The title of this blog is clear.
Other than worrying about spending less, I will show you WHY you need to focus on making more.
When I first came here, less than a year ago, something shocked me.
There was a market very close to the place where I was living (and where I still live) in Switzerland.
I have some flatmates.
Not just one of them… but ALL OF THEM… drink water from the tap.
Before arguing and before you try to convince me of how good the water is, listen.
I am not talking about the safety of the water or how clean the water is.
What I am talking about is something else.
Pay close attention:
How on earth, do you think saving 1 CHF a day, is gonna help you?
Forget about the water. Let’s just pretend it was something else.
It makes absolutely no difference in your life having or not an extra 30 CHF a month.
If all you worry about is saving that little money, guess what?
You don’t allow your brain to focus on HOW to earn more.
Our brain cannot think of two things at the same time, period.
It’s on the little details that your brain is getting ”programmed”.
You turn back home because you forgot to bring your own bag with you to the market and so now you don’t have to buy it again.
You look at the bill after every market purchase as if the probability of you getting extra-charged 1 cent is not 1 in a million.
It sounds quite irrelevant or not important.
Maybe it even sounds stupid to you.
Because for a long time, this has been the norm for you.
Something that is repeated over and over again, for years and years, is now part of who you are.
Why do I say that is part of who you are? Because the ”mindset” of saving is in your subconscious mind.
It is something that is on the fixed thoughts on your brain.
You just do it, you don’t even think of it anymore.
It is automatic, like you are so sure that you are doing it right, that you don’t even question it.
The best part? Others around you do the same.
Now let’s entertain a new idea. Stay with me for a second. Just a simple question.
What is the limit to what you could potentially save?
Easy answer: All your income.
Good. And, what is the limit to what you could potentially make?
Easy answer: Infinity.
You can never save more than. what you make, but you can always make more.
Some people, cannot spend or don’t know how to spend, all what they make.
So, the savings of these people, even surpass our income.
Do I say that if we don’t save we become rich? No.
Absolutely not. But what it does do?
It opens your mind and sets you free from these limited ideas.
You will no longer waste all your energy thinking about how to save money.
Yes, when you decide which house to rent, choose one within your budget.
When you want to buy a phone or a car, choose one within your budget.
I know I spend approximately 300 CHF in markets.
It doesn’t matter how. I don’t look at the bills. Every month is almost the same.
If one month goes down to 270 CHF, makes no impact on my life.
Make a yearly budget, instead of a weekly or monthly budget. Why?
Some days, you might need a taxi or you should pay for coffee for someone, you never know what can be.
You might need to spend something extra one day. But the overall what you spend per year does not change.
Not one time or two times, but hundreds of times, I buy books or courses. That money is spent.
Not one time or two times, but hundreds of times, I give money to people in need. That money is spent.
No. That money is not spent. Or, better to say that money is invested.
One idea (from a book) + One positive emotion (from someone I helped) = potentially 100x return
This is the formula that works for anyone. Not just for me and you.
A lot of us are used to thinking of money as being spent.
You think money is gone as if you don’t know if you can get more of it.
If you had a 100% certainty that the money would come every time, would you do what you are doing with it?
Be honest. Imagine.
Your salary is sure to come every month for the rest of your life.
Of course, it doesn’t make sense to spend all of it in one day.
But, spending or investing all of it in one month, makes sense.
We are very limited in our way of thinking about rewards.
We think we get rewarded for what we do.
We think we get rewarded by the one we help.
It does not always work that way.
I played football for many years as a kid. I did not become a footballer.
But, I am in good shape and I made real friends playing football.
I helped homeless people. They couldn’t give me anything back.
But guess what? Someone else did. This is not a coincidence!
For every good you do, there will be a greater reward for you.
Not necessarily will come from where you did the good.
If someone is not grateful to you, don’t worry at all.
The good will come, from somewhere else.
i like your post, it seems that u are enjoying your swiss experience
Thank you! Yes, I like it a lot.