4 Common Styles of Lifestyle Spending: Always, Early, Later, Never

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There are 4 common styles of lifestyle spending: Always, Early, Later, Never

Always Spender:

This style of spending has no restrictions and massive debt is common to this particular lifestyle spending.  The spender may follow this path because they have a short lifespan, they believe an unseen hand will provide and take care of them. they are rich, they may be weak-minded or low self-esteem, and too many other reasons to list them all…

Unless you are rich, have a short lifespan, or extremely lucky, this lifestyle will have the spender paying later in their life by living in poverty.  Still, is this an incorrect lifestyle to live?  For most of us (including me) yes, but for other, it depends on their situation.

Early Spender:

This style of spending typically happens when you are also young and finally are cut loose from your parents.  Some kids go wild with their spending because they are their own boss, or because they weren’t properly educated in financial matters!  There are many great bloggers out there that come from this type of background (J.D. roth @ www.Getrichslowly.org, Jason @ www.Frugaldad.com and  Jeff @ www.deliverawaydebt.com).

Like the above bloggers, with some dedicated focus and determination, the Early spender can recover from this debt and still go on to acquire great wealth!

Later Spender:

This style of spending happens when the new spender achieves a certain level of financial security, and thus starts spending a bit more money than they did earlier.  It’s common for these spenders to be financial independent when they start to loosen the purse strings on their finances.  Of course, often times these spenders still continue to save more than they spend!  This groups should be able to leave behind an inheritance for their kids.

This is the style that I am pursuing, although I’m not really financial independent yet!  While I intend on spending more, I too, still plan to save more than I spend!  I just want to increase my spending a little more, but not too drastically!

Never Spender:

Another name for this style of spending is Miserly.  In my opinion, this group is the worst to be in!  This groups lives in a continual state of depravity.  They are constantly looking to save a buck at the expense of everything else!

Scrooge is a character in The Christmas Carol, but he epitomizes the miser fairly well.

Conclusion:

So in my opinion, I would not want to be a “Never” or an “Always” spender!  Both of these spender types have too much of  a negative end results.  Obviously, I’d rather be a “Later” spender than an “Always” spender!

There is another spending style that is not common and somewhat difficult to achieve, and that is the Balanced spender!   The typical balanced spender may have a budget to control their spending!  This may be the best of all of the spenders types because they accomplish their savings goals, while still spending money on fun stuff!

A great example of blogger that follow this path are Crystal @ BudgetingInTheFunStuff.com and J. Money @ BudgetsAreSexy.com!

-MR

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30 thoughts on “4 Common Styles of Lifestyle Spending: Always, Early, Later, Never”

  1. Since a later spender doesn’t have to be financially independent but have achieved some level of financial independence, I guess I am most closely aligned with that style of lifestyle spending. I am not an early spender, always spender, or a never spender. I have no interest in becoming a balanced spender right now (if it means what I think it means) because my primary focus is to become fully independent. To me, it’s more of a responsibility issue than an I hate my vocation issue. I’m okay with my spending increasing commensurate with my level of independence, which is what is actually occurring.

    • I’d like to consider myself a hybrid between a Later spender (more this) and a balanced spender (less this, I don’t do budgets, yet if ever).

      I never really thougt about breaking finances into spending types, so I thought I’d play around a bit 🙂

  2. I am not a miser, I will spend. However, sometimes I have buyer’s remorse because I think of what other things that money could have gone to.

    I was definitely not an early spender because I had nothing to spend, and credit scared me (except to use for college).

    I therefore deem myself a later spender!

    • Personally, I think being a late spender is a great way to go. It’s nice to have some money for your kids, so you can go on better vacation, participate in sports, and afford those things that the entire family values!

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  4. Spend never, I did!

    Money saved, never spent, Jedi Academy I gave!

    Life lived in servitude of others, did I.

    Still good, my way…

  5. I think the never spender lifestyle is the way to go. If you can have fun and don’t spend, that would be ideal. 🙂
    I think I’m currently between balance spender and never spender. I just don’t want to spend any money these days, but I still do. I am a lot cheaper now than when I started working.

    • I think if my kids were fully grown and out of the house, off working somewhere, I’d be between a balance spender and a never spender too.

      In many ways, wealth accumulation is like a fun game. So I can definitely see the appeal of never spending to a degree, but if I need clothes because my old ones have holes, I’ll buy new clothes instead of patching them like a never spender would.

  6. I am an always spender, but without debt. –God takes care of his birds. Why wouldn’t he take care his children? 🙂 So far, money for what I NEED has always been there when I needed it, and money for what I WANT shows up when I’m beginning to dispair. Without that faith, I wouldn’t recommend being an always spender, but with it, you should be fine. 🙂

    • I guess it’s how one defines an always spender.

      I categorize them as being careless with there money, buying a BMW because the look cool in it. And 1/2 million dollar houses because they think they deserve to be in one. They would do this by using debt, and especially credit card debt.

      If you keep a positive networth, the I’d say you are more of a balanced spender.

  7. It was a great idea to break down spender types into categories. Only be recognizing who we are and our starting point can we begin to mend our ways to help reach our desired destination.

    • Thanks, I think so too. Categorizing spending help people get an idea where they are at at, and if that’s where they want to be.

  8. I am one of the “early spender” types. I did a lot of spending while I was at undergrad, but wised up during grad school and turned off the faucet. Im glad I didnt keep it up when I got a “real” income, or it could have been much worse

    • Jeff, I think stories of being in debt and recovering in a big way are some of the best stories in the pf world!

      Good for you, for the reversal! 🙂

  9. I spend lots of money but it’s never until I have the cash to pay for it.

    All I’ll say is that I feel scared for the “God will provide” spenders. I had a whole commentary on it, but I don’t want to start a religious debate.

    I think there is one more kind of spender, the yo-yo spender. Someone who deprives themselves for months buying nothing but the bare bones. Finally they cave and buy everything they’ve been coveting. I think I’m most like this type of spender. I think the months I don’t buy things more than offsets my binge months but it’s definitely not ideal.

    • I agree, it’s just like yo-yo dieting, never works because you feel deprived. I’ve been there a bit myself at times, mostly when I was transitioning from my former lavish 🙂 lifestyle to my new more down to earth approach. Just like eating and exercising, finding a healthy sustainable money-lifesyle is really key. Good luck!

  10. Balance, balance, balance! I was definitely an early spender, just lucky enough that my earnings grew faster than my spending 🙂 at least towards the end, which helped me payoff the debt.

    Much different now that I’m older, wiser, and most important a single mom w/ two kids! Not to mention one who works only part time.

    While I’ve gotten ALOT more frugal, I don’t think I’ll ever be a NEVER spender….just not in my blood. But I definitely do track my spending, and I always pay myself first! I use the program in the book Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin. The premise is to bring your spending in line with your values – ie, does this expense bring me fufillment? Is it in line with my values and life purpose?

    At the end of every month, I update my chart, hang it on my fridge, and watch my progress. You know what they say, A pictures worth a thousand (make that a million) words!

    • Wow, I honestly thought you would be more of a balanced spender (in fact, the category I added at the end was based on your website).

      To me it seems like you have it all together and it’s working perfectly! the perfect mix of saving and spending!

  12. Trouble is that it’s very hard to find the balance spot and there is no ultimate rule for spending that works for everyone.

  13. i don’t think there is anything wrong with being a “never spender”

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