‘I Used to Love Shopping’ — Saver Asks How to Overcome Guilt About Spending After Years of Discipline

Saving money over a long period of time requires good financial discipline, but it can be hard to tune down the good money habits for the occasional purchase. One high earner who is on the path to getting rich said that they struggle with spending money.

“I used to love shopping,” the high earner said. “All I feel comfortable spending on these days is investments because it feels ‘productive.'”

The high earner turned to Reddit for suggestions on how to feel good about spending some money while on the path to long-term financial goals.

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Save Up Before You Have Kids

One of the top comments came from a Redditor who encouraged the high earners to save as much as possible before having kids. The commenter said that your expenses will go up significantly the moment you become a parent. 

“If you have kids, then you won’t have a problem with finding ways [to spend] money,” the commenter said. 

You don’t have to spend money just for the sake of it, and it’s okay if the things you liked a few years ago no longer interest you. A good saving habit can only turn sour if you deny yourself of experiences or things that you want to buy, knowing that it won’t have much of an impact on your long-term financial goals to make those purchases. Some people regret hoarding all of their money without deploying it in ways that could have enriched their lives.

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Save Big Now For More Possibilities In The Future

The high earner may be in a phase where it makes more sense to save money instead of spending it, even if the saving habit may feel excessive right now. People change over time, and one high earner shared how their approach to money changed each decade.

“I was a big saver in my 20s and 30s,” the commenter said. “In my 40s, I started to spend as I realized how much money I would eventually have at retirement.

Your hobbies and interests may change as you get older, and when you have kids, most of your spending may gravitate toward them. The high earner who saved money in their 20s and 30s was well-prepared in their 40s to spend without worrying about what their retirement would look like.

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Only Buy What Makes You Happy

Making intentional purchases can free you from impulsive spending while ensuring that your purchases enrich your life. By only spending money in a few categories, you can devote more time and resources toward maximizing what you get from the money that you spend.

“Buy things that truly make you happy and be frugal in every other aspect,” one commenter said. “Mine are food and travel. I look homeless 95% of the time, but I’m comfy.”

Cutting unnecessary purchases will free more of your money, and it’s possible that the original poster may be in this situation. One commenter questioned why it’s a bad thing to invest more money and second-guess any purchases.

“Is losing a desire to spend necessarily a bad thing?” one commenter asked. “Not sure if you’re American, but if you are, we tend to consume so much. Personally, I am constantly working on a [mindset shift] to spend less. Not that I was overspending compared to income, but I was buying a lot of things I didn’t need or little conveniences.”

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