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A Thoughtful Moment
My Savings Gave Me the Freedom to Pursue My Dream
by Katherine
by Katherine
When I was younger and started earning an income, I saw my bank account as a way for me to buy things like shoes, clothes and daily fancy coffees. I didn't have long-term goals. My parents were terrible with money so I thought money was there to be spent. I only knew how to live and work for instant gratification and never considered having a plan B.
All my friends told me they saved, and I couldn't imagine why they’d need to. But then things turned quickly when my friends started planning a last-minute snowboarding trip in Japan. I was mortified that my budget didn’t include a cushion for spontaneity, or for thinking towards the future. So I stopped buying things I didn't need and began to save — not just for the holiday, but for the future me who wanted different and bigger things. I started to become addicted to watching the bank account go up.
My job at the time required a lot of driving and one day, on my way to an appointment, I was in a collision and my car was totalled. Because my contract required me to use my own vehicle and the company had no accident insurance, I lost my job. Within the same month, I found out I needed surgery; there was no way I could land a new position and request time off for the recovery. So for the first time in a long time my bank account went down. I didn’t have health insurance, and the surgery took a large chunk of savings, but because I’d been diligent about putting money in, I could keep myself afloat.
While bedridden after surgery, I had a lot of time to think things over, and I realized that I had never done anything I truly loved. My life had revolved around work, and I thought it was time for a change. The savings I had accumulated gave me the security and freedom to pursue other options. It gave me the ability to take control of the unexpected and follow my passions. During my time of self-discovery I developed an art style, compiled a folio, and put my work online. I soon started selling prints and doing commissions. Six months later, I’m earning an income from my art and am able to support myself by doing the things I love. I still save and work towards my financial goals and future dreams — the only difference is that now, thanks to my emergency savings, I am also able to fulfil the other dreams I forgot.
All my friends told me they saved, and I couldn't imagine why they’d need to. But then things turned quickly when my friends started planning a last-minute snowboarding trip in Japan. I was mortified that my budget didn’t include a cushion for spontaneity, or for thinking towards the future. So I stopped buying things I didn't need and began to save — not just for the holiday, but for the future me who wanted different and bigger things. I started to become addicted to watching the bank account go up.
My job at the time required a lot of driving and one day, on my way to an appointment, I was in a collision and my car was totalled. Because my contract required me to use my own vehicle and the company had no accident insurance, I lost my job. Within the same month, I found out I needed surgery; there was no way I could land a new position and request time off for the recovery. So for the first time in a long time my bank account went down. I didn’t have health insurance, and the surgery took a large chunk of savings, but because I’d been diligent about putting money in, I could keep myself afloat.
While bedridden after surgery, I had a lot of time to think things over, and I realized that I had never done anything I truly loved. My life had revolved around work, and I thought it was time for a change. The savings I had accumulated gave me the security and freedom to pursue other options. It gave me the ability to take control of the unexpected and follow my passions. During my time of self-discovery I developed an art style, compiled a folio, and put my work online. I soon started selling prints and doing commissions. Six months later, I’m earning an income from my art and am able to support myself by doing the things I love. I still save and work towards my financial goals and future dreams — the only difference is that now, thanks to my emergency savings, I am also able to fulfil the other dreams I forgot.