If time is more valuable than money, spending money to buy your time is the smartest trade of all. Here is an example of how to overcome my toxins to live a better life.
Perhaps one of the main reasons I didn’t want to go on a family vacation to Holland and Seaworld was because I knew it would cost thousands of dollars. As someone who enjoys investing more than spending money, it’s hard for me to feel comfortable pulling ~
However, as someone who has been actively trying to spend more since turning 45 (in 2022), I discovered, Let’s give this tour a go. Spending money on family is much easier than spending money on me. Baby steps towards the incline!
Spending money saving time is the best
Since this was our first time visiting Legoland in Carlsbad, we didn’t really know what to expect. We asked some parents and newspaper students that we should get it fast for $ 99 / person to skip the long lines.
About 75% said there was no need because we were traveling on Off-Peak Thursday in October. That sounded reasonable, so I took their advice. After all, we can always buy a fast pass later if the crowds are bad, that is, if the pass is still available.
At 10:10 AM, we rolled onto the boardwalk, and the line was there For a long time! See the video for yourself. One of the users suggested that we look at the back of the park as it had just opened and the other riders were empty.
We followed his advice and transferred to EMMET’s Flying Adventure Ride, a great ride after our kids just watched the LEGO movie. Unfortunately, another long line. That’s when I decided, a screw. I wouldn’t spend 30 to 40 minutes riding along the 5th and 8th. Life is too short. I bought $396 worth of fast passes for four.
At first, I felt guilty walking past everyone waiting patiently at the entrance, especially the children. I even wondered if I was setting a bad example for my children by not using patience. But then I remembered – $ 396 is a lot of money! – And he got it. It wasn’t like we lived in Southern California, we had a season, and we could easily get to LeboLand whenever we wanted.
These kids were more than happy to go on more rides, and as any parent knows, happy kids (and a happy partner) make for a happy life.
Maybe it didn’t need the expensive fast pass
Now that we’ve been to Lebolond once, I see no need to settle for $99-Per-Per-Perent -Lastly fast passing and during the break. This page Deluxe or even -Always Fast passes would be plentiful since all rides have only two lines: the regular line and the fast pass line. USHERs seem to distinguish between the ones you bought.
We also found that a few rides – ninjago and the Lost Kingdom adventure – have no wait times at all. At the end of the day, I almost wished the lines were just longer so we felt like we were getting more value from the promotion.
So, I’ll clean up that extra $196 to to greet. At that point, we worried about getting a nickel-and-dime for the park if we didn’t buy a top-tier pass. At least now we know, and now thousands of you who never knew.
Spending on an Uber instead of a rental car was great
Another time-saving decision was to use Uber instead of renting a car. An Uber ride from our house to SFO costs about $30 one way, while extended parking costs $25/day, and we’ll be gone for three days. Also, it takes an extra 20 minutes to get from the parking lot to security. So taking Uber was a no-brainer for both time and cost savings. We picked up our kids from school at 3:50 PM on Wednesday to catch a 5:30 pm flight.
We could rent a mid-sized car in San Diego for about $70/day ($210 total), but I wanted to avoid the hassle of finding a van, parking, and dropping off. In total, we spent about $300 on Uber rides. And frankly, it felt good it’s totally worth itespecially compared to the $396 we spent on the fast pass.
There’s also something liberating about not being responsible for a large, expensive piece of equipment that could be stolen or stolen. That mental ease alone makes the vacation feel easier. When you realize the value of time and reduce stress, spending money on Rideshare services over rental starts to look like a solid trade-off.
No time was reserved for flying business or first time, so we didn’t
I can’t justify paying a 50%-200% premium for business or first class on domestic flights, especially when everyone arrives at the same time. If I were going to Hawaii by myself, then maybe.
At 5’10” and ~168 pounds, I can still fit comfortably in the economy seats. My wife and kids fit easily, if we sit very small.
Our flight had our 3 by 3 configuration, so I was on the short straw and sat next to strangers both ways. The flight was fine, but on the way back, I sat next to a 14-year-old heartthrob who kept wishing me head and moving his arm in front of my face to show the window. Anyway, no big deal. I typed up my free weekly newsletter for the 70th week on the plane.
When we arrived, our first Uber continued to delay the van, so I canceled and called a lyft, which arrived in two minutes. It felt good not to have to wait for airport closures or hunt for our car to park for long periods of time. Time is saved again.
He still doesn’t feel like spending the full $5,000
The investor in me still struggles with the thought of spending $5,000 on fun instead of investing it in the S&P 500 or my kids’ mutual fund. I can’t help but use the numbers:
- In 13 years, when my daughter went to college, that $5,000 would have grown $17,000 If money invested in the S & P 500 earns an annual return of 10%.
- In 10 years, when my son heads off to college, that $5,000 can be compounded $31,000 If planted inside Fundrise Activity earns 20% per year. I’ve invested about $200,000 for both kids so far, which means I’ve got another $150,000 to go to save them from AI.
- Or, it could pay for Soundlong music or a sports camp that builds lasting skills and confidence.
As an investor, it’s always risky when you spend money on something new. You never know it will be worth it until later. But since we all had a great time in San Diego, I’m okay with it.
Fire is all about reducing time spent on hidden experiences
After writing about fire since 2009, this course is coming full circle. The whole point of achieving financial freedom is to free up our time – to do less of what we don’t enjoy and more of what we love. When we don’t like our jobs or feel that our work has no purpose, our desire for fire naturally becomes natural. The same goes if we become more sensitive over time.
The key is to use money as a buyback tool, by saving and aggressively investing until we reach our minimum investment limit. Once we hit that point, work becomes optional and life becomes more purposeful.
Buying time back can mean skipping long lines, avoiding traffic jams, or simply cutting out minor annoyances that sap our energy. Because it’s too late, we can’t buy it. Now that I’m a parent, coming back from all the “sacrifices” I made in my 20s and 30s to build an income feels totally worth it.
When it comes to fire, Spending money without working is actually like spending money to save time. They are two sides of the same coin. Accepting this fact makes it easier to spend in retirement.
After all, what’s $5,000 if you’ve already given away $50,000, $100,000, $500,000, or $1+ million a year and don’t want to trade it for a while? In that context, $5,000 is nothing.
Final thoughts on the use of time freedom
Spending money doesn’t always have to feel bad, as long as it has a purpose. Spending to save time, create memories, or reduce stress is money well spent.
Given time is more important than money, spending money to save time is a sensible thing to do. You can always make more money, but you can’t make more time. The plan strikes a balance between the investor in you who wants compounded returns, and the person in you who wants to enjoy life while you can.
So, the next time you hesitate to spend for convenience or experience, ask yourself: Will this help me renew time or create lasting happiness? If the answer is yes, then it might be worth it.
Readers, what are your thoughts on spending more money to save time? What items will cost competitors or exceed the amount of time savings?
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