It’s that time of year! Windows are thrown open, fresh air comes in and the decluttering begins! I recently tackled the cupboard with all the coffee cups and travel mugs, I had no idea we had so many! After throwing away a few and donating others, the pride & peace I now have when opening that cabinet is almost overwhelming. You know what I’m talking about.
Whether it’s cabinets, garages or our social media feed, decluttering is absolutely necessary from time to time. I’m not going so far as recommending you become an extreme minimalist (unless that’s your thing, of course – just don’t pop-by my house unannounced or it may throw you into cardiac arrest). Keep in mind the quirky quote by Albert Einstein, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”
How about decluttering your spending?
I recently had a friend & client take what I call the “90-minute challenge.” He spent about 2 hours reviewing subscriptions and expenses. He called his TV company & his phone company and got a better deals, he cancelled subscriptions he doesn’t use. The total monthly savings? $119 a month, $1428 a year! He quipped, “Effectively I just earned $714 an hour today.”
If you were to invest $119 over the course of 20 years, in a solid growth mutual fund, you’d have over $79,000! How about you take that 90-minute challenge? Free up those extra dollars – maybe apply them to credit card debt or that emergency fund, or funnel them into your Roth IRA.
As we welcome the warmer weather and look to spruce things up around us, keep in mind the 90-day challenge. Take a look at your statements, subscriptions and expenses and try and see where you can declutter spending. Wouldn’t it be nice to have the same peace & pride I have when I open my cupboard when we open our bank statements? Find 90 minutes this week and give it a try!