Every so often my wife will tell a story about earlier in our marriage and my obsession with small details. At the time of the story we were barely making ends meet and every dollar mattered. Each month a budget was created for our spending and had to be followed VERY strictly. My wife considered our budget more of a forecast with gaps allowing for small expenditures at the gas station. I did not share the same view.
One day after my wife had bought a drink and snack we had a conversation. In that conversation, I provided the math on what these trips cost monthly. (Yes, it was a bit much but it felt important at the time) The average annual total was a month’s rent, give or take twenty bucks. Driving past the gas station would literally keep a roof over our head. At the time I was in my early 20’s, so it was a very dramatic time. She sighed but had to admit I had a small point.
The point of this little story is two-fold; one, everyone agrees she is a saint to have been married to me for this long, and two, it’s really small changes that can add up to an unexpected result. My label for these small changes is ‘little victories.’ They are not ground-breaking, they won’t gain envy from your friends, but they will create positive momentum in life. My goal is to share some of the little victories we use at our house with you, and maybe drive some extra coin into your pockets.
Unlikely-Success 