Noel budgeted $8 a week for roses as a small pleasure, and when money got tight, her husband asked if she could cut them. She kept the flowers and cut other things instead. Sometimes the smallest joy is worth protecting.
Ramit Sethi
2026-01-22
$8
Weekly
Noel
I.
Just feel overwhelmed. Maybe sad.
Sad because.
Because I thought I already cut it down to the bare minimum and cutting it down further feels like cutting off fingers. I.
Think that's really honest. But if I can be equally honest. Noel, those roses behind you, are those real?
That? Yeah, those are budget. Those were $8. I budgeted that in asking my husband. I want him to buy me flowers every week.
Because.
I think it's just like a romantic gesture that I would appreciate. Okay. And so I budgeted it in.
I don't mind that you plan for something small. Even when you are in a crisis, we need small moments of joy. Always. You never ever, ever in your life saw me telling somebody cut every single thing. Never get it. You tell me. Okay, this is the one thing that I really enjoy. Fantastic. But it probably has to be one, like one thing. It can't be all the other stuff. Not right now.
Oh, good.
