“Spend the Money”: A Gentle Reminder That Life Is Happening Now

Intro:

If you’ve ever felt guilty about spending your own money—even after a lifetime of saving – it turns out, you’re not alone.

In a recent chat with Carl Richards, creator of The Sketch Guy and author of the new book It’s Gonna Be Okay, we talked through one of his most powerful (and let’s be honest – needed) messages: Spend the Money.

This isn’t about being reckless. It’s about living your life, while you still can, with the people you care about most.

The Sketch:

Picture two overlapping circles.

• One is labeled: People You Love
• The other: Experiences

The overlap in the middle? That’s where Carl wrote: Spend the Money

Carl joked, “I wish I’d put an exclamation mark after it—Spend the money!” But the message stands strong either way. If your money isn’t used to create memories with people you love… What’s the point?

“We know at the end of our lives, the things we regret won’t be the things we tried and failed. It’ll be the things we didn’t do—especially with the people we love.” – Carl Richards

What It Really Means:

This sketch hits home for a lot of clients we work with. You’ve saved. You’ve planned. You’ve been disciplined for years. And now that you can spend? It doesn’t always come naturally.

“You almost need to practice spending. You’ve been out of practice for so long.” – Carl Richards

That might mean:

• Taking your grandkids to the zoo
• Booking that trip you’ve talked about for years
• Saying yes to the cabin upgrade
• Or even just buying coffee for a friend without overthinking it

As Carl put it:

“Maybe go to the coffee shop, take a friend, pay for both your coffee and theirs. See how it feels… Realize, you could do that every day for the rest of your life and it wouldn’t be a problem.”

Start Small. Then Go Big.

The goal here isn’t to spend for the sake of spending. It’s to shift your mindset.

You don’t need a major trip to make a memory. Sometimes, it’s the everyday stuff – like Carl’s example of walking to the mailbox with his wife each night – that sticks with you the longest.

That said, if there’s something bigger you’ve been putting off… maybe now’s the time.

“COVID taught us –  we don’t get time back. A lot of people lost two or three years of really good travel time. So if you can do it now, don’t wait.” – Jack Lumsden

Final Thought:

This isn’t just about finances. It’s about freedom. The kind of freedom you’ve worked your whole life to have.

You don’t have to go wild. But start somewhere.

◊ Spend the money.
◊ Make the memory.
◊ Do the thing.

Future-you will be glad you did.

This is the link to pre-order Carl’s book on Amazon.

What To Do Next

Are You on Track with Your Retirement Strategy? FIND OUT TODAY!

For more information, refer to Preserving Wealth: The Next Generation – The definitive guide to protecting, investing, and transferring Wealth by Jack Lumsden, MBA, CFP® or schedule a call with Jack at 905-332-5503

For your FREE E-Copy of Preserving Wealth CLICK HERE

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