A few months back I heard a story of someone who went to a financial counselor for advice on repaying her student loan debt. The counselor offered a litany of traditional ideas for reducing your budget: eat out less, cut back on entertainment, downsize your housing costs, eliminate your gym membership. This person was particularly caught off guard by that last idea. She often went swimming at her gym not only for fitness, but to decompress after a stressful day at work. For her, the gym membership was an important way that she cared for herself. It was worth so much more to her than the price she paid each month. In her debt repayment journey, that’s one thing she just wouldn’t cut.
Financial Self-Care
Over the last month or so that we’ve been staying at home, I’ve enjoyed watching the general thread on my Instagram change from one focused on hustle and productivity to gratitude and self-care. This time of collective trauma has taught us how to have grace with ourselves and others in ways we haven’t before.