A reader wrote asking about spending. She was referring to a recent column where a retiree friend was trying to figure how to find the money to spend on what mattered to her. It is ironic that we are dealing with the problem of ‘have money can’t spend’ these days. Much like the intermittent fasting craze we have subscribed to, hoping to reverse the ills of lifestyle diseases caused by eating too much.
Our spending habits are shaped by our upbringing, our values and ethics, our view of the life we lead and the security it holds, and our expectations for the future. Some of us belong to the generation that grew up in scarcity and poverty and got introduced to plenty and wealth much later in adulthood.