Mary had been thinking about taking a cruise.
She had found one she really liked.
The price was $4,995.
Mary could afford it.
That was the part that bothered her.
She had enough money in the bank. Her bills were covered. The cruise wouldn't put her financial security at risk.
Still, she wasn't sure.
She called Breed.
“I found a cruise I'd really like to take,” Mary said.
“That sounds nice.”
“It is. But it costs almost five thousand dollars.”
Breed waited.
“I keep thinking maybe I shouldn't spend that much on a vacation.”
“Can you afford it?”
“Yes.”
“Then what's bothering you?”
Mary thought for a moment.
“My car is getting old. I may need to replace it in the next couple of years.”
“So you're thinking about what else that money might have to do for you.”
“Exactly.”
Breed nodded.
“And if you didn't take the cruise?”
“I'd probably leave the money invested.”
“For the car?”
“Maybe.”
Mary paused.
“That's what makes this so difficult. I keep thinking that if I spend the money on something I want, I'm being irresponsible.”
Breed smiled.
“Why?”
Mary thought about it.
“Because if I leave it invested, at least it's still working for me.”
Breed nodded.
“And is that always the best use of the money?”
“I don't know.”
“Is spending money on something you want always irresponsible?”
“No.”
“Is keeping or investing every dollar always the right answer?”
Mary smiled.
“No.”
“Then perhaps the question isn't whether you can afford the cruise.”
Mary looked at him.
“What should I be asking?”
Breed thought for a moment.
“What do you want your money to do?”
Mary sat quietly.
She realized she had been looking at the decision as if there were only two choices:
Spend the money and be irresponsible.
Or keep it invested and be responsible.
But maybe there was another way to look at it.
There were several things to consider: the cruise, the car, her investments, and her overall financial situation. Mary could then decide which use of the money mattered more to her.
She didn't need someone to tell her what the right answer was.
She needed to understand what she was really deciding.
And perhaps that's something worth remembering the next time we face an important financial decision.
Being able to afford something doesn't necessarily mean you should buy it.
But it doesn't mean you shouldn't buy it, either.
Sometimes the real question isn't:
“Can I afford this?”
It's:
“What do I want this money to do?”
Richard Sowa, Founder – Read The Money Mirror
FINANCIAL DECISIONS ARE NEVER JUST FINANCIAL.
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