On Expenses, Passion and Savings

On Expenses, Passion and Savings  In the end what matters most is that you are able afford the life you really want.  Sometimes that involves a lot of sacrifices, especially when it comes to expensive future goals - house, tuition, etc.  But it's not a bad idea to indulge your passions as long as your goals aren't jeopardized. Who knows, they might be expenses now but income streams in the future.
If you've read a lot of personal finance articles or attended seminars on the same, you've probably become aware of a few similarities.

For one, starbucks is a popular target. Inevitably, a quick summation of designer coffee expenses is bandied around.

After that, the "list" usually includes gadgets, shoes, clothes, and high-end (or high-priced) food.

There's probably a good reason for that. Keeping finances in check is the first step towards financial independence. You can't invest without money and how can you have money if you don't save, right?

But life is usually more complex than what we are able to verbalize. And the same is true in this case.
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