Great post! I completely understand where you’re going with the “paycheque to paycheque” mentality. I too spend a large chunk of my paycheque before I even get it with contributions to retirement, health & insurance benefits, 3 additional forced savings accounts (one for a new car in a few years, vacation/home fund, and the emergency fund) as well as my mortgage.
Then I live off the remainder while still saving some money at the end of every 2 weeks to leave in my chequing account for a weekend getaway, shopping expedition, or a non-recurring expense.
For example, my property taxes are due in a couple of months and I’m trying to cut back on my non-necessities in order to pay them, rather than dipping into my home fund.
I don’t mind missing a lunch or dinner out, or going to a cheaper salon occasionally. It’s a strategy that works for me as a type of forced savings. Sometimes my friends bug me when I say “I’m broke” – of course I’m not – I just try to make more careful choices about how to spend the money I take home.
