Mike Michalowicz warns that excessive frugality driven by fear harms more than it helps. Instead, label your savings accounts by purpose (home, vacation, emergency) and set specific target amounts, so saving brings joy rather than anxiety.
This may sound weird, Mike, but I'm actually really good at saving, almost too good. I don't let myself spend a thing. What should I do? Well, do what gives you joy. Some people who are good at saving get joy in that process because it's preparation for use at some stage. But some people that are good at saving are so afraid of losing that it actually becomes harmful. So I just invite you to identify what's the intentionality behind the savings. And label your accounts at your bank according to that, and then activate those funds at those trigger moments when you want to do it. Are you saving to buy a home? Are you saving to experience some form of retreat or vacation or sabbatical? Are you saving so that if an emergency presents itself one day, you know it's covered? Identify what the reasonable numbers are. In the book, The Money Habit guides you through that, but then label the account accordingly so you know the intentionality behind it. Make sure the process is giving you joy and it's not fear-driven. That's the key differentiator.
