My skin feels so good now...
I turned 35 earlier this year. It was a simple celebration with my husband, our kids and a very decadent chocolate cake from Whole Foods. It was perfect.
As I made my wish and blew out the single, pink candle, I realized my life had changed quite a bit in the past 5 years. I no longer try to impress people I didn’t care about. I declined events I know I won’t enjoy. Lastly, I stopped spending money on things that didn’t matter to me like new clothes, make-up, heels and drinks.
Instead, with the busyness of motherhood, I’ve started investing more time and effort in cultivating deeper relationships with loved ones. I re-discovered my old hobbies and pastimes like writing, baking and shooting hoops. Lastly, I started spending more money on things I never thought I would. Growing up was about feeling comfortable in my skin. Getting older is about living a life of meaning.
Skincare
I remember having an eyeshadow palette for every colour of the rainbow. Now, I have one, a dark brown shade that I also use for my eyebrows. Most of the money I used to spend on make-up has now been diverted to skincare. My skin is the largest organ of my body. I gotta take care of it.
My skincare routine is simple yet effective. It starts with sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater. Then basically I never leave the house without sunglasses and a hat. I end the day with a potent retinol night cream.
Sensible Shoes
The 40 dollar pairs of heels, trendy chunky boots and stinky plastic flats are gone. No more, blisters, bunions, bruises or cuts.
Now on any given day, I’m either wearing my runners, Birkenstocks or a pair of Sorel snow boots. I’ll freely spend 200 bucks on a pair of custom-fit New Balance runners because I walk every day and my feet deserve them.
Supplements
Even though I worked at a supplement store in my 20’s, I was never religious about taking my vitamins and minerals. It was always a hassle to remember, let alone having to buy them again after they’ve expired.
Now, I take my supplements like clockwork and I buy them in bulk at Costco when they’re on sale. Every day, after lunch, I will grab a glass of warm water and pop a multi-vitamin, omega oil and vitamin D. They’re like a trio of health boosters. Perhaps it’s a placebo effect but I’ve only been sick once since I started doing this. Fingers crossed.
Gardening supplies
There is a sense of accomplishment to growing your own food. I remember the first time I re-grew green onions. I was fascinated by the process. All I did was cut off the ends and plant them in my garden.
Weeks later, I had more green onions. It was like a miracle. Since doing this, the amount of money I spend on my garden is more than the amount I spend on buying coffee.
Groceries
Paying someone to serve you a plate of food is a very pleasurable experience. However, what’s even more rewarding is buying all the ingredients, putting them together and sharing that creation with loved ones. Finding new types of vegetables to roast, exploring plant-based proteins to include in our family’s diet and discovering different cuts of meats to braise has become an adventure.
I’ve also started to make my own bread. It’s easy to spend 5 or 6 bucks on a loaf of artisan bread. But it’s so much more gratifying to bake a few and give them to friends and family for the same price. I always have flour, sugar, yeast stocked in my house.
It’s ironic because when I was younger, I wasn’t as financially secure. My income wasn’t as high as it is now. I didn’t have any assets, only liabilities. Yet, I spend less now than I did then.
To me, getting older has made me more focused on what brings me joy and less on the idea of joy. And it’s been worth every cent.
So Readers, what are some things you’ve started spending more money on as you’ve gotten older?
