Go Ahead, Sacrifice Your Way to Financial Happiness -— It's Good For You!

Are you cringing right now at the very mention of financial sacrifice? There is a misconception that sacrifice is a bad thing — and it somehow means you're losing out. It's really quite the opposite, especially when it comes to money goals. Sacrificing something you value for something of greater importance is really a good thing!

While I won't debate that what you decide to sacrifice is really important to you — like the cleaning lady who comes to make your house all tidy and spotless so that you can spend your time doing other fun things you love, the evenings out for dinner, or amazing yearly vacations to tropical islands — I will declare that it takes courage to sacrifice for a better financial life.

You most likely already make important sacrifices in your life, like giving up a little extra sleep for an early morning workout at the gym to benefit your health, some quiet reading time to play a board game to stay connected with your child, or leaving work at your usual time to work late, when your boss needs you, to show that you're a dedicated employee. Sure, these examples are on a much
smaller scale than the spending sacrifices that I'm really talking about, but it's absolutely the same principle, and if you can make sacrifices in small areas of your life, you can also make them in bigger areas.

Would you sacrifice dining out every weekend to reduce your debt or to make a bigger contribution to your retirement savings? How important is it to you that you retire and live comfortably, or to pay your bills on time? Is it more important to have piles of debt? If not, then decide what you’ll sacrifice for a happier financial life.

Here are three questions to ask yourself before deciding what you’ll sacrifice in order to reach your financial goals:

1. What do I want my life to look like, now and in the future? Be descriptive — you might write that you are spending quality time with your children, paying your bills on time, saving for retirement, no credit card debt, making a certain salary, and spending wisely.

2. What am I willing to sacrifice for what I really want my life to look like, now and in the future? Maybe it's giving up the shopping sprees, elaborate Christmas gifts, expensive vacations for more reasonable ones, or quite simply the continuous arguments with your spouse which lead to one of you trying to be right, for a mutual decision to work on a positive plan of action instead.

3. How do I want to feel in my financial life, now and in the future? I doubt you'll say that you want to live a life of stress and worry. Do you want to feel confident that you'll be able to pay your bills on time, relaxed because you know you have enough money to cover your monthly expenses, and at peace because you're making smart financial decisions to reach your goals? Write down and
connect to exactly how you want to feel.

So, I said it before, and I’ll say it again--sacrificing something you value for something of greater importance is really a good thing! Here’s why it’s good for you to make sacrifices:

1. People often think that having the latest designer dress, shoes, or flat screen television is all they need to feel good in life. Can you imagine right now having every single thing you ever wanted? Sure, it might feel great for the first 30 minutes. Okay, possibly for the first hour, but after that you might wonder what is there left to work toward. Really, not having everything leaves the door open for you to achieve and appreciate it more at some point in the future. Not having it now doesn’t mean that you'll never have it.

2. You'll feel more at peace, sleep better and feel more empowered in your financial life. Knowing that you have had the courage to make the necessary sacrifices to reach your financial goals will build financial confidence, too. Sacrificing to reach the greater goal will free you of worry and stress and keep you focused on your big vision for financial independence and freedom.

3. Although I never said it would be easy, I can guarantee you that it will be worth it. The ability to make smart financial decisions by sacrificing in one area for the greater goal means that you have the discipline and courage to achieve big results in your financial life!

What are you waiting for? Go ahead, sacrifice your way to financial happiness — it's good for you!