Spending with Intent Practice
For something fun, consider embracing what I like to call the Spend With Intent Practice. It’s not only about expanding your imagination and enhancing the flow of money into your experience but doing it in a way that also helps the world. Every dollar you spend is co-creating your wellbeing and the world. Your world.
It’s designed to prompt more feelings of abundance, which is key to maintaining momentum as you create—and stick to—a budget, pay off your debt, and move into the more sophisticated spheres of investing. Research how to spend money in a way that doesn’t negatively impact the planet. Give yourself permission to get colorful – even wildly imaginative – with this exercise. Doing so will expand your mind and stimulate you to see whole worlds of possibility.
When you make spending decisions that reflect what’s important to you, like sustainability, you not only support what you care about, but you also foster a healthier relationship with money.
In an imaginary checking account, make imaginary deposits and withdrawals. The purpose is to have fun expanding your consciousness thinking about ways you would like to spend your money—with a twist.
Day 1: Deposit an imaginary $1,000 into an imaginary bank account. Use a check register if you have an extra one, specifically for this practice. Choose how you would spend all the $1,000 describe it in detail. The point is to have fun imagining how to spend it and writing out descriptions of what you buy.
Day 2: Deposit an imaginary $2,000. Describe how you would spend it all in a socially responsible way.
Day 3 Deposit an imaginary $3,000
Day 4 Deposit an imaginary $4,000.
Day 5: Deposit an imaginary $5,000.
Keep doing this every day for a year.
Day 365: Deposit an imaginary $365,000.
After a single year, you will have deposited and spent more than $66 million. Spending this much money will require creativity and an enlargement of your ideas on wealth and wellbeing – which is precisely what this practice is all about.
Some ideas:
Fill your pantry. Strength, immunity, brain power, stamina — food should rank high in your budget. Indeed, it’s the literal fuel you need to succeed. Using the Buycott App to assist. Make a list of what you would buy.
Create a capsule wardrobe with a few essential and classic pieces you can wear time and again, and, ideally, mix and match with each other. Shop for specific items from companies you have researched that use recycled materials.
Regenerative Backpacking Wellness Adventure. Hike along backroads of the world’s greatest walking routes. Discover timeless villages and ancient trails. Write a travel description.
Plan a trip. Immerse yourself in Italy’s history and beauty on a grand journey from Milan to Rome. Bask in postcard-worthy views of Naples and sampling antipasti in Umbria. Or use your downtime to experience the Italian art of dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing.
Take flying lessons, buy a plane and hangar.
Buy a winery, sailboat, or art.
Choose an international retreat to deepen your meditation practice. Quiet your mind. Open your heart.
If you’re in the market for a new ride, consider buying a used electric car with low mileage, preferably after the first year in which it was released. Keep up with basic maintenance to prevent problems and drive it for as long as possible.
Start a new business. Rent space to start a business and share the space to incubate others’ businesses.
Hire a staff. Consider a driver, chef, personal trainer, travel planner, security and assistants.
Book your dream experiences but go all in. Don’t just attend the show, get front row seats and a meet and greet. Don’t just book the restaurant, get the chef’s table experience and cover your friends. Hire Taylor Swift to perform at your next party. Hire your idols to teach you what they know. Visit private islands, get a personal shopper for your next spree.
Help girls globally. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 129 million girls around the world face barriers accessing education. Philanthropy is the other way of extending your impact, and this one doesn’t have to involve going on camera. Rich people give shedloads of money away. When you have more than you need, find worthy causes. Education can change the world. Organizations that Educate Women Around the World | Organizations that Educate Girls Around the World
Upgrade your home. Install a home gym, get a new pool, have a hot tub and sauna and every appliance you will ever need. Cinema room, landscaped gardens, film studio.
Check out Zillow and find what real estate you can buy. Think about the square footage of your desired space. Do you need as much as you presently have? The bottom line being that bigger isn’t necessarily better. Or think about renting out one of your rooms or storage space in the garage to get extra cash flow. Choose something exactly. Copy the photos.
