As I was growing up and learning (absolutely nothing about) the skills it takes to manage money and be an adult, it was always put in my head that saving money is the most important thing about making it. That getting a job and putting all of your extra money into a savings account is how you do adult life correctly. While I understand the need for a cushion for life's unexpected obstacles, I reject the idea of not spending money that I've worked for. I don't really see the point in saving money. But I don't spend it on material things; I spend it on experiences.
For instance: I go to concerts every chance I get, and I take trips any time I can. I'm spending a good amount of money to go skydiving in a few weeks. I donate to charity. I buy tickets to amusement parks. I pay for gas to go to new places and try new things. As of next summer, every penny in my savings account is going toward a study abroad trip that I'm going to 100% pay for myself. Who cares if I have to live on Ramen Noodles and Kraft Mac & Cheese for a while? Who cares if I don't buy any new clothes for another six months?
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I know, I know - what a silly millennial thought - that's not how life works. But why can't it work like that? I'm already in college and have that paid off; I'm not going to be buying a new car or a house anytime soon; I get my bills paid. So if I have extra money, I'm going to put that toward myself. I have a job, and my money is my own business. My parents kind of hate it, and they tell me I have a spending problem. But what am I saving for? What good does my work and my money do when I just sit on it? It might be a radical idea, but I don't value money that much past using it. I don't care how much I accumulate. I don't care how wealthy I am. I'm 20 years old, and nice material possessions are not very high on my priorities list right now. My education is paid for, I can pay my rent, and as far as I'm concerned, that's all that matters. I would rather live a life rich in experience and poor in possessions than vice versa. When we die, money isn't going to make our hole in the ground any better. We aren't alive to pay bills.
As much as I wish that more experiences wouldn't be so damn expensive, I feel that if anything is worth spending money on, it's something that's going to open my eyes to the world, make me grow as a person, let me experience something extraordinary, or just give me amazing memories. I don't want to live with any regrets.
I'm sure you're thinking that I have a terrible idea how the economy works, and you're kind of right. I'm no expert, but I know that the economy thrives by spending. The economy is dependent on the circulation of money. Enlighten me on how my choices are going to cause the collapse of consumerism or grow poverty. Tell me how irresponsible I am. I'm open to it. I'm not trying to be irresponsible and careless - I'm trying to overcome the construct of capitalism, the ideological belief that being wealthy is the most important thing in life, the close-mindedness of typical people. I'm opening myself to whatever the world can offer me and not letting the idea of saving money put a hold on that. I'm sure that later in life I'll have a need to save, but right now, I'm taking advantage of my freedom.
If you're working for your own money, you have the choice of how you get to spend it. Get out into the world unlike our parents and grandparents did. Saving money is not worth not living life.
Treat yo'self.
