Money & Worry

With the tax deadline on the horizon and many of us going on or returning from spring break trips, we have been thinking about finances a bit more then usual.  We all want to get a large tax return and buy something nice and take the vacation of our dreams, but we must figure out a way to pay for these adventures and purchases.  Although it is important to be financially aware it is equally as important to not stress to much about money.

Spring Break

Spring break is the time where we decompress from the first part of the year.  We relax, have fun, go somewhere warm, and spend a lot of money along the way.  Odds are most of us spend more money than we originally planned and that can sometimes lead to stress and concern.  It is crucial that we do not spend too much effort worrying about overspending.  Yes, we must pay our credit cards on time and pay all our bills, and yes, we must not tap into our savings too much, but an occasional luxury will not kill anyone.  We work hard for our money and we are entitled to enjoy life. When we start second guessing some of our purchases, we take away from the enjoyment they are meant to give us.  That being said, we should not go too far overboard.  A nice dinner, a small shopping luxury, and some personal care purchases might set us back a bit, but a high-end car or purchasing a trip that is far outside our means would be a poor choice.  It is okay to spoil ourselves and buy something we would not normally get if we do not make a habit of it.

Tax Return

Many of us are still working on filing our taxes and are hopeful of getting a large tax return.  Being hopeful and optimistic is okay, betting on getting a lot of money would be a poor choice.  All of us have heard a story about someone making a large purchase and planning to pay for it with tax return money only to have this plan backfire.  Based on withholding, where we live, and how much money we make, it is entirely possible to get no refund or even owe money to the government.  That is why it is crucial to wait until you see what your taxes will be before getting ahead of ourselves.  Additionally, we should wait until we have the money if we are getting a refund.  Spending cash we are waiting to receive can lead to issues.  If the payment gets delayed for any reason, we might not have enough money to pay our bills.  It would be silly to put ourselves in this situation.  It is okay to get excited about receiving a tax refund credit but remember to be patient.  Waiting a few extra weeks would not do any harm and could end up being a life saver.  An unexpected expense could occur, and we could change our plans.  Its best to be patient, wait until you have the money, and make the purchase then.

Putting in the Work

For those of us who live closer to budget then we would like to it can sometime be hard to get all the nice things and luxuries we want in life.  There is an easy way to solve this problem.  Put in the work.  This could be at your normal job, or you can consider getting a small part time job to help improve our lifestyle.  We all want the easy path in life but sometimes taking the harder road is more rewarding in the end.  A part time job could help you save money, pay for a dream vacation, or simply finance upgrades to your home.  Additionally, a part time job could help you switch careers.  We never know what could happen.  We could end up finding a new opportunity doing something different we have never considered.  Additionally, a second job opens new connections to make new friends and to get exposure in a different field.  Worse case scenario is we do not like making the time commitment or we do not like the new opportunity and that is okay.  Life is about trying new things and if we can make a little extra cash doing it, why not.

Money is a major factor in how we live our lives.  We depend on it for food, shelter, transportation, relaxation, and many other things.  However, we should never let money dictate our lives completely.  It is important to live within our means and it is equally as important to work hard to get what we want.  A vacation earned is far more enjoyable than one given.  We must reward our hard work and not stress about the little things. Finally, remember to not live regretting past financial decisions.  We cannot change the past and we can only look forward to the future.