Issue XII | The First Time I Truly Stopped Counting

My default setting around money is “cheapskate.”

For over two years, I tracked every cent of my spending and income. I even brought my fiance in on it as we were starting to combine our total finances (though, in fairness, we were looking to purchase a home.)

I even once considered buying and returning anything I needed to save money on whatever random necessities I could pull this stunt on. 

I went to restaurants with friends and wouldn’t order anything. I only drank water, or I didn’t go at all.

I wore socks until the bottoms were so broken open that the skin on the bottom of my feet would get irritated from rubbing on the bottom of my shoes. Honestly, I only broke this practice within the last year.

There are still plenty of cheapskate tendencies I’m working to better. Money isn’t about accumulating as much as you can; it’s about managing it in a way to make your life better.

This brings me to the first time I truly stopped counting. My fiance and I went to a live podcast show about a week ago, and it was awesome. We got the VIP pass to meet the hosts, bought some merch, bought food and drinks, and had a really great time enjoying the show (even though it went well past our bed time).

After all of it, I don’t really know how much we spent on the night. This is progress.

An earlier version of me would probably know this down to the tens place. I know what we roughly spent, but I haven’t had the desire to add it up or look at credit card statements or anything.

All I think about from that night is how much fun we had, and now I hope that the podcast goes back on tour so we can do it all again.

Well, maybe not the VIP pass—we’ve already met them, so we’re good.