Living Below My Means -- A Meditation on Paychecks and Peace

My Meditations

Lately, I’ve been meditating on this idea of the “paycheck” — not just the money I earn, but what it means to live by it, for it, or despite it.

Let’s be honest — I’m not really living paycheck to paycheck. But sometimes, it feels like I am. Not because the money isn’t enough, but because my mindset often makes it feel that way.

For years, I’ve lived below my means. Every purchase was a calculation — counting pennies in the cost, and counting pennies in my pocket. I’ve always believed that living cautiously was smart — that building a safety net was the mark of responsibility. And in some ways, it was.

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Redefining “Paycheck to Paycheck”

To me, living paycheck to paycheck means spending what you earn with nothing left to save — and spending mostly on necessities. That was never my case. I’ve always saved. I’ve even splurged on quality things once in a while.

Except for that one stretch — from October 2021 to June 2022 — I’ve always been a big-time saver. I was living under my means, not just within them. And my reason was simple: I had seen days where one unexpected event could shake everything. That helplessness — the kind where you shed a quiet tear, wipe it, and move on — left a mark on me. So I built my walls of savings to feel safe.

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The Irony of “Doing Everything Right”

I was doing all the things financial influencers preach:
✅ Saving
✅ Investing
✅ Budgeting
✅ Tracking

But somewhere along the way, I missed the joy part.
The “treat yourself” part.
The “celebrate small wins” part.

In my life, there was always a trade-off between money and happiness — and 95% of the time, I chose money. Looking back, I don’t regret choosing stability, but I do wish I had known other ways to find joy — like meditating, volunteering at the temple, or simply reading something that nourishes the soul.

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The Question I Keep Asking

We’ve all read about delayed gratification — that the people who can wait, who can resist the short-term thrill, are the ones who make it big in life.

But today, as I reflect on my own choices, I find myself asking:

How much delay were those books really talking about?

Because sometimes, the line between discipline and deprivation gets blurry.

Maybe the real art isn’t in delaying joy — it’s in learning how to afford joy wisely.