Economy Life Rafts

The world feels like it’s on fire, and I’m not sure how to handle it. Between Spirit Airlines’ collapse, other business closures, and the Met Gala’s display of limitless wealth, a lot of things feel wrong and unnecessary.

On days like this, I cling to a few quotes and simple “this or that” questions that keep our family economy healthy and our top priority front and center. Our Money Muscle explanation (linked here) is the basis of our family economy: priorities, anchored in knowing the state of our numbers. But because I’m human (and you are, too), sometimes we take a slight detour — and that’s okay. In those moments, these are my life rafts:

🛟 I will spend less so I don’t have to work more — I say this when marketing tactics try to sway me. It helps me pause and reach for the next raft.

🛟 Luxury vs. Necessity — This opens a gentle conversation about what’s driving the detour. Am I filling an emotional need with an item? Is this purchase essential? Can it wait? Are there patterns here? This raft is meant to be curious, not judgmental, and can lead to a financial plan if we decide to take the detour.

🛟 Sanity vs. Savings — A conversation about what we truly need and how to meet those needs while navigating a chaotic world. Are the savings worth sacrificing your sanity? My answer is usually no, but others may disagree — and that’s fine. This raft helps me identify emotional needs and why they haven’t been met.

Those three rafts have helped shape our family’s financial landscape. Our priority remains providing a safe, healthy home where we can explore life with our boys together. That priority guides decisions about work, spending, saving, travel, and other activities that trade our time for something else.

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