Last week a good friend of mine confessed a little spending secret over dinner. It seems she’s become obsessed with buying lotto tickets. When she leaves her office and heads out to lunch, she finds herself sneaking off to buy at least a ticket or two. The number she buys depends on the amount of cash left in her purse or pocket, but she estimates spending over $50 on tickets in the last couple of months.
She doesn’t really think she’ll win, but she’s excited by the idea of striking it rich and quitting her day job, excited enough that she’ll purchase up to $5 worth of tickets at a time. She lives in Maryland and commutes to D.C. and spends over an hour each way riding the MARC train and metro to work. Although she says the ride gives her the opportunity to read, nap and think, she’d much rather have those two hours back in her day. She says the lotto gives her an opportunity to dream BIG. To dream of a life without a job or at the very least a job without a two hour commute.
This got me thinking. How often do we purchase things to escape our lives or to dream of escaping them? Do you buy things that help you dream of a better life?
I don't buy lottery tickets, (thankfully), I think they're a waste of money. Not that I don't ever waste money. 😉 lol!! I think I probably do buy stuff in "hopes" of making my life "better"… but in reality, no "stuff" will make your life better.
I'll buy a lotto ticket every once in a while on a whim, but certainly not in a compulsive manner.
My meain means of escape is writing fiction. I've written almost 100 short stories in the last 2.5 years. At some point in the future, I may try to spin them into riches at some point … but even if that doesn't work, it has allowed me to escape to a dream world 🙂
50$ over the course of a few months is nearly nothing in expense, its barely the cost of a nice dinner out. It gives her the chance to dream and escape her dreary commute. Being frugal should be about enjoying life and spending $ on what you want, not about feeling guilty over every dollar spent.
@halfdozendaily – Over time I've decided that my life is better without stuff rather than with it.
@kosmo – Writing is a great way to spend your time and escape reality. I often turn to my journals and notebooks too.
@rachel – It's not the amount of money spent that matters it's the way my friend felt about it. The fact that she was confessing this weakness leads me to believe she'd rather not be spending money this way.
I think she has a good luck with her, but you can't believe in my case i am the looser one. I have lost 4 time in any lottery format.