I have a green thumb…wait…I think I have a green thumb. Actually, I’m not sure I know what that means. I like to work in my yard and on my landscaping. Does that mean that I have green thumb? Anyway, I learned something interesting this past weekend.
No, this won’t be your run of the mill “growing” metaphor. Although, there is nothing quite like a “growing” metaphor to explain investing and patience.
I am, generally speaking, an impatient person. Not rude-impatient, just impatient. I don’t like to wait for things, I don’t like waiting in lines, and a month usually feels like a year. I have been researching some different plants for some of our landscaping beds, and have discovered that things cost more when you have no patience. If I were to buy seeds for some of these plants, then I would spend maybe 10% of what I would spend if I were just to buy the plant itself. Therefore, I either wait one year or more for the plant to grow to the size of the plants that I could just buy right now.
This is a mind-numbing conundrum for me. I have become somewhat frugal over the years, but my impatience usually trumps my frugality. Do I have my yard look the way I want it  to now, or do I save money and have it look good next year? I have chosen a combination. I have planted some full grown stuff and some seeds.
How often would your patience help or hurt your budget? I know that usually is a challenge for me.
Martha Stewart, here I come.
Peter Dunn a.k.a. Pete the Planner® is an award-winning financial mind and a former comedian. He’s a USA TODAY columnist, author of ten books, and is the host of the popular radio show and podcast, The Pete the Planner Show. Pete is considered one of the foremost experts on financial wellness in the world, but he’s just as likely to talk your ear off about bass fishing.