Monday, January 11, 2016

Day 11 - Every Day Inspirations - Spending to live and not living to spend

All our lives we run behind goals and targets.   Projects, pipelines, deadlines, ambitions, benchmarks and lot more.  

All for that one fat pay check at the end of the month.   Comes the first week with a good outing with family and friends,  to a movie, to shopping, to eating out and you live life king size.  Before you even realize,  your bank balance slowly takes a downward slide...EMIs and monthly commitments...then you start to budget, plan , squeeze and if things worsen, beg and borrow to make the ends meet.   Already the lifestyle expectations are kept at such great heights.  We spend when we have,  we keep quite when we don't.  Why is this imbalance?

Because, we are not spending to live.  But living to spend.  One writer wrote that a pizza costs Rs 600 for one night dinner, where as a poor family of 4 can buy Rice and Dal for whole month. 

Similarly,  we are ready to buy one expensive suit for the Prom night worth of Rs 10000 and above..but fail to recognize that a family can survive with proper clothing for the entire year with that money.    It is the value of money which we are failing to notice.

Falling for false prestige of big cars,  EMI driven apartments,  avoidable parties and buying more that what is required makes you only be in spending to live and not living to spend.   As long as the bullish market of consumerism is pushing us and we get into its trap, none can save us.

Go back to the days when we write down what we need and go for shopping.  It makes sense and value for the hard earned money.  Don't get driven by provoking advertisements that would make no sense once you leave the place.   Short term and regular savings will make your money multiple.  Do careful investments and protect your future.   


As long as you have roof, proper clothing, good education and three times food,  and you can still help others, you are actually spending to live and live properly.    Let us stop living as if we are born to spend.....mostly on unnecessary things.   You are not just eating away your money in a wrong way, but also the most precious resources of the land.   Beware!