Most personal finance is focused on the future.

Save money, invest, reduce your expenses, go without now so that future you will have enough, be responsible, look ahead.

Many people don't do this enough.

But others might need to shift their focus to the present.

The utility of money changes over time. Money now is more valuable than the same amount in the future. Spending money on relationships, memories, health now will provide rich dividends later in life.

Of course, going all in on either the future or the present is suboptimal.

Arguably I spent too much in my 10s and 20s. I didn't save at all, and wasted a lot of money. But I also have some fantastic memories that I still treasure, and by saving in my 30s and 40s I have mostly caught up.

My wife and I have saved and invested for the last 15 years. We were lucky to have a favourable stock market, and ended up with a life-changing amount of money. But sometimes we held back from spending on things that would have made us happier.

Now we're trying to figure out what a middle way looks like, where we can take care of the future while still enjoying the present as much as we can.

My parents both died when they were younger than I am now, so I'm very conscious that nothing is guaranteed in life. It's all very well making an excel sheet showing growth of investments until age 95, actually but expecting to see those results is tempting fate.

How about you? Are you frugal or a spender? Do you live in the future or the present?

If you focus too much on the present, read Your Money or Your Life.

It completely changed my concept of value, money, and time. I was lucky enough to read it in my early thirties, and it definitely helped me to turn my financial situation around.

https://amzn.to/3XtR2Nj

If you focus too much on the future, read Die with Zero.

I read it two years ago, and while it isn't the best book, the central concept is gold. It also changed my concept of value, money, and time, and I'm very grateful to have read it when I did.

https://amzn.to/3EXk40N

You can also come to the RetireJapan website and forum, where we talk about this stuff as well as all aspects of personal finance, investing, and life in Japan.

https://www.retirejapan.com/welcome/

Spend money now or spend money later?

Most personal finance is focused on the future. Save money, invest, reduce your expenses,