Think Of Surplus Money As Something To Invest, Not Spend

Think Of Surplus Money As Something To Invest, Not Spend

When you find yourself with a little extra cash, it’s hard to not immediately start thinking of all the stuff you want to buy. You’re better off saving that money or putting it to work and a simple shift in perspective can help you do that.

Photo by Tax Credits.

If you’re like me, as soon as you have some extra cash, it starts burning a hole in your pocket and you look over your list of wants. Doing so won’t hurt you now (after all it’s surplus money), but it definitely doesn’t help you in the future.

Mr. Money Mustache explains on Farnoosh Torabi’s “So Money” podcast that surplus money should be something you invest, not something you immediately spend:

I like the idea of keeping all money invested. So if I run into a surplus sometime, I don’t think of something to buy with it, I think, ‘OK, I better get rid of this money and put it to work again.’ So, I sweep it out of the bank account and into regular index funds.

Get it out of your pocket and away from your spend-happy fingers as fast as you can. Instead of asking yourself “how can I spend this?” ask “how can I invest this?” Investing isn’t nearly as difficult as it sounds, so get to it. Your future wallet will thank you for it.

Mr. Money Mustache [So Money Podcast via Business Insider]


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