On Wednesday morning,
I dropped Kaci, Florence, and Clifford at Play Group.
It was one of those days where we both needed the car around the same time, so we had to tweak our usual rhythm.
Since moving to Adelaide in early 2022, we’ve only had one car.
Surprisingly, there’s only been a handful of times this has inconvenienced us.
Most households run with two (or more) cars – often with loan repayments, double insurance, double petrol, double maintenance, and double the hassle!
Now, I get it.
For some families, two cars are essential for work or school.
But in many cases, it’s an expense that could be avoided (or significantly reduced) with a little more strategy around work and location.
We’re fortunate because neither Kaci or I have to commute for work.
And we intentionally chose an area that’s close to everything we need.
That one decision has saved us thousands of dollars (and thousands of HOURS in time).
But here’s the bigger lesson:
We often buy more and bigger ‘stuff’ – cars, toys, houses – in the name of comfort, convenience, or status.
But with every new purchase, we add new repayments.
Which means more pressure to work, earn, and hustle just to maintain it all.
That’s lifestyle creep.
It’s sneaky, because during boom times you don’t notice the extra commitments.
But when business slows, those ‘essentials’ can suffocate your cashflow.
And once your lifestyle rises, your ego really struggles to accept less.
That’s why one of the smartest money moves you can make is to resist inflating your lifestyle in step with your income.
Keep the gap.
Invest the gap.
That’s how freedom is created.
My challenge for you this week:
Do a September review of your personal and business income vs. expenses.
Ask yourself:
- Did my expenses rise faster than my income?
- Are there subscriptions, liabilities, or toys draining cashflow unnecessarily?
- What’s one cut I can make without lowering my quality of life?
Small changes today will compound into more CHOICE tomorrow.
