Throwback Thursday: “99% of My Cash is Spent on Food and Coffee”

Found this gem back in April of ’09, and still very relevant as it was back then :) Except for maybe the “IM” part you’re about to see, haha… Does anyone still use that anymore?? Maybe I should log on into MySpace and find out (wha wha).

Please to enjoy, my archived post:

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Had an interesting chat w/ my brother yesterday over IM (the same one who likens debt to kissing your sister), and thought I’d copy & paste it here for ya. Figured it’s much more interesting to read that way than me paraphrasing and trying to slip in silly banter all over the place ;) Plus, I’m feeling pretty lazy.

So here you go – let’s see if you can pick out the moral of the story!

(2:56:11 PM) My_Brother: i came across a stunning realization the other day about my spending
(2:56:22 PM) My_Brother: i mean, i knew all along, but this REALLY knocked me out when i sat and thought about it
(2:58:00 PM) J_Money: that tends to happen :)
(3:00:31 PM) My_Brother: 99% of my cash is spent on food and coffee
(3:00:40 PM) My_Brother: sure, i dont buy groceries really
(3:00:44 PM) My_Brother: but still, man that sucks
(3:01:02 PM) J_Money: yeah…but luckily you eat around the same amount every month :)
(3:01:17 PM) J_Money: so no matter how much you get paid going forward, you prob. won’t be spending that much more of your cash!
(3:01:24 PM) My_Brother: thats true
(3:01:33 PM) My_Brother: i prob spend what id spend on groceries anyway
(3:01:36 PM) My_Brother: just stinks
(3:04:37 PM) J_Money: yup, stinks indeed. but look on the brightside – you have a sexy brother.
(3:05:49 PM) My_Brother: i did not think of that
(3:05:55 PM) My_Brother: that is good to know. right on

Find the financial moral? Here it is: If you learn how to spend the same amount of money each month, anything “extra” you get can be dedicated to savings! Bonuses, raises, money you find in your pockets, all of it. Learn how to utilize that extra money *now* before upping your standard of living later. Leveling spending = leveling stress! ;)

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EDITOR’S NOTE: I like how I didn’t even ask any questions on why so much of his spending is on food/coffee, haha… Or what the other 1% of his cash is going to, for that matter.

EDITOR’S NOTE #2: I also came to find out later that the term for this “increased spending with increased income” is called “lifestyle inflation.” Something we all gotta watch for in life no matter what our stage!

[Photo by Sam Howzit]

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20 Comments

  1. Aimee October 17, 2013 at 6:39 AM

    If you want to get REAL fancy increased spending with increased income is the marginal propensity to consume. I think that’s the only thing I learned from econ 101.

    1. J. Money October 23, 2013 at 11:45 AM

      Hah! I’ll have to use that the next time I meet with The Fed ;)

  2. Alicia @ Financial Diffraction October 17, 2013 at 6:50 AM

    Oh IM. I lived on those things through my teen years. It introduced me to my high school boyfriend too, on ICQ no less.

    I like how he didn’t even question the “sexy brother comment” either.

    1. J. Money October 23, 2013 at 11:46 AM

      He’s a smart man, what can I say?

  3. Brian October 17, 2013 at 8:07 AM

    I sill use IM for work. Easier then getting up out of the office or typing an e-mail for a quick answer. In my best Homer Simpsons… hhmmmm Donuts….

  4. Ben @ The Wealth Gospel October 17, 2013 at 8:18 AM

    Hahaha love the end of that convo. They just installed IM at my work and basically no one uses it. It’s weird.

    1. J. Money October 23, 2013 at 11:46 AM

      Really?? Just NOW? Haha…

  5. moneystepper.com October 17, 2013 at 12:08 PM

    Lifestyle inflation is one of the main reasons why high earners never build their net wealth! Its a strange phenomenon, but seems to be real!!

    Great closing remark in your IM!! How often do you use that argument?! :)

    1. J. Money October 23, 2013 at 11:46 AM

      Once every other day ;) Is that bad?

  6. Kyle | Rather-Be-Shopping.com October 17, 2013 at 12:52 PM

    So, in other words, back in ’09 your brother was living in a box outside of 7-11…

    1. J. Money October 23, 2013 at 11:47 AM

      Yes, pretty much. And now he’s upgraded to Starbucks ;)

  7. Micro October 17, 2013 at 7:23 PM

    I still use google chat occasionally. This actually reminded me back when I was living in the dorms in college. I would walk by rooms and people would be busy with 4-5 different conversations on IM chat. Usually, their room mate would be one of them. I always found that funny because they would be sitting right next to each other.

    1. J. Money October 23, 2013 at 11:48 AM

      Haha I know, it’s ridiculous. Kinda like how kids now text each other while they’re standing side-by-side.

  8. MonicaOnMoney October 18, 2013 at 12:10 AM

    Haha! This is actually pretty funny because how many of us had a similar realization at some point in our lives. I know I did! About a year ago, I realized that I spend $800 per month on food, FOR JUST ME. I know, crazy right?! I basically never ate at home so now I eat at home and save all that money AND I’m much healthier too. It’s win-win!!

    1. J. Money October 23, 2013 at 11:48 AM

      Woww $800 is a lot! I hope alcohol was included in there! ;)

  9. Christine @ ThePursuitofGreen October 19, 2013 at 11:42 AM

    I still use IM and so do a bunch of other people I know too! a better question is if anyone still uses ICQ? Every day when I’m at work I’m on IM the whole time. I’m also on Google messenger too. It’s how we communicate when we’re working and can’t get up to talk to each other 5 feet away. Yes…so very lazy.

    1. J. Money October 23, 2013 at 12:12 PM

      ICQ was great too. It just never really caught on with my friends like IM did.

  10. Mike Carlson October 20, 2013 at 9:40 AM

    I am still on IM up to this day. I’ve been using this since high school and I am still comfortable with it up to this day.

  11. Marissa@Financetriggers October 20, 2013 at 4:44 PM

    LOL! What a funny conversation. I have a friend who claims that the funniest and most interesting conversations she’s had are with her sisters. Anyway, I was going to ask the same thing. Really? 99% on food and coffee alone? and what about the remaining 1%? Where does he put it?

    1. J. Money October 23, 2013 at 12:12 PM

      I wish I had asked!