When people start to save money, they automatically go for the cheapest option or stop buying things all together. And while this can be a great way to save money up front, are you actually saving money in the long run? Sometimes, spending more money to purchase an item or service pays off and will save you money in the future. Let’s look at some great examples of when it pays to spend money to save money!
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Staying Healthy
Staying healthy not only makes you feel good, but you save money in the long term, too. Investing in yourself to become healthier or stay healthy is something worth spending money on. While there are ways to stay healthy on a budget, that doesn’t mean you can’t spend a little extra to feel your best.
Spending money on a gym membership (that you actually use), home gym equipment, whole food items, supplements, and more can help keep you healthy. When you stay healthy, you probably won’t need to visit the doctor as often and you may even get a discount on your health insurance!
Insuring Your Family
Insurance policies are another great example of when it pays off to spend money to save money. There are more insurance types that just home owners insurance, health insurance, and car insurance:
- Life insurance (like a policy you can take out with a  MEWA insurance broker) that will pay out to your family should you pass
- Pet insurance for when Fido unexpectedly gets sick
- Additional disaster insurance for your home for when, you know, disaster strikes
All of these insurance items do come with a monthly premium, but can allow you financial peace of mind and pays for itself when something does happen.
Getting Financial Advice and Financial Planning
Spending money to have someone tell you how to save money may seem like a waste of time. But it really isn’t – not if you get good advice at least.
If you don’t know what to do with your money, how best to invest it so it can grow; how you can minimize expenses like taxes, or how you can hold onto your money for the long-term – a financial advisor will be the best person and will take away your headache to ensure that your bank account is a lot healthier going forward.
You can also find free advice all over the internet (including my How to Save Money to Invest post). But sometimes you don’t have all the answers you need. That’s because everyone’s financial picture looks different. Before committing to any financial advisor review their rates and fees before signing any paperwork.
Purchasing Higher Quality High-Use Items
What are some of the most used items in your life? Computer, cell phone, tablet, cars, cookware, silverware, clothing… Even if you are a maximalist who loves all the things, you still have favorite items that you use all the time. These are high-use items.
As I’ve simplified my life and curbed my shopping habit, I have found much value in spending more money up front for higher quality items. These items we’ve purchased I know will last many years. Do I want to cheap out and find the least expensive option sometimes? Yes! But I also use our 72 hour list so I can better plan for these purchases. I can still bargain shop to find high quality items at a discount.
Real Life Examples
As an example, both my husband’s and my phones died at the same time. Our carrier is Google FI, so I knew phones would be less expensive but there are a multitude of price points. We opted for the middle of the road. That meant what we could afford to pay for outright and what we needed in our daily lives that was still a newer model. Could I have purchased the $100 phone? Yes, but I would have grown frustrated with the lack of storage and poor camera. So we paid for better ones and it’s been worth it.
(PS: if you use our Google FI link, you’ll get $20 off your first bill!)
The same is true for quality cookware, everyday shoes, and cars. You may need to save up money to purchase what you really want, but that higher quality item will pay for itself over time because you won’t have to buy it again.
If you feel like you’re spending too much money replacing items, consider taking a no-spend month (or year). Then find contentment with your items and your lifestyle. When you figure out what your money goals are, spend accordingly. Whether that be on a new spin bike (that’s me!), purchasing a life insurance policy, or upgrading your pots and pans so you can cook more at home, spend with intention because it pays off to spend money to save money.
Hi Amanda. I agree on paying for financial advice if you need the help. When coaching clients on how to budget, I always find monthly expenses they can reduce that exceed my one time fee.
Great work!