The Realization of a Cheapskate
Are you a person who likes to save money but refuses to spend it? Do you feel that every time you spend your money, you feel guilty or feel some regrets afterward?
Due to the uncertainty of things nowadays especially when it comes to the financial aspect, we limit our money expenditures and often ensure that it is spent on important things. Sometimes, if the budget is tight, we have no choice but to become cheapskate or stingy.
Being a cheapskate is not a bad thing at all. As long as it doesn't harm you and other people, it's fine.
Your cute writer, kli4d is also a cheapskate. I always have a hard time deciding when I will spend my money even though I need it. For instance, when I need to buy a facial wash, I need to think for hours or even days just to make a full decision. In buying stuff online, especially on Shopee, I am trying my best to find products that have a discount or free shipping vouchers. If I don't find any that have a product voucher, I am discouraged from buying.
However, I have this toxic trait where even if I don't need the product as long as it takes my attention or interest I will immediately buy it. Let's say I found something cool on the internet. I will try to gather some funding just to buy it. Fortunately, as time goes by, I am evolving into a better person and able to stop the urge to just spend my money on nonsense things.
For now, my habit is just to save money and put it on investment; my mindset is to focus on growing assets.
But this mindset resulted in the feeling that I am not progressing. I feel that even if I work hard, write several articles, make a lot of noise, I am not happy.
I tried to open this issue with my special person. I told him that even though I am earning enough, I am still sad and feel incomplete. I still feel that it is not enough and I don't see the fruit of my labor. He tried his best to give his insight about this but I feel that there's still something wrong.
Days later after the conversation, my friends invited me to go out and visit our university and get our high school diploma. I accepted their invitation as a chance to breathe some polluted air in the city, just kidding. I saw this as an opportunity to finally touch some grass since I’ve been stuck in my house for weeks. Aside from that, I also miss them; it's been a year since we talk personally.
In our group chat, they are provoking or teasing me to treat them since I am the one who earns on crypto. I am just laughing and telling them that I am just a poor guy who’s dependent on his parent. But the main reason why I can’t answer yes to them is that I am having a hard time if I will spend my hard-earned money just for a lunch of three people. One of the problems of a stingy person hahaha.
Fast forward, I finally decided to treat their lunch. I realized that I never had a chance to treat them before so this is my chance to give back. Tsaka isa pa, minsan lang naman kaya why not diba.
So the next day after getting our credentials to our dear alma mater, I told them that I will be the one who will pay for their lunch. I can’t paint their reaction after I said that hahaha. They looked so confused and looked at me in disbelief. Several seconds after, they rejoice in happiness, lol.
I let them choose what they want to eat and then paid using my e-wallet. For the duration of eating together, we shared some life stories, laugh at different things, and take a look back at our senior high school years. After that, we went to the arcade to enjoy the rest of the day.
As I got home, I realized something and I immediately shared it with my special person.
I told him that I already found what was lacking in me. And it's not about money, my earnings, savings, or investments. I think what’s lacking in me is the happiness that you can only receive when you’re spending time with other people, the time you spend with them while laughing, the time you spend with them to create memories and experiences. He agreed and also share the same realization when he’s doing the same.
Final remarks:
I reach the point of my life where I think that money, the concept of having a lot of it, will make me better and happier. But I am wrong. I realized that money is already eating me, the idea of it. I am thankful for such an experience that helped me understand that money isn’t everything.
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This is such a great article. I actually agree with you on this. I remember that I also learned how I am much happier when I use some onf my money to treat my loved ones instead of just letting it accumulate on its own. Sure, it is nice to see the numbers growing, but what use is it if I will not even spend it? I always like to think that I must live in the present even while preparing for the future. I cannot just always put off enjoying the fruits of my efforts because all I think about is the future. I like to remind myself that the future might never come and I might not get a chance to enjoy my efforts if I keep putting it last.