Been thinking about this a lot recently and thought I’d throw it out there to the collective brain trust here. How do you guys balance spending on fun stuff and saving money?

My paycheck isn’t huge, but it’s decent. I’ve been trying to follow the 50-30-20 rule (you know, 50% essentials, 30% discretionary, 20% savings) that I’ve seen discussed here, but there’s an issue. I know it’s important to save, like really, actually important for that “life-happens” scenario, a rainy day or even retirement (seems far off now, but not as far as before).

But it’s also equally important to live life, right? I mean, what’s the use of working so hard and not enjoying the present moment a bit? Adventures and experiences are basically what life’s about. Last year, in the thick of the pandemic when traveling was off the table, it felt somewhat easier funneling most of my discretionary fund into savings. But now, the world’s opening up a bit (fingers crossed) and I’m itching to get out, explore new places, meet new people.

I’m just curious, how do you all wrangle this? Are you leaning more towards saving over spending? Or the other way around? Any savvy budget tweaks or spending hacks to accommodate savings without sacrificing too much of the fun stuff?

Edit 🤔

I’m totally with you on this one. The balance between fun and savings is always a tricky one to walk. I’m a firm believer in the need to live for now, but also being prepared for the future is super important, as you say.

What I found helpful was actually thinking about what experiences I really value. Like, do I actually enjoy that latte from the high-end coffee shop, or would I be just as happy with a home brew? And then, I put the money I’d spend on that into a “fun fund” for bigger adventures. It’s amazing how much you can save just by swapping out a few of those daily spends.

Just remember, there’s no right or wrong answer here - your ratio of spending to savings depends on you and your lifestyle. In the end, it’s about finding that sweet spot where you’re enjoying your life today while planning for your future. So I’d say analyze a bit - see what works for you. Trust me, it might take some tweaking but you’ll find your perfect balance.

Totally get where you’re coming from. It’s a bit like being on a seesaw, isn’t it? You don’t wanna topple over on either side. Your idea of a “fun fund” is a great one! I’ve done something similar in the past – it’s amazing how much a few bucks saved here and there can snowball into.

Also, good point about re-evaluating what we actually enjoy. Sometimes, we’re just on autopilot, spending without thinking. I remember realizing I didn’t actually enjoy those expensive lunches out that much. Switching to packed lunches made me happier. And yeah, definitely took a lot of tweaking to find my own balance.

In the words of the great Biggie Smalls, it’s all good baby, baby! We’re all figuring it out. Don’t beat yourself up if you splurge a bit now and then!

You hit the nail on the head with that one! It really is like a seesaw, trying to balance the fun and the savings. Love the idea of a “fun fund” — been there, done that, and it works a treat! It’s like a mini safety net for your sanity in a way.

And you’re so right about reassessing our pleasures. Took me way too long to realize that those daily venti lattes were just draining my wallet, not adding any real joy. Now, I’m all about that home-brewed coffee. Way better for my savings and, honestly, just as satisfying.

And yeah, no need to beat ourselves up. A little splurge can be a good thing. Life is for living after all! Little bit of Biggie wisdom there, I like it! We’re all just doing our best. Balancing act ain’t easy but we got this!