Two Families, Two Financial Journeys: Why How You Spend Matters More Than What You Earn
The idea of this came from a conversation that we were having at the lunch table with my colleagues. We were all having our lunch while one of our colleague showed an app that tracks the sleep time via the ring that she has in her finger. As such that device in itself costs close to $400 - to top it all this also costs additional subscription costs of $200 a year. That was pretty insane and then went on to realise how much the subscription costs has taken over our worlds. This is a imaginary story of a family living two different lives and you’d see what they’re doing and how they’re going about with their daily lives.
Meet the Johnsons and the Walkers
Both are middle-class families.
Both earn roughly the same—about $180K combined household income.
Both have two kids, work full-time, and live in similar neighborhoods.
But their daily lives—and financial futures—look completely different.
Family 1: The Johnsons – "We Deserve It" Mindset
The Johnsons believe in working hard and rewarding themselves.
But their version of "rewarding" has spiraled into mindless spending.
A Day in the Johnsons’ Life:
☕ Morning Coffee Runs:
$12 on two takeaway lattes every single day—because "it's too much work to make at home."
🚗 School Drop-offs in a Luxury SUV:
They bought a $90K SUV on a loan—monthly repayments $1,500.
"It’s safe for the kids, and we deserve comfort."
📺 Subscriptions Galore:
Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Spotify Family, Apple TV, YouTube Premium, a Peloton subscription, and a random mindfulness app.
Total? $300+ a month—half of which they rarely use.
🍽 Lunch and Dinner:
Uber Eats or dine-out for lunch every weekday—average $35/day.
Weekly date night at fancy restaurants—$200+ each time.
🧸 Kids' "Must-Have" Things:
Latest iPads, gaming consoles, and branded clothes.
Weekend outings? Always expensive entertainment centers.
🎮 Phantom Costs (The Hidden Killers):
Unused gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, cloud storage services.
$100s a month they don’t even remember signing up for.
💸 Total Monthly Leak:
Over $4,000 on discretionary spending—not even counting essentials like mortgage, utilities, or school fees.
"We work so hard; we deserve to enjoy life," they say—
But ironically, their credit card debt keeps growing, and they constantly worry about money.
Family 2: The Walkers – "Joyful, Mindful Spending"
The Walkers also believe in enjoying life—but with intention and value-driven choices.
A Day in the Walkers’ Life:
☕ Morning Coffee:
Brew delicious coffee at home with a $300 espresso machine (one-time cost).
We love our morning ritual, and it's a moment of calm and the aroma in our home is special one to wake up to.
Cost? $0.50/day vs. $12/day.
🚗 School Drop-offs in a Practical Car:
Drive a reliable, fuel-efficient car they bought second hand.
No monthly repayments, just running costs for the gas.
📺 Subscriptions (Curated):
Netflix and Audible only and that too sourced from cheaper locations via VPN.
Cut out duplicates and unused ones.
"If we don't use it every week, we cancel."
$30/month vs. $300/month.
🍽 Lunch and Dinner:
Meal-prep lunches for work—easy, healthy, saves money.
"Friday treat"—their one takeaway night to enjoy as a family.
$150/month on dining out vs. $1,400+.
🧸 Kids' Joy, Not Just Stuff:
Focus on experiences—library trips, nature parks, bike rides.
Mindful about gadgets—"Does this add value or just fill a moment?"
"Our kids don't miss out, but we avoid buying for the sake of buying."
Most importantly - it sets tone and philosophy in the young minds that they go on to live more fulfilling life for them and sets the tone to educate their own kids into the future.
🎮 No Phantom Costs:
Audit subscriptions every quarter.
Ask, "Are we still using this?" before renewal.
Saved hundreds a year.
💸 Total Monthly Discretionary Spend:
Around $1,200, including fun—and they invest/save the rest.
"We enjoy our life, but we don’t need to spend on everything to feel good."
Two Incomes, Two Outcomes
Key Takeaway: Money is What You Spend — Value is What You Get
The Walkers prove that enjoying life doesn’t mean spending endlessly.
They prioritize value over price tags.
Meanwhile, the Johnsons are constantly chasing happiness with their wallet—but finding stress instead of joy.
💡 Lesson?
You don’t have to sacrifice joy to save money.
You just need to spend intentionally—focus on what truly adds value to your life.
The intent is not to miss out, still have fun and most importantly create meaningful experiences along the way which not necessarily all comes with spending money. Though the world around us has glamourised spending money like never before - it’s worth reflecting, taking a pause and look to see more holistically whether a particular expense is aligning to the way that you want to see and lead your family and life!
So, which family are you more like?
If you’re tired of feeling broke despite earning well, or wondering where your money is going, you’re not alone—and you’re not stuck.
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Because it’s not about how much you earn, but how much you keep—and how much joy you get out of every dollar.