Things That Are "Okay" To Spend More Money On

When it comes to saving money, the most important principle to remember is to put your money where it counts. Too many people, especially Americans, spend their income on unnecessary items -- or what I like to call "junk."

We have all been guilty of this issue -- some more than others. But we wonder why most Americans won't have enough money to retire before the age of 65. Generally, Americans are not good at saving money, but sure are good at spending it! It's a part of our culture. It's why we see an average of 4,000 advertisements per day (both consciously and subconsciously). It's why the retail is a multi-billion dollar industry.

But there ARE things that are given a "thumbs up" or an "okay" sign when it comes to spending more on, because they are worth every dollar.

Investments!

WHY: Investments can make you more money, and can get you to your retirement goals quicker (maybe the only way you will get to retire). Sure, putting away money into your savings account consistently is a smart thing to do. But don't let that be the only thing you do to save up for retirement. Even if you put $100 each month in your savings (starting at the age of 25), you will only have $48,000 saved up by the time you are 65 (and wanting to retire soon). The average American needs a MINIMUM of $1,000,000 in your retirement account to be able to retire -- in hopes that you will have exceedingly good health and already have everything paid off (house, car, debt, etc.). Preferably, having 2 million dollars in retirement funds alone should be your goal.


Bed

WHY: You will spend 1/3 of your life sleeping. And sleeping is one of the most important things you need in your life for physical, mental and emotional health. So why wouldn't you want to invest in a GOOD bed? I'm absolutely NOT saying you should spend big buckaroos and get a Sleep Number or a Tempurpedic mattress.

What I am saying is that you don't have to try to find the cheapest mattress possible to save money, because it will only give you back problems (and health care is much more expensive).



Office Seat

WHY: Although this depends on the type of job you have, most jobs seem to involve sitting in an office all day looking at a computer screen. If this is the case, you will want a durable, quality office seat that will support your core and back. If we constantly slouched while working at our desk, we would become hunch-backs within just a few years. It doesn't take much to affect your back structure and make you lose an inch of height. Seriously... it's already happened to me, and I'm only 23.

Having a good posture is important for our health, not just our appearance. And if your office chair is making your back hurt or causing you to have bad posture, consider investing in a chair that will give you adequate back support with adjustable features. Maybe your boss/company will agree to cover the cost of a new chair.




Car

WHY: Now, before I continue with this topic, I do have a disclaimer. I am NOT talking about luxury cars. It's called a luxury for a reason -- we don't NEED all of those "bells and whistles" that make the car cost double than we would normally pay for. I'm also not saying that we should buy a car with 150,000+ miles on it from Craigslist just to get a cheaper price...

What I am saying is that you can invest in a GOOD car. "Good" as in gas mileage, quality of engine, comfort, reviews, and a realistic price that accurately reflects all the above. You don't need a car with a sun roof, a spoiler, back-seat TV's, leather seats, or an automatic engine starter at the press of a button. You want to invest in a car that has good gas mileage and good engine quality (some car models have histories of bad transmissions).

You want a car that is reliable and has a good reputation, because the instant you buy a car, it's value decreases dramatically. Find a car that you will be able to have for a really long time, and without a reputation of maintenance/transmission problems.



Most-Used Appliances
WHY: The kitchen and the bathroom are the most commonly used rooms in the house. In your kitchen, you want quality appliances that will last a long time, with minimum repair/replacement.