[BlackMamba24]

This is the story of every other person. We are raised for 20 years to think about future and next 10 years are spent in agony to shake that off. And once we think we are flying in clouds, we step into parenthood and another 20 years spent to make them understand the same thing and this cycle goes on.
Instead we should live the present while preparing for future.

[deepak_bajaj]

I will share my short story that might help clear your dilemma. I hail from a very ordinary typical middle-class family. My father lost his father early when they moved to India after partition. So, they were back to square one on financial front. My dad worked hard to study and top the DCU and joined government service at a very early stage to support the family. He was (still) very cautious about spending but we never faced any compromise either in studies or day to day life. Then I grew up, not as talented as my dad but did well in computer science and joined a small Indian company (just 5 years old with 15-20 employees). I worked hard and spent hard. I made a promise to myself that I will contribute my earnings to fulfil dreams that my father could not because of so many responsibilities on him. I bought my first car, Santro Xing, with power steering, from my savings and bank loan. The family car, which father used to drive. I did not know driving well at that time. Similarly, I spent on my family (common things such as electronics, furniture) and on mom and dad and raised our lifestyle. Dad used to run the house and I used to run the lifestyle. But I always kept something aside as saving. Small initially which started to increase once married. My second car was black Swift Zxi around 2007 when I joined this forum. That was also purchased 100% by my savings and loan. Now I’m a proud owner of my dream badge BMW. After Swift, I directly moved on to X1 and went through the same dilemma. But my wife assured me that we have enough savings (I did not break any of my savings to make the purchase) so “live your present”. Future is unknown. Same is said in Bhagwat Gita.

So, chill out live your life and dream. Purchase your dream car without breaking your savings. Live in present. Future is unknown. And you are already saving for future. Future cannot be 100% of your life. It can be 50-50. So, spend whole heartedly on the your 50% present and enjoy.

Life is a journey. Enjoy the drive.

[Slipstream11]

Great thread.

This mindset is something most of us share - give and take.

I feel this has a lot to do with the way we have been brought up. Our personal experiences, our circumstances, parents, extended families, friends - have helped carve this PoV. Its not necessarily about whether its right or wrong - it is the way it is!

Majority of us come from a background where a LIC (mind you - its an LIC policy even if you are buying it from Bajaj or an HDFC) policy is the first thing one ought to buy once you land your first job - thanks to that over-protective parent. Even before your first salary hits your account - you are planning for your retirement already. And the next obvious milestone is of course that 2-room condo.

So you see, we are trained to put our money into avenues which are supposed to generate or guarantee us a future value - or cover us from contingencies - even if that comes at a cost of that fancy watch you always wanted to buy yourself, or that hot-hatch you have drooled over all your college life, or that solo trip. We invariably end up postponing our dream buy to a later date. Its a constant mental battle, trying to reason with our own selves, trying to justify that purchase "now".

Sadly enough, we don't invest in experiences. We always want something back, something which is quantifiable, tangible and hard.

In my travels I have met people who see life through a whole different lens. I have met a young Spanish student - traveling from Madrid to Cape Town to learn beach yoga. I have come across a South African couple - who flew halfway around the world to Istanbul to watch the Champions League final. And all of them have saved up to live that one moment, that one experience. Can we think like them, act like them - hell no!

We'd rather think, what happens when the 90 minutes of the game is up - the money we just spent towards it, suddenly has no value. We fail to appreciate that experience of sitting in a stadium and watching that spectacle unfold before our eyes. We'd rather save up the money for a down-payment to our 3-bedroom apartment since the current 2-room is suddenly too cramped.

Pity!!