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WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT: The line between effortless and mindless.
Technology has allowed spending to become effortless. This is both a blessing and a curse. It’s incredibly helpful and time efficient to be able to order groceries by app from a cab on the way home from the airport. I love that my dry cleaner has my card on file and I just need to drop my clothes off. But these conveniences also enable us to spend mindlessly, reducing awareness of and control over where our money is going. Is 1-Click ordering with Amazon creating time and freedom in your life or wreaking havoc on your budget? The faster our shopping experiences become, the easier it is to blur the line between needs and wants. Consider the ways you effortlessly spend money. What areas of spending is that most helpful and where is it potentially harmful?
WHAT I'M READING: "The Cost of Holding On"
By Carl Richards, The New York Times
Someone wrongs you and there’s a price to be paid. Who pays it? Without justice and recompense, you must absorb the cost yourself. It can be a painful process. This essay by Carl Richards beautifully describes this tension and encourages us to let it go. At some point, the cost of holding on becomes greater than the freedom available when you forgive, move on, and let it go. Great thoughts to ponder as we enter the holiday season and turn our minds toward Thanksgiving.
WHAT I'M ALSO READING: "The 2% Change"
By Brad Feld, Feld Thoughts
This is a brief but powerful blog post about the power of small changes. Do you feel like your spending and cash flow problems are too big to tackle? Are you overwhelmed by debt and the needs of your family? Take a breath, read this post, and think of two things you can scale back by 2%. Yes, often times we need to make big life changes in order to see progress; however, there’s power in small efforts. They add up and, more importantly, jumpstart a healthy mental shift. As the saying goes, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.