What I realized was more important than saving money after saving 20 million yen

I spent money again

Is there anyone who feels this negative every time they spend money?

I was like that for a long time.

When I was exhausted just by shopping at a convenience store

I was always tired of constantly looking for cheaper things.

I would worry even just buying a drink at a convenience store.
I would end up looking for a store that was even a little cheaper.

And the hardest part was,

when I found it selling for less at another store after I had already bought it.

Oh, I should have bought it here after all.
I would blame myself like that.

Every standard waswhether it was cheap or not.

Even if my money didn't decrease, my heart was wearing thin

At that time,

I almost never went to the hair salon
I almost never ate out
I used air conditioning and heating to a minimum
I sometimes just took a shower even in winter

I was what you would call someone who is good at saving money.

I thought my heart would be at ease if I saved money and my savings increased.
But in reality, that wasn't the case at all.

Even after my savings exceeded 10 million yen, I was stillafraid to spend money.

I still don't have enough, I have to cut back more; those feelings never went away.

Thinking about it now, this wasn't saving money,

it was enduring to suppress anxiety.

The trigger that changed my values just a little bit

What changed my way of thinking was a robot vacuum cleaner.

Honestly, I hesitated a lot when buying it.

Because it seemed like something I could live without.

But it was only after I used it that I realized.

I didn't buy a "thing," I bought "time."I bought time.

Putting the kids to bed, washing the dishes, putting away the laundry,

and still spending my days using a floor wiper at 2 a.m.

Just by having that time disappear, my peace of mind at night was completely different.

Furthermore, after buying a dishwasher, I was able to use that time to play with my children.

“It’s okay to use money this way.”

That was my first realization.

Thinking about “money well spent”

Recently, in the end-of-month memo section of my household account book,

I have started entering “money well spent this month.”

For example,

A dress for my child's entrance ceremony, a slightly expensive lunch for the first time in a while, a sun hat I can use every day.

What left a particularly strong impression was the dress for my daughter's entrance ceremony.

Honestly, I didn't have to buy it because I had hand-me-downs.

But seeing the design my daughter liked, she happily chose it saying, “I want this!”

At that time, I thought, “It’s a waste when we have hand-me-downs.”
Spending tens of thousands of yen on something she might only wear once or twice.

But the moment I saw my daughter with a sparkling smile on the day of her entrance ceremony, I thought:

Ah, this money didn't just 'decrease'.
It turned into a memory.

My shopping habits now

Now, when I shop, I try to think like this:

'Can I clearly imagine my future self using this?'

However, to be honest, I still make mistakes just like anyone else.

I often end up buying something inconvenient just because it was cheap, and think, 'Oh no, I messed up...' (laughs)
But that's okay.

I've come to think of it as buying the experience of failure.
Money has no value if you 'just save it'.

Money has no value if you 'just save it'

I used to think that the right answer was to never let my money decrease.

Certainly, it is important to have a certain amount of savings.

School expenses for children
My own retirement
Money for emergencies

The money I am saving gives my future self peace of mind.

In fact, I faced this 'emergency' myself.

After my divorce, the child support that had been paid regularly suddenly stopped one month.

I have summarized here how I handled the mediation myself without relying on a lawyer.

A big reason I was able to act calmly without panicking at that time was because I had savings that ensured my life wouldn't fall apart immediately.

That is why I don't think savings are unnecessary.

Even so, that money does not make the current me happy.

Exchanging money for things and experiences to make the current me happy.
Only by doing that does money become something of value.

The balance between "saving" and "spending"

I have come to feel that this is the most important thing.

Summary

When saving becomes too much of a virtue,

it can start to feel like spending money itself is a bad thing.

But in reality, saving isn't the only right answer.

Spending money where it should be spentwas also an important choice that makes me happy.

If you are currently feeling,

"I'm afraid to spend money" or "I feel anxious if I don't save,"

if you feel that way,

it might be a sign that it's time to rethink things a little.

Even if you say that, I'm struggling because I can't even save money for peace of mind in the first place...

For those people, I recommend first setting up a "system that doesn't require effort" to manage your household finances.

I have compiled concrete details in a paid note, such as the household account book app I actually use,

how to review fixed costs, and how I manage things every month,

including "what to keep rough and what to look at carefully," based on my experience of actually saving over 20 million yen.

For those who want to first prepare defensive savings so they can comfortably spend money on what matters,

please take a look as a reference.

By the way, who is Dotako?

If you thought that, please check this out too👇

Managing household finances on top of daily work, housework, and childcare.

It's tough, but I hope we can share information with each other

and get things organized in a fun way😊