Growing up, I had a difficult childhood. My parents were poor and we had to make do with whatever we had.
We didn’t have a lot of money for luxuries and I often felt deprived of the things my friends had.
Fast forward to today and I’m making a decent living. I was determined not to be deprived of anything like I was in my childhood, so I started splurging my salary on things I wanted.
I bought myself a new car, took expensive vacations, and bought the latest gadgets.
At first, it was a great feeling. I didn’t have to worry about money and I could buy whatever I wanted. But soon enough, the novelty wore off and I found myself in a vicious cycle.
I was always trying to find something new to buy, something to make me feel better. I was constantly seeking out the newest, greatest thing and I was spending more and more of my salary.
I had to take a step back and reassess my spending habits. I was spending money on things that I didn’t need and it was taking away from my savings.
I was starting to feel like I was living beyond my means, and it was not a good feeling.
So, I started to make better choices with my money. I stopped buying things just because I wanted them and instead started investing in my future.
I put money aside for retirement and invested in stocks, real estate, and other long-term investments. I also started to put money aside for emergencies and started trying to save money in general.
I still splurge on occasion, but now it’s with a purpose. Instead of buying things to make me feel better, I’m trying to invest in things that will make me feel secure in the future.
I’m trying to be smarter with my money and not let my childhood deprivation dictate my financial decisions.