There is some extra joy that comes with knowing that you’re financially independent, though it takes some discipline to live within your means.
If you live within your means, you wouldn’t spend more on your lifestyle than what you earn. People who do it otherwise, don’t have money to save and when emergencies arise, they borrow from friends. If you’re the type of person who keeps asking for money from people, they will get fed up and even start ignoring you.
It is okay once in a while for things not to go as planned, and you could reach out to a friend for help, that’s normal, but if it turns into a habit, it becomes uncomfortable.
It isn’t advisable to just spend money anyhow without making a plan, you should know how much money you make after deducting taxes and understand your expenses.
Although some monthly expenses such as rent are fixed, you can still lower them, for instance, why sleep in a very expensive house yet you can get a cheaper one. Alternatively, for single people, you can decide to rent a house with a friend and split the cost.
You can cut down on spending. I recall spending a lot of money on electricity, I hadn’t taken time to figure out what consumed it most. But when I stopped using an electric kettle, the cash power that took me one month, can now do two months.
I was also addicted to shopping clothes. I just bought them because I saw them hanging in boutiques and imagined how they would appear on my body. I ended up buying what I didn’t even need yet I have a wardrobe full of clothes which some, I no longer even wear. But I sat down and realised that some things weren’t necessities, yet I spent half of my salary on them. Anything you can do without, isn't worth spending on, especially if you’re living on a tight budget.
All it takes is adjusting your lifestyle. The things you want should align with or be less than your income.
You don’t need to eat out all the time, cooking at home is way cheaper.
What’s amazing about living within your means is that it offers you a financial balance as you can afford your needs, and reduce the stress of wondering where your money could have disappeared to, at the time you need to pay your bills.
When you live according to your means, you can secure the kind of future that you want. If you keep saving money to buy or construct your house within a specific period of time, you may not have a problem moving into a cheaper house temporarily. This is because you’re looking at a bigger picture, and saying goodbye to renting, some day.
If you love competing with others, spending less than you earn may be next to impossible because you want to live life like others. For example, if your friends go on a vacation, buy new cars, or the latest phone, you may not settle until you equate your lifestyle to theirs since you don’t want to be left behind.
You alone know how your bank account stands, the people you may want to compete with could be earning more than you, or perhaps getting loans. You don’t need to go through that pressure just to impress.
But also, you shouldn’t deprive yourself just because you’re living within your means—be happy.
If you base your life on the fancy lives people post on social media, and probably think it will take you forever to afford their lifestyles, you’re wrong. People post what they want you to believe, in reality, they may not even be happy, or rich just like they portray themselves. Happiness isn’t even measured by material things. Be grateful for the little things that you have. Being yourself is key to living a meaningful life.