Money and attention affect how we experience pain and joy. People tend to feel worse when paying with cash compared to using a card. If a restaurant charges you $1 for a spoonful of food, your enjoyment diminishes because you focus more on the cost than the food itself. To reduce spending, you should make spending feel painful. For example, paying with cash rather than a credit card usually leads to less spending. Automatic debit can become a trap. A study shows electricity use increases by 4% when bills are paid via direct debit. Managing spending involves controlling how much importance you give to it. Ultimately, to reduce expenses, we need to change the system and how it’s structured. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
There is no eternal depression or eternal boom. There is no everlasting suffering or peace. Everything follows a cyclical pattern of good times and bad times. The problem is that I can’t control the situation on my own. This means I need to change my attitude and behavior according to the circumstances. During a recession, we should prepare for prosperity, and during times of prosperity, we should prepare for recession. Our goal is not to guess or imagine but to stay aware of changing circumstances and their consequences. Do not settle for the current situation; instead, read and prepare for even minor changes. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”