Prioritize Your Dollars
If you’ve felt the squeeze lately, you’re not alone.
Just a few years ago, most Americans felt pretty confident. Wages were strong. Money was flowing through the economy. Prices felt manageable. Bank accounts looked healthier than they had in a long time.
Fast forward to today, and that season feels like a distant memory. Inflation has eaten away at buying power. Government stimulus has dried up. Interest rates have climbed. Many families are back to feeling stretched thin.
It reminds me of the oil fields here in Texas. When oil is booming, it’s booming. Workers make money hand over fist. Restaurants are full. Dealerships can’t keep trucks on the lot. The whole local economy thrives.
But the oil industry has always been a roller coaster. When the cycle turns, it turns fast. And too often, lifestyles built during the boom can’t survive the bust. Money comes in quickly — and goes out just as fast. We make hay when it rains… and sometimes consume it all before the next drought.
The lesson? Income seasons change. Habits tend to stay the same. So, what can we learn from the last few years? We moved from some of the strongest income levels and savings rates in modern history to a time when many families feel like they’re walking on eggshells financially.
Some saved. But was it enough? Some prepared. But was it intentional? The hard truth is this: we have a spending problem. “Keeping up with the Joneses” has quietly shaped our financial decisions for decades. And when things get tight, we tend to carry two heavy bags with us: blame and excuses.
Blame the economy.
Blame inflation.
Blame student loans.
Blame interest rates.
While those factors are real, they don’t give us a plan forward. Progress starts somewhere much simpler — and much harder. Truth. As Dan Sullivan, founder of Strategic Coach, says: All progress starts by telling the truth. Before anything changes, we have to be honest with ourselves.
Ask yourself:
Where am I financially — really?
How did I get here?
What were my best money decisions? My worst?
What habits are helping me? Which ones are hurting me?
Where is every dollar going? Do I actually know?
Am I saving enough? Or am I guessing?
This is where progress begins. Now let’s shift gears. Imagine you had a magic wand. You could wipe the slate clean and rebuild your financial life from scratch. One simple question:
What do you value most?
Chances are, your answer isn’t a newer car, bigger house, designer clothes, or the latest gadget. More likely, it’s your faith. Your family. Your friendships. Your health. The causes that matter to you. Your peace of mind.
Here’s the disconnect: our spending often doesn’t reflect our values.
Money is a tool — nothing more. But we allow it to create obligations that trap us. Payments stack up. Subscriptions multiply. Lifestyle expenses quietly expand. And suddenly, we’re working to maintain things that don’t actually rank high on our list of what matters most.
That’s backwards. If your faith is important — give first. If your future, family, and peace of mind matter — save consistently and aggressively. If relationships are a priority — invest in time, experiences, and memory-making instead of more stuff.
There’s a powerful book called The Opposite of Spoiled by Ron Lieber that teaches parents how to raise kids with a healthy relationship to money. I’ve applied many of its principles in my own home.
Our kids use four jars:
Give
Invest
Save
Spend
Every time they receive money, they divide it up before doing anything else. They give first. They invest (pay themselves). They save toward larger goals. Then they spend what’s left. Simple. Intentional. Value-driven.
Why should adult money work any differently? Here’s my challenge to you:
Tell yourself the truth.
Give yourself grace for past decisions.
Then start adjusting — one step at a time.
You don’t walk into a forest for 10 or 20 years and then walk out overnight. But if you don’t start turning around, where will you be in another decade? This isn’t about guilt. It’s about alignment. Prioritize your dollars to reflect your values — not your impulses, not your neighbors, not the pressure of culture. Don’t delay.
Your future self — and your family — will thank you.