A Money magazine article acknowledges mid-life as a fact. Unless you're dead, once you hit 40 you enter mid life. Funny how 40 seems so much younger than when our parents were our age, doesn't it? What the author does question is the "crisis" part of the equation.
While this life passage can equal a mid-life crisis in men if, for example, you empty your nest egg to splurge on a world cruise or your marriage ends in tatters, pain and upheaval need not be part of the equation. One financial adviser advocates giving yourself permission to indulge in ways that won't break the bank but instead help you to navigate these uncharted waters with less stress. Such as
- Set a budget
- Get the same thrill for less money
- Focus on experiences rather than things
- Come up with crafty ways not to buy
I particularly like the suggestion to "gorge shop" (my term.) This turns the "shop 'til you drop" adage on its side: Just keep shopping, rather than buying, until you can't stand it anymore.
I know this works for me with clothes but would it work the same way with electronics? Guys? Care to comment?
photo credit: Cayusa via photopin cc
