I’ve been eyeing a pair of noise cancelling headphones for a few months. They cost $350 and I really want them. My budget tells me there isn’t enough fun-money.

My budgeting system works well — it keeps me from spending on frivolous wants even though I can convince myself to buy: I like to read when I fly for business and the noise-cancelling feature will make my reading more pleasurable.

Friday night, the budget showed a surplus. If I waited a week or two, there would be enough fun-money to buy the headphones. Instead, I ordered three books and drained most of that surplus.

No Cure for Being Human by Kate Bowler — February’s book for the Growth EQ Bookclub
The Power of Regret by Daniel H. Pink for April’s Bookclub meeting
Frank Batten biography by Connie M. Sage — I heard about it from this video by Howard H. Stevenson

The past me would have bought the headphones already. The present me can’t wait to start reading those books.