We do need to pay attention to every dollar that comes in, as well as goes out, in order to stay successful in handling the finances. While saving money should be a top priority, sometimes you have to invest a little money for higher quality goods that can actually improve your quality of life. After all, life experiences and fun needs to be a regular occurrence, for your sanity, as well as your loved ones having to be around you on a regular basis.
A Nice Suit
First impressions are everything, and now that you are trying to make a name for yourself, it’s time to donate the dress pants and jacket you have been passing off as a suit and get yourself fitted for a new suit. It doesn’t have to be a custom expensive piece to add to your collection, but a reasonably priced suit is worth the cost that you now have something to look good in on job interviews or a wedding night.
Programmable Coffee Maker
Now I’m not talking about a Keurig, which I think is way overrated (and priced), but instead shelling out just over $20 to give you great coffee quickly, and at a fraction of the price of grabbing one on the go. You can program the time the night before to start brewing so that you can wake up to the smell of the fresh coffee, fill up your travel cup, and head out to work, while having something to fill up refills at work.
Comfortable Mattress
You may even still be sporting the same mattress you used when you lived at home, and while you should probably get a new mattress after ten years, we can opt out of going cheap on its replacement, as you get what you pay for, and a soft bed on springs will probably only last a few years, while giving you back pain in the meantime that could actually haunt you the rest of your life, so it’s better to buy quality while you are young, even though it might cost more up front.
Good Set of Knives
I was recently at a friend’s house and tried to cut limes, and was struggling with the knives being dull, so It made me want to check our knife set to see if they were sharp, let alone good quality. Between preparing dinners and chipping up fruits and vegetables, a good set of nice is a great purchase that can be a focal point in the kitchen, not to mention can practice your Food Network knife skills.
Headphones
There’s a difference between the self-proclaimed “audiophiles” and the normal population, leading us to believe that you need to buy the Beats headphones just to fit in. While I would not suggest Beats as something to invest in, I do think good headphones not only make your music sound better, but good headphone can drown out the outside noise whether it was crying babies, the lawnmower, or the same lifejacket spiel we hear every time on an airline or a talking neighbor.
Reliable Laptop
I’ve been guilty of hanging onto my laptops probably almost a decade too long when I should have upgraded. I don’t know why I was worried about parting ways considering my new laptop is a significant improvement in speed and overall performance. Needing a laptop that fits the work and life balance for so many that are able to work from home, you want to be able to multi-task without losing any speed or lagging/freezing in any way possible.
401(k) Account
Considering we are not sure if social security will be there by the time we retire, and even if it is, it’s not enough to life off, compared to your current salary, so you need to have another income source when you retire. The earlier you can contribute to 401(k) the better, so it has time to accumulate and take advantage of compound interest. Check at work if your company offers any company-matching contributions, as now taking advantage of that would be leaving free money on the table.
Life Experiences
Sure, having money in the bank is important, as well as reducing expenses, but sometimes the life experience outweighs all when it comes to your sanity and quality of life. You don’t have to be trapped within the four walls of your home all the time, and it is healthy to go out and experience life whether that be a concert, casino, special occasion dinner, or taking a needed getaway with the time off and money affords you.
