Theoretical savings
Is there any way to reward yourself for savings that mostly happen in theory?
Here's what I mean:
If I budget, say, $20/week for groceries and I only spend $15 that's a real savings. I come out of that transaction with $5. I can see it, touch it, put it into a savings account, spend it on something besides groceries, whatever. If I consistantly spend that $15/week for a year at the end of the year I will have $260 that I can likewise see and touch and do something with. To my mind this is a "real" savings.
On the other hand say I have a $100 bill. One day I get tempted to buy a $20 DVD. I resist temptation, which means I still have a $100 bill. Okay, I saved $20.
But the next day I get tempted to buy a $10 book. I resist temptation. Here's where it gets tricky. In theory I have now saved $30 ($20 DVD plus $10 book). However in reality I still only have a $100 bill. I haven't "earned" $35 the same way that, over a year, I earn $260 by not spending it on groceries. All I do is maintain status quo.
Over the course of the week there's more temptation: $5 lunch out, $20 shirt, $10 movie. Again I resist all temptation. I have now theoretically saved $65. I still only have a $100 bill.
Is there any way to make that $65 seem more real? Is there any way to reward yourself for this theoretical savings?
See, if I was on a diet and I resist having a candy bar with lunch I still benefit from that even if I have a cupcake after dinner. My body will benefit from not consuming those extra 100 calories. Resisting the temptation to have an extra dessert will, over time, have a tangible benefit. And I know that resisting the temptation to buy things has a tangible benefit in that doing so helps to prevent debt, and helps to keep my money available for the things I really want to spend it on, but part of me wishes there was a way to make the theoretical savings more real.
So what I'm wondering is if there's a way to make that theoretical savings feel more like that theoretical candy bar. Is there a way to sit back and say to yourself that you really did save $65, even if you only have a $100 bill in your pocket?
(Edited to clarify some of the math)
Here's what I mean:
If I budget, say, $20/week for groceries and I only spend $15 that's a real savings. I come out of that transaction with $5. I can see it, touch it, put it into a savings account, spend it on something besides groceries, whatever. If I consistantly spend that $15/week for a year at the end of the year I will have $260 that I can likewise see and touch and do something with. To my mind this is a "real" savings.
On the other hand say I have a $100 bill. One day I get tempted to buy a $20 DVD. I resist temptation, which means I still have a $100 bill. Okay, I saved $20.
But the next day I get tempted to buy a $10 book. I resist temptation. Here's where it gets tricky. In theory I have now saved $30 ($20 DVD plus $10 book). However in reality I still only have a $100 bill. I haven't "earned" $35 the same way that, over a year, I earn $260 by not spending it on groceries. All I do is maintain status quo.
Over the course of the week there's more temptation: $5 lunch out, $20 shirt, $10 movie. Again I resist all temptation. I have now theoretically saved $65. I still only have a $100 bill.
Is there any way to make that $65 seem more real? Is there any way to reward yourself for this theoretical savings?
See, if I was on a diet and I resist having a candy bar with lunch I still benefit from that even if I have a cupcake after dinner. My body will benefit from not consuming those extra 100 calories. Resisting the temptation to have an extra dessert will, over time, have a tangible benefit. And I know that resisting the temptation to buy things has a tangible benefit in that doing so helps to prevent debt, and helps to keep my money available for the things I really want to spend it on, but part of me wishes there was a way to make the theoretical savings more real.
So what I'm wondering is if there's a way to make that theoretical savings feel more like that theoretical candy bar. Is there a way to sit back and say to yourself that you really did save $65, even if you only have a $100 bill in your pocket?
(Edited to clarify some of the math)