Wise Words To Live By

Personal finance, Money matters, Wise words, Money quote

"If you can't buy it twice, you can't afford it."
Jay Z

I've never actually paid much attention to Jay Z but this quote from him actually really resonated with me because it is sound advice. It's not so much about buying something twice as it is about having financial discipline and being smart with your money. When people have superfluous spending habits, they tend to buy things on a whim without first assessing the state or their finances or their priorities. And while there's nothing wrong with an occasional splurge, it can be problematic when those splurges become a a regular thing while there are bills waiting to be paid.

I can see this applying to pricey consumable items as opposed to big ticket purchases like real estate. It makes sense that if you can't buy that vacation twice, you probably shouldn't be blowing more than half your savings on it once. Whatever rules you follow for personal finance, when it comes down to it, you should always prioritize your needs over your wants. If you want it but don’t need it, then don’t buy it. I try to live by this and it works. I stay debt free, save money, and don't end up with things I don't need like 30 blushes that I'll never use up. I'm all about living better with less anyway.

Do you have any financial rules you live by?

18 comments

Amely Rose said...

This is definetly a good Quote and so true.
Thank you for the Inspiration.

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Jackie Harrison said...

This is so true and how the market going need to be cautious how we spend our money.

Emmylou said...

I must admit that even though I worked in the financial industry ages ago, I am the worst when it comes to budgeting and money, chingu. Good thing my husband is the complete opposite of me or we'd be in the poor house by now:P I really like this Jay Z quote coz as you said, it's not really all about buying things twice but the deeper meaning of it...be smart about your money!

Doctor Anne said...

I set myself a monthly budget for "splurges" that includes everything from cosmetics to going out with a friend. That budget varies by my other monthly expenses and always leaves room for a monthly saving, as I try to save up for things and buy them rather than going in debt.
With the exception of our house, of course, I could not have saved up for that.

Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking

Ivana Split said...

I think people need to realize that you can't have it all. For example, when it comes to vacationing I typically spend it visiting my family and friends. I don't think I would have the time and the money to visit them if I also ended up going on some destination vacation. It comes down to picking your priorities. Often you can have one thing or the other, not both. Either go and see your granny or go on that destination vacation. My logic is that a destination vacation will always be there, but my grandmother won't.
People spend money like there is no tomorrow, but there are always unplanned expenses, anything from medical bills to social events. If I have 20 weddings to attend (and I attended twenty of them this year), then there are things I will need to give up on because that's thousand of euros of unplanned expenses. People need to realize that there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. It is important to think about what is more important to you, because everyone has different needs. Some people are more social than others, and having a busy social life can be costly. I think the worst case scenario is when people just buy things without thinking and buy those things that others are buying....I mean at least spend it on something you love!
I think it actually not about how much money we have, but how we spend it. You either spend above your means or you don't. It's that simple. I've seen people with a low income making really smart decisions and prospering in the long run and I've seen those with lots of money doing really badly after a few years of crazy spending. Money management is almost an art form.

Grace Louise said...

Lovely post Hun!! x

Grace Louise || http://gracelouiseofficial.blogspot.co.uk

Beauty Unearthly said...

Lovely post dear! Have a great weekend! xx

Mica said...

It's an interesting rule! For me it's a weird one to follow though! I can save for something and then splurge all my savings on it - but it doesn't mean I haven't paid the bills or contributed to our main savings account, it's just me setting aside the 'fun money' for a bigger splurge. I guess I'd have enough in our main savings to cover it, but I'd still see that as not being able to afford it as fashion related things aren't what that saving is for, haha!

Hope that your week has been a good one and you have a nice weekend ahead of you :)

Away From Blue

Pilar said...

This phrase actually makes a lot of sense. Financial stability can be a challenge to maintain, but it can be attainable. Great post Rowena!

Paola Lauretano said...

Totally agree... great quote!
Kisses, Paola.

Expressyourself

R's Rue said...

So true.

Carolyna's world said...

I think this world is too much focus on having and buying instead of to be focus on more important things that this material one. The most important things you can't buy- you can only receive them from God, Fortune, other human being.

great post dear xx

ALLIE NYC said...

What a great quote. I am good at saving but I can also be an impulse shopper. I was not planning on buying anything yesterday but ended up buying an eyeliner after the makeup artist did such a good job on me. Though it is a great liner that stayed on all day and she showed me a great trick lol...

Allie of
www.allienyc.com

Kinga K. said...

So true :3

FashionRadi said...

Ohh wow this quote is genius and I will definitely remember it.

The Dainty Dolls House said...

Definitely a good quote!! Thankfully there isn't much that I want that I couldn't afford to buy it twice. I don't really spend extravagantly. x

little luxury list said...

That does make sense. I've had my eye on a very large ticket item for some time and am saving specifically for it. We have savings goals and that helps us define a bit of spending. I've also recently decided to have spending goals as well for our travel so we can also set aside that money each year and not worry about it.

Shireen L. Platt said...

My husband and I have two savings; one is short term and the other is long term. Short term is meant for vacations, house tax, etc while the long term is for our retirement. The money instantly comes off our paycheques as we realized that we can't spend what we don't have. I'm actually surprised at how many don't have any saving plans.