As a disclaimer, this post is not actually about $100 bills. I recently lamented the fact that when I took my daughter to coffee the other day, the register was uable to provide change for a $50 bill on a $10 tab. This post is not really about $50 bills. This post is about my revolutionary spending control plan.
Another disclaimer: this plan is not new at all because I learned it from the same source that I have learned nearly every governing principle in my life, my dad. I still carry cash, at least when I carry something that can be used to make purchases in our capitalistic system. My wife Heidi does not understand why I choose to use cash. "You never know where that money goes," she will say. My response is always the same: "I know exactly where it goes. It stays in my pocket."
You see, I choose to carry big bills. And by big bills, I mean 20s. Having only a $50 bill was a rare occurrence. By carrying larger denominations, I am encouraged not to spend. It is really quite simple: I hate the idiea of breaking a bill. I have chosen not to buy a bag of peanuts in the Kwik Shop because I cannot bring myself to break a $10 bill for a $.59 purchase. A dollar I could sacrifice with no issue. A $5 note is not a major quandry, although I might think twice. A $10 bill holds some sway when considering a $1 purchase. I am forced to ask myself, "Do I really want peanuts, or am I just buying them because I am here? Do I require that $.69 32 oz. iced tea, or can I make it home where I have a gallon brewed and waiting in the fridge?" I usually choose to leave my wallet snuggly tucked away, unmolested. That is where the plan goes into effect. By not breaking the $10 bill, I have not cluttered my pocket with change or $1 bills. Then, when my next opportunity to make a small purchase arises, I must once again determine exactly what I want to do, and why. A $1 bill is easy to turn over to a cashier. After all, it is just a dollar. Change is even easier to pass out. The decision weighing becomes a habit. I have now noticed this thought process has infiltrated my use of today's chosen spending tool, the debit card. I was going to buy a bag of jelly beans. Such a simple purchase, totaling about $1.39, plus tax. I had no cash, and no change. I did have my wallet, and my debit card. I could not force myself to swipe that piece of magical plastic for $1.39, plus tax. It seemed, wrong.
On a side note, my brother has developed an even more successful spending control plan; do not carry your wallet at all. I employ this techique from time to time as well. It is my brother Darrel (not my other brother Darrel) who has perfected the cash register 'wonder where my wallet is' maneuver.
So, there you have it, a plan for your personal financial freedom. I hope it proves useful. Now, I must be going. I have camp in 30 minutes, and I want to stop and get something to drink. Or maybe not. Has anyone seen my wallet?
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