Adulthood is expensive and there's nothing you can do about it
An ode to dropping a lot of money on very unfun things
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how easy it is to spend a lot of money without even realizing it. And I’m not talking about overspending during Amazon Prime Days or going overboard dining out on vacation—arguably you had some fun with those expenditures, or at least I hope you did. I’m talking about daily expenses, big and small, like repairing the washing machine or buying batteries. These are costs we can’t really avoid but don’t spark any joy.
I was supposed to go to the dentist this week to be fitted for a night guard. (You’re probably not surprised to learn I grind my teeth.) I was dreading this appointment for many reasons—I don’t enjoy going to the dentist, and I don’t want to wear a night guard. But most of all, I didn’t want to drop $1,000 on the whole thing.
First off, $1,000 is a lot of money, and even if you’re earning a healthy salary and you can afford such an expense, I’m sure most of you can think of more fun ways to spend a grand. But the sad truth is adulthood is fucking expensive and most of the time you’re spending your money on very unfun things.
This is where a more classic personal finance writer would remind you of the importance of building an emergency fund (it is so important) or offer advice on how to cover an unexpected expense when you don’t have savings. (Honestly, there are not a lot of good options. A 0% APR credit card can work in a pinch if you have good credit. Borrow from friends or family if you can. Though I recognize that’s a loaded suggestion.) But I’m going to go out on a limb to assume The Purse readers already have some savings, and even if you don’t, you earn enough that an unexpected expense won’t break you. But it will annoy you. And unfortunately, there’s not a lot you can do about it.
Money comes in and money goes out. And as you make more money, you find that you spend more money. I remember an executive at Refinery29 complaining to me about how she would take $300 out from the ATM and spend it before she even realized it. At the time, I was shocked. And now I’m still a little shocked. I’m also a little embarrassed to admit I’ve definitely had days where $300 just goes up like a puff of smoke.