Spend Money, Live Simply

Humbe2                                                                                                                                                             Image Source (HUMBLECOCK.com)

WHERE DOES YOUR MONEY GO?

$100 for a pair of jeans. $150 for a pair of shoes. $210.00 on a steak and lobster dinner. $60.00 for a round of drinks. $250.00 per week for groceries for two.

What kind of idiot is blowing that kind of money?

Well, honestly, this idiot is.

Why? Because I like living simply and enjoying the “small” things.

WAIT A MINUTE! WHAT KIND OF SHIFTY CONTRADICTION IS THAT, NATE? HOW IS SPENDING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON STUFF LIKE THAT LIVING SIMPLY?

Well, incredulous person I just created to set up my story, the real truth is in the details.

You see, things like nice clothes, dinner with my girlfriend, drinks with friends and family, and eating healthy organic food are things I enjoy.

But here’s the kicker: I rarely drop that kind of cash and I don’t splurge on everything.

I don’t have cable TV, I only eat out once or twice per week, I don’t hit the clubs, and despite my expensive jeans and shoes, I’ll let you in on a little secret: I only have one pair of each. (I usually rock low-top Chuck Taylors and NorthFace pants with a simple t-shirt.)

I’ve selected the things and experiences that are fun and fulfilling for me and allot money for them each month. The things I don’t really care about starve.

BUT WHY SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON THEM?

Simple. All my bills are paid, my savings are saved, and my investments are invested, which means I view whatever is left over as “me” money.

Look, money is meant to be spent. As long as you’re taking care of your essentials, why not go all-out on the things you like?

Sure, we live in a material culture. As the late George Carlin said, our national pasttime is consumption. People are spending money they don’t have on shit they don’t need. But the point isn’t to spend frivolously on random stuff or go deep into credit card debt.

With all that in mind, here are a few things I don’t mind dropping some dough on:

-High-quality organic food, good beer, wine, bourbon, and super-nice cooking utensils.

-Having drinks with friends.

-Taking my family to a movie.

-Books

-iTunes music (a new album every couple of weeks or so).

-Nice clothes like Humblecock t-shirts.

-Weekend trips to Glacier National Park, Seattle, Whitefish (my hometown), or fitness seminars. (I’ll be at the Perform Better Summit in Rhode Island in June this year.)

The goal isn’t to spend money just to spend money, but to enrich your life by enjoying nice things while resting assured your basic needs are taken care of.

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What kinds of things or experiences do you splurge on? Let me know in the comments!

Also, I’m thinking about doing a few posts about getting out of debt and beginning investing (both of which I’ve had experience with). Do you find those topics interesting?

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About Nate Green 3 Articles

Hi, I’m Nate.

I share strategies, stories and ideas to help you take control of your day, build a body you’re proud of, and focus on the important stuff — even if you’re busy as hell.

That could mean:

Here’s the bottom line:

No matter where you’re at in life right now, I believe you can get your shit together, get in great shape (despite a busy schedule), do work you’re proud of, and start living life onyour terms.

I aim to help you do all that and more — while sharing struggles and successes from my life, the lives of my thousands of readers, and the lives of a variety of experts across multiple fields.

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