“Why I don't need to explain to other people how I spend my money.”

Ever heard of a SINK? The single-income-no-kid people? Yeah, that’s me.

Us SINKs are people that have an income that we are able to spend (or save) solely on ourselves. We don’t have to worry about partners or kids. Which in theory sounds great. Indispensable income – cha-ching. Money bags. Etc.

And that’s not a problem by any means; the problem is what people judge us for spending it all on. And let me just preface my feelings with this – I know how very, very lucky I am to be having these kinds of first world issues that, in the grand scheme of things, aren’t issues at all.

Half of my friends have a mortgage, the other half have a closet full of shoes and a wine rack complete with Margaret River’s finest.

Me? I have a passport full of stamps and photos of travel memories that will last a lifetime.

Now I’m at a stage in my life where I’m settling in to that place they call the real world. I’m working in a job I am lucky enough to love and earning money that I get to spend on one special human – moi.

SINKs are also yo-yos. We’re pulled in a lot of directions, up and then back down again, and sometimes swung side-to-side. I get advice (that I’m happy to receive) from the older generation, who tell me to be smart with my money.

They tell me to start saving, to buy investment things like houses and start paying off a mortgage. Then I have my older friends who tell me to enjoy this time. Spend my money to enjoy the now.

They tell me to get new clothes and shoes. They tell me to splurge on that swimsuit and drink ALL the cocktails and ALL the wine while I have no one else to worry about. Then I have other people telling me to travel while I’m young. They tell me to see the world while I can with nothing but a backpack in tow.

Basically we’re told to spend our money so we can enjoy the now, without being too frivolous because we need to be safe and save and have assets and own things and buy things, but not too many things.

Let’s just stop. I am getting a single income for me. It is my money. And while I do need advice from those ‘in the know’ I also want the freedom to spend this money that I earn on what I want to spend it on. Selfish? Yes. But also fair.

I have often saved money to spend on travel. As a result I have been incredibly lucky to see a lot of the globe. I would not give one of those moments up to have an extra few thousand dollars in the bank.

I live by this quote: “Travel is the only thing you buy, that makes you richer.”

Now that I have my feet planted in a solid and exciting job, I’m spending less on travel and more on enjoying the now. I am in such an exciting time of my life where I can spend days and nights with friends, making memories that we’ll look back on and reminisce about when we’re ‘settled down’ later in life.

I am giving some back to my community and I am chipping away at saving too. I promise. I am not saying it’s not important. But what I think is most important is that we spend our money on making memories. On making our life happy, fun and fulfilling. And making sure we spend a little on those we love along the way too.

What are you lucky enough to spend your disposable income on?