Hey Reader,

We hope you're having a great weekend! It's a bit of a dreary, overcast one for us. If you're in the same boat, here are some money thoughts to keep you entertained while you enjoy the rain. ☔️

💲 Money Minute

👋 Nick here. The hallmark phrase I hear clients use before shooting themselves in the foot is, "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

These words make my ears perk up. And I settle in to listen to my client try to justify spending that they know (deep down) isn't aligned with their priorities.

The stories normally go something like this:

• My favorite band is going on their last tour ever.
• This car/house/clothing item will never be this cheap again.
• This is our last summer while the kids are still all at home.

But here's the thing - everything is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I'm writing this email at 12:33 pm CDT on Saturday, March 29th, 2025. I will never again get this moment back. I could be doing anything else right now. I could be at a restaurant, visiting with friends, traveling, or scrolling Instagram. But I'm here, writing an email. This is once-in-a-lifetime.

In fact, every time you do anything it's once-in-a-lifetime.

Sure, you might get other moments that are similar to this one. But it will never again be this one.

Now, let's scale this concept up using the above examples:

• Yes, if you don't see your favorite band now, you won't get to see them again at that venue, at that time, with those people. And it may be this band's last tour ever. BUT... you'll probably have opportunities to go to other concerts, with other people that you enjoy hanging out with, and a different time that's also fun.
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• Yes, if you don't buy this thing that's on sale right now, you likely won't get the exact one at that exact price ever again. BUT... you'll probably find other things you like just as much in the future that are also on sale (or not) that you want to buy equally as bad.
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• Yes, this might be the last summer that all of your kids live in your house. BUT... you'll likely have many future opportunities to facilitate your family spending time together.

If these types of "once-in-lifetime" opportunities came up, well, once-in-a-lifetime... I wouldn't be writing this email. But I watch clients roll from one "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to another.

Once you recognize that everything is "once-in-a-lifetime," you're free to assess spending opportunities without the emotional charge.

You can bring a level head to the decision-making process. And with fresh eyes, you can determine if you're willing to make the tradeoffs required for that concert / on-sale item / or "last" summer family trip.

Those purchases may truly be worth it to you. Just don't let the justification of "once-in-a-lifetime" sabotage the rest of your vision and priorities.

And if you want to make better financial decisions, watch this video here, where I share my favorite framework for thinking through large purchases.

⚓︎ Craft Your Money Story

I don't know about you, but I'm quick to fantasize about having unlimited money... houses in exotic places, private jets, luxury vehicles, delicious meals that I don't have to cook (this is the biggie for me 😂)...
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That sounds like freedom, doesn't it? And yet, you can look at just about any billionaire or celebrity and see that this type of "freedom" seems to lead straight to the bondage of things like drug addiction and failed marriages.
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Branford Marsalis, a famous jazz musician known for his innovative spirit, said it best, "There's only freedom in structure, my man. There's no freedom in freedom."
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The second you have a budget, your finances have a structure. And you have the freedom to decide what tradeoffs you'd like to make to adjust that structure.
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But most people resist having a budget because they think structure is restrictive. They like the idea of complete freedom and infinite resources. But all our grasping for infinity will only lead us into infinite bondage - debt, envy, dissatisfaction, and more.
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Without a budget, money is likely the bane of your existence, regardless of how much you make. Nick works with clients across the income spectrum, and one thing is for sure - No matter how much you make, you can always spend more.

God has used mine and Nick's budget as a tool to help us assess if "our money's where our mouth is." It helps us to dig in when it is, and it helps us to course-correct when it isn't. The budget gives us prompts for conversation, reminds us of God's faithfulness (financially and otherwise), and challenges us to steward our resources in a Biblical way, rather than a worldly one.
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In short, our budget has helped us do more of what matters. And that's why we're so passionate about helping you and your family craft a money story of your own.
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If you've been resisting a budget because you're grasping for infinity, we hope you'll reconsider. And if you're not sure where to start, check out this video.​
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Until next week,
Nick + Hanna

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