We’ve probably all heard the saying, “It takes money to make money.”
As I get older my relationship with money has evolved. Growing up, we were a mix of welfare/under the table work and occasional years my parents were employed with different legit jobs. We watched for specials and for the most part lived pretty frugally.
My parents would fix the car themselves rather than pay a mechanic vibes, we were on that wave.
Over the course of my life I saw significant gains to my social status.
At a certain point my income had elevated past the poverty mindset I was stuck with.
I was hesitant to spend money on productive or social things, only to go blow it on weed and food delivery at home, alone.
Or trying to impress a lady.
Then one day I realized I actually made enough money, I was just living wrong.
Spend within your means or go out there and get more
One of the biggest regrets I have over the last 3-4 years of my life, is not investing in profitable hustles sooner.
While everything I do adds an absurd amount of expenses, it also adds more opportunity for income. A lot of people get a car and use it for convenience, my car is primarily for work. I will make 5 figures profit off my car this year.
Most of my 20’s I kept a mental budget.
Turns out my mental budget ignored a lot of reality. It’s worth sitting down with an excel sheet and creating a real deal budget that tracks everything. You’ll find out how much money you need to make a month.
This budget should include honest intentions of spending. It’s for you and you alone, who are you trying to impress here? Admit your addictions to the excel sheet.
It’s really easy to act like you are only going to spend 80$ on food in a week. Then order another 50$ of food without thinking twice. But only tracking the 80$ you spent intentionally.
If you are unaware of your habits, money is kind of scary. You work and it goes and it sucks. Teach yourself how you move.
Then you will see how much money you make and what you need to make to live the way you want.
You are faced with two choices if your money isn’t up.
Lower expenses or chase some more dollars.
Money isn’t always about vapid materialism, that’s often hater talk
Obviously I’m aware there are a lot of people who like to buy expensive things for vapid reasons.
Meanwhile the 200$ bright green jeans I bought in NYC have retained their colour far better than any dye Shein uses. Sometimes we like to buy better quality things so they last. Other times we are flexing a willingness to spend money.
The problem with the vapid definition is that it’s not a monolithic thing.
I spend money on things like shoes and my wardrobe, so that I can signal to the right people I’m willing to invest in myself. My fans care that my outfit matches. So if I’m ‘bout my business, I need to care.
The world of people with money is one that likes to be around others with money.
It’s less of a hate the poor thing and more of a hate the way poor people make you feel when you can do luxury things they can’t. One time I mentioned getting an Uber in a lower income environment, and these people gave me the most scathing retorts on how bougie I was. It was the first time I realized I wasn’t so poor anymore.
When you have the means to do something, but not the means to cover everyone all the time, it sucks.
Especially when you put that work in.
To get to where I got has come with endless 60 hour work weeks
Once upon a time I worked in a callcenter that paid out overtime.
It was very much encouraged to work past 40 hours and the rewards were real. Once I got into salary, it was still encouraged but psychologically worse (the annual bonus will never pay you fairly for your overtime). Nowadays between my two gigs, I do a good 50-60 hours a week regularly.
Because of that willingness to get my minimum money targets each month, I have the means to get out there and do cooler things.
It tells people who are farther along than I am, that I am able to keep up (as far as I can) and invite me into nicer worlds. Because even if I can’t go M for M with anyone, I can still cover my own costs and not be miserable.
Now spending money completely frivolously with no thought, and no income is kind of silly. Being cringey by overtly never spending money in public is a good way to never get invited to anything. I have spent an absurd amount of money on stuff, but it’s a good melange of investing in people, my projects and my fun.
The main thing to remember is that people pay attention to how you move. If you are comfortable spending money, it usually comes from a place of being comfortable getting money. It’s the kind of signal you want to put out there.
At least it’s what I’m going for, I want them to see there is value attached to my name.
Live Long and Prosper Everyone