When my mom and dad come over for dinner, they will always bring something. Last week, it was tomatoes they grew in their garden, a delicious cheese, and cookies. What makes the gifts even better is my mom’s excitement about each one. “You won’t believe how good the tomatoes are this year,” she said. “I love this cheese.”
Growing up, receiving a gift from my mom was as much about the story of how she got it. “You won’t believe what a deal I got,” she would say and then explain how she did it and often would not tell us how much she paid, unless she left the price tag on by mistake with three lines crossed out above the purchase price. “Give me that,” she would say.
In my conversations with you or your spouse, you’re the same way. Even when you have money to spend on you or each other, you may have a tough time doing it if the price is not right. When you save your pennies and create wealth, you still don’t feel rich. You cannot buy, no matter how hard you try, if the price is not right. You have an internal gauge.
When you reach your retirement life, this internal gauge does not go away. It never leaves you.
Just the other day, I was speaking with a client who could have bought the entire store he was shopping in but wouldn’t buy the merchandise because he thought it was too expensive. “You never lose that feeling,” he said. “It is in your gut forever, no matter how rich you are. You cannot bring yourself to spend too much if the price is not right.”
Action Line: That inner gauge is a wonderful gift in Your Retirement Life. But when you’re ready to spend and need some help doing it, I’m here. Let’s talk when you’re ready. But only if you’re serious.
