We are always told to save money, spend wisely, avoid unnecessary purchases, and think about our future. And honestly, I agree. Budgeting is important. We cannot simply spend everything we earn and expect our future selves to figure things out.
BUT… here is where I want to debate.
Why does living responsibly sometimes feel like we have to stop ourselves from actually living?
Why is it that when we want to buy something we genuinely like, go somewhere we have always wanted to visit, try a new experience, or spend money on something that makes us happy, the first thing that comes to our mind is, "Should I really be spending on this?"
And then we feel guilty.
We calculate. We reconsider. We tell ourselves, "Maybe next month." We convince ourselves that we do not need it right now.
And before we know it, we have become so good at saving money that we sometimes forget to enjoy the life we are working so hard to afford.
So, is budgeting really about managing our money, or have we reached a point where we are managing our happiness around our money?
Think about it.
We work hard because we want a better life. We want financial security, a comfortable home, good food, meaningful experiences, and the freedom to make our own choices.
But if every single day is about working, saving, sacrificing, and postponing the things that make us happy, when exactly are we supposed to enjoy the life we are building?
Are we waiting until we are financially stable? Until we get promoted? Until we earn more? Until we have enough savings to finally tell ourselves, "Okay, now I can enjoy my life"?
But what if that day keeps moving further away?
What if we keep increasing our savings goals, our expectations, and our definition of financial security until there is always another reason to delay living?
Of course, I am not saying we should be irresponsible with money. I am not saying we should spend our rent money on a holiday or use our savings to buy something just because we want it.
That is not the point.
The point is, why do we always treat the things that make us happy as the first things we need to sacrifice?
Why is buying something practical considered a good financial decision, but spending money on an experience that makes us happy is often labelled a waste?
Why do we find it easier to justify spending money on our responsibilities than spending money on ourselves?
And who actually decides what counts as a necessary expense and what counts as an unnecessary one?
Because, honestly, what is unnecessary to one person might be incredibly meaningful to another.
For someone, it might be travelling. For another, it might be buying books, learning a new skill, attending a concert, exploring a new restaurant, or simply having a little freedom to enjoy their weekends without calculating every single cent.
We all have different things that make life feel worthwhile.
And I think that deserves to be part of the conversation about budgeting, too.
Here is another thing I keep thinking about.
We are constantly reminded to prepare for the future, but how much responsibility do we have towards the person we are today?
Our future selves need financial security. Absolutely.
But our present selves also need experiences, happiness, rest, connection, and memories.
The person we are today is not just someone who needs to work harder so that the person we become ten or twenty years from now can enjoy life.
We deserve to experience life along the way, too.
And sometimes, I wonder whether we are so afraid of making the wrong financial decision that we forget there is also a cost to never allowing ourselves to enjoy anything.
We might save money, but we could miss experiences we cannot recreate in exactly the same way. We might postpone that trip, that class, that adventure, or that little thing we have always wanted to try.
Not every opportunity will disappear, of course. But time moves, circumstances change, and the version of ourselves who wants to experience certain things today will not remain exactly the same forever.
That is why I think this debate is worth having.
Not because budgeting is wrong, but because financial responsibility should help us build a life we want to live, not become the reason we keep postponing it.
Maybe the real question is not whether we should budget or enjoy life.
Maybe it is why we keep treating them as two opposing choices.
What if budgeting included money for the things that make us happy? What if, alongside our savings, bills, commitments, and investments, we deliberately set aside something for experiences, hobbies, and the little things that remind us why we work so hard?
What if we stopped feeling guilty about spending money we had already planned to spend?
And what if we started measuring financial success not only by how much money we have saved, but also by how much freedom and peace that money gives us?
Of course, everyone's financial circumstances are different. Some people genuinely cannot afford certain experiences right now, and that is a reality we should respect. Financial security matters, and sometimes sacrifices are necessary.
But when we do have room to make choices, perhaps we should be asking ourselves whether our budget reflects the life we actually want to live.
Because saving money without knowing what we are saving for can become an endless cycle.
There will always be another goal, another expense, another milestone, and another reason to wait.
So, where do we draw the line?
How much should we save before we allow ourselves to enjoy what we have earned?
How do we know when we are being financially responsible and when we are simply too afraid to spend?
And is it really fair to expect ourselves to sacrifice every little joy today for a future that is never completely guaranteed?
I do not have one perfect answer. Maybe that is exactly why I want to debate this.
I want us to question the way we have been taught to think about money. I want us to recognise that being good with money does not necessarily mean spending as little as possible.
Sometimes, it means knowing what matters to you, planning for it, and giving yourself permission to enjoy it without destroying your financial stability.
Because at the end of the day, money is a resource. It can protect us, give us choices, and create opportunities.
But it is also something we use to experience the world around us.
We should not have to choose between having a future and having a life in the present. We should be learning how to make room for both.
So, I want to ask you something.
If you are working hard, earning money, saving consistently, and doing everything you are supposed to do…
Let's debate.
Mirhaa05 (hemirhaphysio@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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