For a long time, I thought I was being sensible with money.
I bought that S$20 pillow that felt fine in the shop, only to wake up with a stiff neck weeks later.
I went for the discounted office chair during an online sale. It looked decent enough, until the backaches started creeping in after months of working from home.
Every purchase felt like a small win back then because I was saving money. I didn’t have to spend excessively when buying essentials for everyday life – or at least that was what I thought.
I soon realised that the costs would come later: visits to the chiropractor, last-minute replacements, time spent reordering, fixing or simply putting up with discomfort that made my workdays longer and less productive.
We’re often taught that being good with money means cutting back. Spend less. Downgrade. Hold off. Make do with what you have.
So when someone suggests that spending more can sometimes help you save more, it sounds counterintuitive, or even irresponsible.
But over the years, as I’ve looked more closely at my own finances and spoken to others about theirs, I’ve realised that some of my most meaningful savings came not from tightening my belt, but from being intentional about where I was willing to spend more.
When I finally decided to invest in a proper mattress and an ergonomic pillow that supported my neck, it felt indulgent. The upfront cost was undeniably higher.
Yet, years later, both are still in use and I’ve spent far less on replacements and physiotherapy visits than I would have otherwise.
Source: CNA
