At the Taylor Swift Reputation Stadium Tour
This past New Year’s, I made a resolution to prioritize travel and experiences over buying material things. I have not mindlessly browsed for clothes online even once so far this year. I have not purchased one thing for my apartment. But I have had some phenomenal adventures.
Because I saved money on material things, I was able to take my first trip to Europe since 2012, and I traveled to 13 different cities in France and Spain. I lounged on beaches in the Riviera, danced on a catamaran in Barcelona, stood in awe of the coast in San Sebastián, and drank rosé in Provence.
Then, last night, I found myself on the floor of the Taylor Swift Reputation Tour in Nashville, my hometown. I sang loudly and freely and was filled with gratitude that I had made this experience possible.
My heart is so full this year. I just feel better spending my money on adventures rather than on things. I am really determined to keep this pattern going. I have a few tips to make this kind of life possible:
1. Stop online browsing.
You just have to have some self-control for this. I highly recommend stopping online browsing. It is super addictive. The only times I have bought something online this year were when I needed it. For example: I needed some comfortable walking shoes for Europe, so I went straight to the allbirds (best shoes ever) website, bought shoes, and got offline. (By the way, I wore my allbirds to the T Swift show! See the picture above.) If you can stop the mindless scrolling through pages and pages of clothes, it will save your time, and your money!
2. Create a budget – and stick to it.
You need to take some time examining your purchasing habits and figuring out a manageable budget. Creating a budget and keeping track of all your purchases is just a necessity at this stage in life. You should never be surprised by what is in your bank account.
3. Ask, “Do I need this?”
If you struggle with impulsive purchasing, take a pause before you press “complete order” or check out at a store. It helps to give yourself a good ten seconds of silence to think before you decide to buy something. This definitely takes self-control, too.
4. Start dreaming.
What is something you really want to do? I was really wanting to go to Europe again since it had been years for me, so I cut back on purchasing “stuff” and made it happen. I have also always wanted to see Taylor Swift, but the last time she came to Nashville, I could not afford it. I was crushed, and I remember scrolling through my Instagram that night feeling so sad that I was not there. I knew next time she came to town, I had to make it happen. And I did!
Truly, I am SO much happier spending my money on experiences. It has made my life richer, happier, and more meaningful. After all, memories and time well-spent are what we will remember and treasure in the end.
Love, Bee
I love this! Moving to the UK has helped with my mindless browsing online because a lot of the places don’t ship to the UK (or it’s super expensive to do so) and I’m not all that familiar with the UK shops, even now. I’ve definitely been trying to prioritise experiences over objects and have even started leaning that way when I give gifts to others.