The Balancing Act: Spending

Theme / Financial Planning

Read Time / 3 Minutes

At the threat of being shot, the salesman, with his white hanky in hand, ducked behind his car for protection.  “Let me just show it to you!” He yells.  

Money has fascinated me since I was a child.  When I saw the commercial in 2002 for Secondhand Lions, a story about a boy whose mother sent him to his wealthy uncles’ house over the summer, I knew I had to see it.  

Going back to the scene, the traveling salesman is pleading to show a product to these wealthy uncles, who are aiming rifles pointed at the innocent man.  Getting ready to pull the trigger (as they usually do to scare the salesmen away), their nephew, played by Haley Joel Osment, interrupts his uncles to tell them something.  Frustrated, they listen, as the adored child actor announces, “Why not see what he is selling?  What’s the good of having all that money if you are never going to spend it?”

For us savers out there, we resonant with the uncles.  We love preparing for the future and giving; but, spending, oh no, we fear there isn’t enough to waste some on ourselves.  Sound familiar?  

Enjoying the fruit of our labor should be a priority.  It falls after our plan to give and save.  Intentionally setting money aside to spend on ourselves reinforces our value and worth.

So, how do we practice it?

There are plenty of ideas and strategies out there.  The only right answer is to do what God asking you.  Easy enough, huh? 

Here’s where you may start:

Create a fun money budget.  Allow yourself a certain amount (prepared in advance) to spend however you desire.  When I first created my fun money allowance, it was $20 per month.  Yikes.  My prayer is you have the financial freedom to start with more.

Maybe you’ve done a discretionary allowance for few years now.  What’s next?  I challenge myself to review the things I’ve enjoyed squandering on the most to help me assign priority.  Over the years, two things have overwhelmingly professed their value in my life: sharing a meal with a friend and eating a meal by myself.  It will likely look different for you.  The challenge I present to you: do you enjoy how you are spending your resources?

Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 5:19, “Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.”  It is a gift to live in America.  According to CNBC, a net worth of $93,170 makes you wealthier than 90% of the people in the world.  Let that sink in.  We are wealthy.  

Being challenged by their nephew to hear the salesmen out, the uncles reluctantly agreed.  After seeing what the clever salesmen had to offer, a clay master target thrower, the trigger-happy older men pulled out cash to buy equipment to legally enjoy their sport of choice.

Many of us are currently wealthier than 90% of people in the world.  If you aren’t now, you likely will be.  Let’s live from a state of abundance, handling our money with an open hand, and enjoying every moment we give to bless others, save to value our future, and spend to enjoy our present.

Ryan De Amicis

Wealth Advisor

408.758.6413

ryan@christianwm.com