So today I want to talk about to concepts I believed in: flat cost of living and living lean as a way of life.

When I say “flat cost of living” I’m referring to the fact that our life’s cost of living is usually flat and changes in different stages but it maintains stable through the years.

Here at the stages:

1- Kid (0–16) 2- Teenager/Student (17–25) 3- Cuasi Adult (26–32) 4- Parent (32–50) 5- Wine (51–70) 6- Old (71–100)

In each stage the cost of living its stable inside the stage we live. If we made a graphic of this cost of living it will start on $0 on the first stage, coming up once we start studying and living by our own.

The main cost in this second stage is education (+party/trips). From not having a big expenses as a kid, we come to own money and have to manage it. Once we become a cuasi-adult we start making “real money” which it actually help the expenses that have been growing. There is expenses as dates, new hobbies, etc. But they stay pretty flat on the stage.

So the big spend comes on stage 4 with the kids. It scalate every time you have a new kid and while this kid grows older. But the cost in average seems to be constant (this is by speaking to people that are actually parents)

So the idea is that if you knew that each stage costs is bigger than the previous one, but inside the stage it maintains constant, so you could *plan* with certain advance so you don’t get surprised. The thing about life is that is completely unexpectable. So you should always have some “cash” just in case.

On the second concept of this idea is about living your life lean. I know this concept is popular now among start ups but I’m suprised how many people want their company to live the concept but they don’t show it with example.

Maybe I’m a weird but I don’t like stuff. I don’t buy it if its not completely necesarry, or if I actually get some benefit/satisfaction from it. Manage your costs.

I believe Warren Buffet phrase is a must “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”

PS: I’m in stage 3.