You Spend How Much? Clearly, You Lack Imagination

A friend of ours once wondered out loud if people who claim they “have no need or desire to spend more than $50K or $100K a year or whatever” are a) lying, b) easily contented or c) unimaginative.” Naturally, I took offense, as all three options are criticisms and, at the very least, there ought to be d) another option, but none was given.

I contend that those who live a life they love on a relatively modest budget are the most imaginative. It’s the high spenders who typically take the more expensive path, the convenient path of least resistance, that are more likely to be lacking in imagination.

Hypothesis: Low Spenders Lack Imagination

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Dr. Dahle thinks that people who spend less than $124,000 or whatever are unable to come up with something that they’d like to do or have that would cost more

Supporting Argument: Fun Stuff Costs Money

You can’t really replicate every aspect of heli-skiing without spending the money to do it, although, with a little imagination and research, you may find a location, outfitter, or time of year that allows you to heli-ski at a lower price point.

Opposing Argument: Fun Can Be Had Without Spending Top Dollar

I honestly don’t see how spending money takes much imagination. It’s about the easiest thing to do, and billions of dollars are spent by marketers every year to nudge you into spending more on an endless array of goods and services.

Supporting Argument: Spending Money is Easy

I don’t imagine I’ll ever climb Mount Everest. It’s not because of the cost, which can be upwards of $50,000, but rather the fact that I don’t like to be that cold, air-hungry, and generally uncomfortable for any length of time, let alone weeks on end.

Opposing Argument: The More Imaginative Things Cost the Most

When I actually tracked my spending back in 2016 to 2018, I found that we were spending in the neighborhood of $60,000 to $70,000 a year. That was with paid-off homes, no student loan debt, and not counting charitable giving, which we do primarily with a separate donor advised fund.

My Experience as a “Low Spender”

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