Living Fast And Rock and Roll Was the Experience That Taught Me Most About Money in the Last 12 Months
Spending money with experience can be scary
I didn’t learn much from reading money books.
I learned better from this and other bizarre stories.
But it made me think and changed my mind about the value of money. That by the way I work 16 hours a day. To make my family rich without worrying about funds.
This bizarre experience was only last year.
A mistake is only a mistake when you don’t learn from your mistake, right?
Cigarettes and expensive lovers
In 2021 my relationship with money was the same.
During my studies I had to pay attention to every penny, otherwise, my financial house of cards would have crumbled in no time.
I wouldn’t have gotten a credit card with my $620 income anyway.
That’s why I used to go to the bank and withdraw $20.
When the money ran out, it ran out. There was enough for fried Jell-O, fruit smoothies, and cigarettes. And also expensive lovers. That had to be enough for a few days now. To be honest 3 lovers a week.
And after three days I went back to the bank to get another $20. These were difficult financial and emotional tight spots, but surprisingly it worked out very well. Until I learned some hard life lessons.
Money and rock n roll at the same time
Things changed as early as December 2021. When I picked up some freelance jobs on Linkedin and focused on writing online.
The money from the freelance work was helping me in some way. This included daily cappuccino breaks, shopping trips to outlets, and short trips every weekend. One weekend under $200, one under $111, and so on.
I didn’t get that far with my 15 international withdrawals per year from my Portuguese bank. So I kept money like the Irish mob.
Even for chocolate bars, I paid with a one-dollar card.
I am not at home today
One night was so excessive that I couldn’t get a cab to the family that hosted me for a little while.
Without realizing it I arrived at a hostel and found a receptionist: “Hi honey, I need a bed”. I was so drunk at 3 am that I stumbled into the 4-bed room next door, singing loudly, not realizing that there was another one there.
And neither did my drinking companion, who also failed to order a cab to his family on the other side of the city. In the morning, at 11 am, I was a little surprised that there was still a stranger in the room.
Bottom line: the night was legendary. Rock n roll. Like the Irish mob.
The family that hosted me for a little while didn’t even notice that I didn’t come home. But I realized later that this night cost me almost $420. I paid for it completely with a card and didn’t notice anything. I had lost control and became addicted to cigarettes and expensive mistresses over the months.
No more time to waste
I lived so fast and so well over the years and the regular card payments quickly led me to have no relationship with money.
Let me backtrack well before I took freelance jobs on Linkedin.
I had no job and no income. So I started withdrawing small amounts from my account again. Better to go one more time than to waste money. And my relationship with money improved again. Only after focusing on writing online.
Now that I haven’t had a credit card for 44 weeks due to my troubled mind, this has only been realized with larger expenses like my monthly card.
Dealing with financial cards in this way is quite convenient, but over time you lose control of things.
I prefer the tactile feel of the notes. That way you recognize the value of your money much more. And you value it.
Now I pay for some things contactless and have everything under control.
This article is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered Financial or Legal Advice. Not all information will be accurate. Consult a financial professional before making any major financial decisions.