Save All The Free Money You Can
Financial Zen Masters don’t waste money.
I clean and reuse Zip Lock bags until they break or get nasty.
I stop dead in my tracks to pick pennies up off the sidewalk.
I have no subscriptions that I don’t actually use.
But those are free money-savers because they don’t cost me any time.
Don’t Spend Time To Save Money
If I need to spend time to save money, everything changes.
If I have to return something to an actual store, it will never happen.
The refund I would get isn’t as valuable as the time it would take.
(And don’t ask if I’ll drive 20 minutes out of my way to shop at Trader Joe’s. You already know the answer.)
Spend Money To Save Time
I pay a premium to order groceries on Amazon every week.
Going to Safeway takes twice as long. The extra few bucks is the cheapest time I’ll ever buy.
When I get happy hour with friends, I’ll buy a round and make them come to me. A couple of rounds is way cheaper than 20 minutes in an Uber each way.
The Right Return To Measure Is Time
Your time is worth way more than your money.
Your time has a fixed, limited supply.
You can’t get more time, but you can always get more money.
So the right metric to focus on isn’t your Return On Investment.
It’s Return on Time.
Focus on maximizing your Return on Time and the money will follow.
Sincerely,
Captain Cheapo