By Heather Katsonga-Woodward,

http://themoneyspotprogram.com

One of my best friends is loaded but you’d never guess

she was unless you went to her house; she drives a

clapped out car and she dresses well but very simply.

Let’s call her Evelyn (not her real name).

Evelyn once quit the 9-to-5 to pursue one of her

hobbies but it didn’t work out the way she envisioned.

She wasn’t making much money from the hobby and

she ultimately lost interest in it so she decided to go

back to the world of work. We met up for lunch and being the nosey person I am, I asked

how much she was being paid,

“£300,000 before bonus,” she said.

For all those that need the conversion that is about $500,000 – and that was in 2012,

she’ll be banking way more than that right now. Of course I was a little green with envy

and for a brief instant I regretted leaving the world of banking, who couldn’t do with a

couple of hundred thousand – I was happy for her too, though – if there’s one person who

likes to see her friends succeed it’s me.

Apparently we’re all the average of the

closest five people in our life –

financially, healthwise etc. – success

and failure both have a way of rubbing

onto our friends. Anyhow, I digress.

Two years into that new job she was still driving her clapped out car but she and her

partner had bought a beautiful new home.They were paying down the mortgage and

putting money aside so that they could retire early and pursue hobbies in their 40s. She’s

about the same age as me so she was in her late 20s when she embarked on her high-

paying career.

My friend is extra special in how little she cares what people think of her. Almost

everyone I know, myself included, would have spent some of that money on a lot more

luxuries but not Evelyn. This got me thinking: why do so many of us care what everyone

else thinks? Will Smith put it best when he said,“Too many people spend money they

haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like.”

By Heather Katsonga-Woodward,

http://themoneyspotprogram.com

How much more financial progress would we make

if we simply stopped caring what other people think

and exclusively focused on ourselves.

To a certain extent you will dress well and beautify

yourself to look good for yourself but there is a

residual amount of expenditure that’s exclusively

done to impress others. This is why when you’re at

home you’re happy for your hair to be stuck under a

bonnet the whole day and hang around in your

jogging pants all morning but you never step out looking like that.

I’m not saying you should go out looking a hot mess but a little inner reflection regarding

what you do for yourself versus the things you do simply to impress others despite your

better judgment wouldn’t hurt.

I don’t know about you but I think if everyone was a little more like Evelyn they would

not only be happier but their bank manager would love them too. To caring less about

what other people think!