Cutting Fixed Costs Sounds Simple — But Life Is Not That Simple
One thing I understand much more now than I did in my 20s is this:
Reducing fixed costs sounds easy in theory.
But emotionally?
It is actually very difficult when you are young.
Because honestly…
A lot of “unnecessary” things are fun.
Travelling.
Eating out.
Trying random things.
Changing direction.
Making mistakes.
Spending money on experiences.
That is also part of being young.
And honestly?
I think being too restrictive in your 20s and 30s can also become a mistake later.
Experiences matter.
Memories matter.
Trying things matters.
Personally, I do not regret living quite freely in my 20s.
I spent money.
I travelled.
I made mistakes.
I changed direction many times.
And because of that, I do not feel like I missed out on life.
But looking back now, there is one thing I would still strongly tell younger people:
Do not buy a brand-new car with a loan unless you truly understand the long-term cost.
Seriously.
That is one financial trap I see over and over again.
Because when you are young, monthly repayments can look manageable.
But car loans quietly create long-term pressure for something that loses value extremely fast.
And once you normalise debt early, it becomes easy to keep repeating the cycle.
New car.
Bigger loan.
Higher repayments.
More pressure.
Less flexibility.
Meanwhile, life keeps changing around you.
Rent rises.
Interest rates rise.
Children arrive.
Health problems happen.
Burnout happens.
And suddenly, that “affordable” car payment no longer feels small.
I am not saying young people should never enjoy money.
I actually think experiences are important.
But I do think there is a huge difference between:
spending money on life experiences
and
locking yourself into long-term repayments for depreciating lifestyle purchases.
One creates memories.
The other often creates pressure.
Looking back now, I think the goal is balance.
Enjoy your younger years.
Spend money sometimes.
Make mistakes.
Live a little.
But try to avoid permanent financial pressure attached to temporary lifestyle upgrades.
Especially expensive debt attached to things that lose value quickly.
Because flexibility becomes more valuable as life gets harder.
And life usually gets more complicated with time.
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