Mastering The Art Of Treating Yourself On A Budget

Times are freaky in America.

I've been short on extras cash for a couple of months because I keep stocking up on things I like or use a lot for when tariffs hike things up in price. None of these items are fun things. They're things for every day life like paper towels or herbs and spices. Things that make the "only basics" life more bearable.

I'm What Always Sunny In Philadelphia Calls Old Poor

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I've been in radio my entire adult life. (Pro-tip they don't tell you in school: Sales makes the money. Not announcers, sales.) In that time, especially the early radio days, I got really good at being poor. I can out poor the poorest person. (This skill really sucks, by the way.) It's sure going to come in handy in the United States of Tariffs.

It's the new poor that will have the biggest problem adjusting.

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What's very important, if you want to be good at being poor, treat yourself from time to time. Trust me when I say, it's the little things when you don't have anything.

Treat Yourself Tax Idea

The Treat Yourself Tax is a new way to treat yourself in the moment AND over time. I think it's kind of brilliant.

Here's how the Treat Yourself Tax works:

From the New York Times:

• If you splurge on something, like a soda, and spend $3, you put $3 in savings. Spend $20 on a lunch, put $20 in savings, and so on and so on.

What's different about this as opposed to other budgets is that there is a bit of wiggle room to splurge. (I've been doing this for years, and it makes all the difference. If something is a definite NO then we want it so much more. Wiggle room)

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The other advice they give is to wait on your purchase if it's more than 10% of your income. I do something similar. If I really think I want something I don't need, I walk away. If I'm still thinking about it a week or so later, AND I can afford it, I go get it. For cash. It's worked out well for me, and I am OLD poor.

Will I Be Paying The Treat Yourself Tax?

YES, I will. I'll thank myself for doing it when:

1. I have money for some unexpected expense
2. While I'm on my next train adventure putting money into savings because I just bought some wicked cool, yet unnecessary stuff, on my next vacation.

Source: New York Post