The Life You’re Living and the Life You’re Building
A healthy financial life makes room for everyday needs, what matters now, and the future you’re still building.
Have you ever thought about a big purchase and said to yourself, “Sure, I can afford this!” You have the cash. Or the monthly payment fits. So… you can afford it. Right?
Maybe. But I think we have to ask this too: What happens to everything else if we say yes?
This is why I use a tool called the 60–20–20 Bucket Plan. It gives money three distinct jobs:
Roughly 60% supports everyday needs
20% makes room for the things you love, value, and want to enjoy now.
20% builds future growth and security.
The percentages aren't rigid. Your numbers could look different during certain seasons. But the structure helps you see whether the life you’re living and the life you’re building are both getting attention.
Because money has more than one job. First, it needs to cover the mortgage and groceries and all the ordinary stuff. But it should also help you travel, give, care for your health, spend time with the people you love... enjoy whatever matters the most to you. And it needs to keep building toward your dreams, more freedom, and financial security.
Sometimes we act as though we have to choose just one. We can either can live well now or prepare for the future. But in my systems work, we challenge that split by creating enough structure to do both. It's called MoneyOps Balance.
And this "balance" perspective is especially useful when you’re thinking about a large purchase.
Let’s say the payment "fits" in the plan. Great! But does it still leave room for the 20% you’ve been using to build your future? Or does it take away from what you've planned for the things you love? Or will it increase your "needs" expenses and leave you with no margin for when life happens?
That is really the bigger affordability question.
Not just, Can we make the payment? But also, Which part of our financial life will have to shrink if we say yes?
Sometimes the purchase is going to fit beautifully. Other times, you may decide it matters enough to adjust the balance temporarily. And sometimes you’ll recognize that although you could technically buy it, the cost to your other priorities is just too high.
A purchase can be affordable on paper and still cost too much if it removes your ability to live well now and build well for later.
So, what are you considering right now? And what would have to shrink if you said yes?
If you’re curious about how your own numbers stack up, I’m thinking about opening a few one-time MoneyOps Balance Sessions. We would plug your numbers into the 60–20–20 plan, look at where your balance stands today, and test how a major purchase or financial decision might affect it.
Interested? Reply with “BALANCE,” and I’ll send you the details.
Talk soon,
Dee
