This holiday season, watch out for money tricks!
Halloween isn't the only time of the year where we're tricked into spending money on things we know we'll enjoy only to pay a dear price later on. Time to explore a wide variety of habits where we trick ourselves into spending time, money (respect, reputations, etc.) in less than optimal ways. Isn't it amazing how we trick ourselves into believing what we spend is worth it most the time! How? Here's three typical money tricks:
Time tricks: You bought it because it was handy based on the moment. Example: spend $1.50 on a bottle of water you could have brought along. Or, maybe you bought something because you adopted an attitude of my time is worth the money!
Ego tricks: You just have to keep up with everyone else, no matter what don't you! Your mind tricks you into believing your MORE (or less) of a person by always having the latest and greatest something no matter the fact you're 60 days past due on several accounts.
Procrastination tricks: The results of poor planning or procrastination forces you to pay more every time. Example: not maintaining something (even though you KNOW you need to fix it). Then, when it breaks, it costs twice or three times as much to fix it.
When we add up the costs of all these creepy tricks, it's hardly a treat and often frightening. So, what can we do to trick our money into treating our money more wisely?
Engage your 20/20 hindsight on a weekly basis. Example, add up the total costs of all the convenience purchases in all forms. Example, did that $1.50 bottle of water really save you time (it certainly didn't save you money). That bottle of water also costs our environment MUCH more than $1.50 to deal with. How about the $7.50 (or more) lunch each day? How nutritional is it really? (I eat a $3.50 meal that takes less than two minutes to make. This meal is PACKED with the type of all natural nutrition doctors LOVE! My meals travel easily [TSA friendly] saving tons of cash on hotel or convenience shop foods.)
When it comes to ego spending, there's good news and bad news. The good news: There is a time-tested 100 percent guaranteed way to cure ego spending. I say this because I teach this cure to a wide variety of clients with incomes as small as $10.00 a week to multi-millionaires. The bad news: This cure requires doing some personal development work that requires dedication and determination. How's your dedication and determination skills these days?
Hint: Tricking yourself to spend more than you have takes dedication and determination in the form of working extra overtime (or a second job) to pay off those bills.
Offensive spending automatically goes away as you improve your observation abilities. Example: When you first notice that something seems off (wrong, not right) deal with it no matter WHAT time or money you have or don't have. Ignoring something is the BEST way to trick yourself into spending MORE time and money later. (Rarely do toothaches cost LESS as the pain increases!)
No doubts you've heard all these ideas before. Yes? If so, each time you treat yourself to a spell of forgetfulness, at least enjoy the spell one last time. Turn those tricks into treats by learning a lesson the first time around. Need help with learning these money-saving tips? Join us in class, any time!