This article is part of The Four Currencies, my framework for making better decisions by considering not just your money, but also your time, energy, and attention.
Somewhere along the way, one guy told us we’d all become millionaires if we stopped buying lattes.
And somehow, we collectively decided to treat it like it was carved into stone tablets.
So there I was.
Standing in line, talking myself out of a five-dollar latte because I was “being responsible.”
Then, every other day, I’d swing by the liquor store and buy a $21.99 box of wine without giving it a second thought.
Not a bottle.
A box.
Looking back, the irony makes me laugh.
I wasn’t actually trying to save money.
I was trying to feel like someone who was good with money.
The latte became the symbol.
The wine never did.
Even though one cost five dollars…
…and the other quietly cost me hundreds every month.
The math wasn’t exactly mathing.
But it wasn’t because I didn’t care about money.
It was because I cared about something else more.
At that point in my life, wine represented relief.
Comfort.
A reward.
A way to quiet my brain after a long day.
The latte felt optional.
The wine didn’t.
That doesn’t make much sense on a spreadsheet.
But it makes perfect sense when you realize that our spending reflects our priorities, whether we’re aware of them or not.
Then I quit drinking.
And something unexpected happened.
I started buying the latte.
Happily.
Without guilt.
Not because I suddenly had more money.
Because I finally understood what I was buying.
The coffee wasn’t just caffeine.
It was a ritual.
A walk.
A conversation.
Ten quiet minutes before the day began.
The same five dollars.
A completely different return on investment.
That’s when I realized something that has shaped almost every financial decision I’ve made since.
Money isn’t the only currency we spend.
Every decision costs something.
Sometimes it’s money.
Sometimes it’s time.
Sometimes it’s energy.
Sometimes it’s attention.
The goal isn’t to spend less.
The goal is to understand what you’re actually paying.
The funny thing about priorities is that they change.
There was a season when wine felt essential and coffee felt indulgent.
Today, it’s exactly the opposite.
Not because coffee became more valuable.
Because I did.
Ironically, I eventually bought a coffee shop, which is basically a really, really expensive latte.
Life has a funny sense of humor.
But every time I hand over a few dollars for a cup of coffee somewhere else, I’m reminded that I’m not buying caffeine.
I’m buying a pause.
A conversation.
A walk.
A moment to think.
And that’s a purchase I make with intention.
Money Is a Tool, Not a Scorecard
Money is the easiest currency to measure.
That’s why we spend so much time thinking about it.
But the price tag only tells part of the story.
A cheap purchase that steals your time isn’t always a bargain.
An expensive purchase that protects your energy might be one of the best investments you’ll ever make.
Hiring someone to clean your house.
Paying for therapy.
Buying the direct flight.
Ordering grocery pickup during a hard season.
Buying quality shoes that last for years.
Those decisions may cost more money.
But they can give you back time, energy, and attention.
That’s why I no longer ask myself:
“Can I afford this?”
I ask:
“Which currency am I actually spending?”
Sometimes the cheapest option ends up costing the most.
The Currency Check
Before your next purchase, pause for a moment.
Ask yourself:
- What am I really buying?
- Which currency am I trying to protect?
- Will this purchase save me time?
- Protect my energy?
- Free up my attention?
- Help me build the life I actually want?
Because the smartest financial decisions aren’t always the ones that cost the least.
They’re the ones that align with your values.
If this resonated, continue with:
→ Money: The Currency of Intention
