13. Affordability increases. Less spending equals more savings. With more at the bank, you have comfort knowing that you can afford something even if you don’t end up buying it. Sounds insignificant, but this is very powerful.
  14. Better interest rates. Bank managers have the power to increase your CD interest rates. The higher your savings with a bank, the higher the chances that you will be offered a better rate. (This works for online savings accounts too, so it’s not just brick and mortar banks.)
  15. More privileges with more assets. Wealthy clients don’t just get better interest rates, they get much more attention too. This means your questions are answered more thoroughly, and your needs better met.
  16. Cheaper loans. Part of our credit score is dependent upon the ratio of our available credit and the debt we carry. If we lower our spending and increase this ratio, it will translate to better credit scores, and thus cheaper loans.
  17. Freedom. Spending less is not just about money but rather flexibility. Imagine saying no to your boss because you can, imagine not knowing what the stock market did because it doesn’t matter, and imagine what you can do if you just reduce your spending today.

[Via WiseBread.com]

4 Responses

  1. non hybrid seeds

    These are great tips – thanks for sharing them. By the way, I just found your blog today and I'll be back!

    Reply
  2. Miles @ mysheaths.com

    Awesome blog, good tips on lots of things, added to favourites and bookmarked. Also made me a bit embarrassed about my spending habits. LOL
    Miles

    Reply
  3. blah blah

    #6 is very true. When the market collapsed in 2008, people were crying about being in debt, losing their jobs, living off credit. Meanwhile, I had money set aside that I quickly tossed into the stock mutual funds when they bottomed out. As the market picked back up, so did the share price of the funds. I sold them off recently to shift the money to other places that are performing better, but while other folks were losing money paying off debt, I got a 15% return on my investment. I wouldn’t have had that money to invest if I had previously pissed all my money away on stupid crap. Sure, I go to movies and out to eat occasionally, but living frugally long-term adds up in the long-run. Very good tips.

    Reply

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