Last night Sarah, my wife, and I were discussing the money we’ve saved since buying our house. At this point, we’re just shooting at figures, an amount we’d like to have piled up in zeroes and ones in the bank account. We’re lucky to be saving anything at all given the harsh economic conditions many are struggling in, let alone the monthly stack we’re able to squirrel away. On several occasions over the last few months we’d talked about what – exactly – we were saving for and couldn’t really put a finger on it. We aren’t planning on having kids in the near future and we decided against the yacht and private island after the wine wore off. Again.

So what were we saving for? For saving’s sake. Because that’s what responsible adults do. For the possibility of impending disaster. Reading it on the screen and boy, that’s a fearful way to live. It’s worrying. Mike McCarthy, the Green Bay Packers head coach, had this quote after the Packer game on Sunday: “…worrying is praying for the wrong thing to happen.” This blew me away. I hadn’t ever thought of worrying in that light, and I hadn’t pictured my life as one fueled by worry. The possibility of accident.

Now I’m not railing against the act of saving. It’s generally good practice. When the tree falls on the roof during the thunderstorm, you’ll be glad you were so worrisome. But saving with no goal, especially when coupled with work you might not love, is folly. Take a minute and think about your situation. Are you saving money? What for? Can’t think of anything? Maybe it’s time for an intervention. Maybe it’s time you set some goals. Assuming that saving money isn’t what makes you deliriously happy, consider redirecting that cash flow toward something that does. For me, that’s travel.

The history of my gainfully-employed life supports this fact. Each year we look forward to planning trips and it’s on these trips that we generally damage our savings account. When I think back on the last year in a minute, it’s also the trips that shine brightest, flicker happily. Make sure you know why you’re saving your money. Have a life-altering goal at the end of the line. If your current situation is like living on bread and water 11 months of the year and then gorging on a steaming cassoulet only to regurgitate it on your host’s freshly-laundered tablecloth, stop and think. I did.

So, what are you saving your money for?

Listening to: David Gray
Drinking: Se7en Deadly Zins

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Article Comments

  1. Kub December 15, 2009 at 3:58 pm

    I enjoy your new blog, Savage. Keep it up!

  2. Brenna December 16, 2009 at 3:45 pm

    In the middle of us planning our Big Journey, the economy, and the stock market, fell through the earth. People kept asking us “Are you still going to travel for a year?” It was a good question. With what?! We’re on the road now, and never regret our decision for a minute. It’s been the radical change we needed to figure out What’s Next for us. Change isn’t easy, but it’s awesome!
    Do it.
    Brenna

  3. Keith December 16, 2009 at 8:16 pm

    Brenna, thanks for the show of support! The acquisition of money is so strongly ingrained in us from the moment we first become aware. It will feel good to backburner that need.

  4. Saving for Extended Travel: A Case Study | Traveling Savage June 24, 2010 at 10:43 pm

    […] of a million sighs; the killer of a million dreams. One of my first posts on this blog questioned what are you saving your money for? At the time, Sarah and I didn’t have an answer. Now we do, and since I decided to make the […]

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