Right now as I sit here planning trips on my laptop that has green lines flickering across the screen, I am experiencing a personal conflict of whether or not to save my money and purchase a new laptop, or say screw it and blow it on a trip. My laptop has been going downhill for a while now. I bought it new two years ago for approximately $299, and apparently it was not built to last. For about 4 months the screen has been struggling to decide whether or not it wants to be a normal functioning screen, or a troublesome screen that turns green and flashes lines while I’m trying to do work. I can’t explain to you how annoying it is. So this leaves me with the question: do I spend my money on things or experiences?
Things
Some things I want or need right now include: A laptop, a car, workout clothes, cute clothes, and a camera. While a few of these are very expensive (car and laptop please stop costing an arm and a leg), some of them are not. So if I choose to spend my money on things, I have to choose whether or not to buy clothes and other little things, or the mamba of all expenses: a car. I am living off campus next year, and therefor a car would be really beneficial for me. I haven’t had a car since leaving for college and entering my senior year, I would like to think it is time to make a grown up purchase.
PROS:
PROS:
- I will be able to buy things I need/want.
- Buying new clothes would make me feel nice, instead of wearing my clothes from high school every day.
- Having a car would make my life a lot easier.
- Buying a laptop would allow me to not hate my life every time I try to see anything through the green flickering lines
- Motivation to work really hard.
- I would have to make payments on a car.
- Are “things” really worth it?
- “Things” break (stupid $299 Asus), but memories are forever.
- There will always be more “things” I want to buy.
Experiences
Justifying spending money on experiences is easy to do. You will probably lose or break your things, but memories last a lifetime. Memories are priceless. Spending money on studying abroad is the smartest thing that I have ever done. The places I have been and the people I have met have changed my life forever. This whole experience has changed my whole outlook on life. So “experiences” have a strong case when it comes to taking my money.
PROS:
PROS:
- Life changing.
- Countless memories.
- Being able to tell my great grandchildren that I saw the great city of Venice before it sank (sad).
- Traveling to different countries heightens your appreciation for people and cultures and life in general.
- Seeing the world is the best way to learn.
- Once the trip is over, it is over.
- “Experiences” tend to be very expensive.
- Travel is very hard on the body, and it is hard to keep it up for weeks on end.
- There will always be more “experiences” I want to experience.
Conclusion
Right now, experiences win. Tomorrow? Who knows. I am going to work my ass off in my life so I can travel to my hearts content and buy all the things I want. I have so many dreams and ideas for what I want to do and where I want to be 10 years from now. I am not the kind of person who needs expensive things or 5-star hotel stays. I am perfectly fine filling my suitcase with clothes from TJ Maxx and staying in hostels. So yeah, maybe I don’t have to decide. All I have to do is work my ass off and decide what it is that I really want. And right now I am happy. Yeah, my laptop may be crashing hard, but I am in Italy. I am choosing to live in the moment right now, and until my laptop’s last day, I won’t worry about it. I’m damn good at living off pennies and doing so happily. I’m 20, I’m supposed to be poor right?