When people think of spending wealth, things like fancy cars and designer clothes probably come to mind.
However, if you want to spend your money in a way that isn't intended solely to "keep up with the Joneses," this list is for you.
I'm a strong believer that spending on quality for certain things can actually be the better financial decision in many cases.
This article shares a few of the types of things that I think merit these sorts of investments.
Your Health
The adage, "health is wealth" might be corny, but it is full of truth. Although it's unfair (don't get me started on the healthcare system in my country) money gives people the advantage of buying better health.
Ironically, investing in your health might actually save you money in the long run thanks to reduced medical bills in the future. It can also make you money if you work in a field that rewards you for higher performance. All things being equal, healthy people will perform at a higher level in most cases.
Here are some of the big ways.
Orthodontics and Oral Hygiene
I recently heard someone refer to teeth as "rich person bones," and I chuckled but it also kind of bummed me out.
Look, I hate having this on the list, but taking care of our grills does a couple of things.
- Healthy teeth and gums decrease the risk of many illnesses, specifically, heart disease. A disease that is costly not just financially, but potentially with your life.
- Leads (unfairly of course) to being seen as more intelligent according to studies (source) and another study (source) saw subjects rate individuals with straight teeth as more successful, healthier, smarter, happier and wealthier. In many industries, this can lead to more opportunities.
- An attractive smile boosts confidence which can lead us to stepping out and doing more.
Many folks are fortunate enough to have had parents that put them in braces when they were young, but some of us have to do it ourselves.
2 years ago, I spent $12k to straighten my teeth, and it was one of my favorite investments ever. I can't say that it's made or saved me money yet, but I feel much more confident and it's made me more interested in creating video content.
Medical Procedure Not Covered by Insurance
There's a long list of medical procedures that are important but not covered by insurance. Some of the biggest ones include:
- LASIK eye surgery
- Hearing aids
- Infertility treatment
- Weight loss procedures
If you have the money, these expenses can be life changing.
A Personal Trainer
Several studies (source) have confirmed that there is a direct correlation between regular physical activity and better work performance.
- Elevate Energy and Productivity: Accelerate thought processes, improve work methods, quicken pace, and amplify stamina for task accomplishment.
- Mitigate Stress Levels: Circumvent burnout and nurture healthier interpersonal relationships.
- Boost Mood: Leverage increased endorphins to reduce irritations, even when dealing with difficult coworkers.
- Enhance Memory: Ensure no task or detail escapes your attention.
- Foster Creativity: Encourage unconventional thinking, generate distinctive ideas, and design innovative problem-solving approaches.
There's a reason that most people aren't in great shape. It's hard! The amount of hurdles you need to overcome to get fit are daunting.
- Not knowing what workouts to do
- Not knowing how to perform specific exercises
- Not being able to keep yourself accountable
A personal trainer can help you overcome all of these things. Even if you don't want to keep a personal trainer full time, just a few sessions can give you a great base to build off of.
Healthy Food
This one is interesting. Although buying organic or higher quality grocery items seems like a luxury for people who have above-average incomes, studies from Harvard university claim it's actually only about $1.50/day more to buy the higher quality (which is some what subjective) items.
Just as with physical exercise, better nutrition can lead to more energy, better performance and long-term health.
Home Gym Equipment
Not a fan of going to the gym? You're not alone. Apparently, 41% of US adults who don't work out at gyms are working out at home.
Gym equipment can be pricey, but it's definitely something worth investing in if you are they type that prefers to work out from home.
Services to Buy Back Your Time
Money comes and goes, time just goes. If you can afford it, buy back your time by hiring folks to do the things that you don't want to do or just aren't as valuable to you as the time they take.
Cleaners
Do you know how much time the average person spends cleaning each month?
Brace yourself...
A recent study of 2,000 Americans found they spend, on average, 23 hours and 36 minutes on cleaning and housework per month. (source)
This makes me feel even better about my decision to hire a company to clean our house.
I can't tell you how many times my wife has gushed about how life-changing hiring cleaners has been.
Every Friday (which I admit is more frequent than you really need) we have cleaners come to the house. It's unbelievably refreshing to come home to, and it only costs $140/week.
That's $560/month to save close to 23 hours and 36 minutes. I'll make that deal every time.
Landscapers
I want to be buried with my John Deere mower. I will never pay someone to mow my lawn. I'd pay to mow it myself if I had to.
Other things like weeding, raking leaves, etc. I am more than happy to hire out.
The average American spends 70 hours per year on landscaping, so there might be a huge opportunity for time buy back here.
Personal Assistant
Whether it's a virtual assistant for work tasks or an assistant in person to help with various day-to-day tasks (or both), hiring a virtual assistant can be a game changer.
Once you understand how much your free time is worth, you can hire someone to do any task that costs less than this. Here's
Your Mind
Counseling (Individual or Couples)
My wife and I have gone to couple's counseling for a while now. It's not because our marriage is rocky, it's because we know it's very important and being able to invest some time into it is valuable.
Especially when about 25% of marriages end in divorce (50% is the common number, but that's actually inaccurate).
Not to sound shallow and heartless, but divorce is expensive! Obviously the emotional toll is the real cost, but this article is about money 🙂 Please forgive me.
And no, this isn't an affiliate ad for BetterHelp counseling or any other business!
Self-Education
I've spent 10s of $1,000s of dollars on my own education (not counting college). It has been by far the highest ROI investment I've ever made and it isn't close.
Business Mentors and Masterminds
To the average person, the price of a serious business mentor can seem comical. $50,000+ per year is not abnormal for the best in the business.
However, I've seen countless people credit these mentors and masterminds with a tremendous amount of their business growth.
Products
A Nice Bed
We spend 1/3rd of our lives sleeping, shouldn't we optimize it? My wife and I recently purchased a Sleep Number bed, and it's been a game changer.
I can tell the quality of my sleep has improved and I know that is paying off with more energy and focus throughout the day.
Quality Clothes
There's a difference between "quality" and expensive designer clothing. Replacing your wardrobe of ill-fitting, worn-out clothes with fewer, but nicer quality items that fit well is awesome.
If you get rid of your old clothes and keep fewer, but higher quality items, getting dressed in the morning will get a lot simpler. It's actually a legitimate productivity tip since studies showed that the average person spends roughly 4 days worth of time per year going through their wardrobe. Women averaging 17 minutes per day and men 13.
Also, lower-quality clothes may seem like a saving on the front end, but the true cost of needing to replace them sooner can easily end up offsetting this initial savings.
Tech You Use Regularly
I've written about "top of funnel productivity," before. It's the idea that certain things like your computer, internet at tools you use daily have a massive impact on your productivity. Slow tech tools slows down everything else you do.
These are also business expenses if you're self-employed, so if you are, these expenses are easy to justify.