As owner of your own business or employee at company XYZ you have reached the milestone; 1st, 3rd, 5th or something year . Maybe you have just added another certificate to your CV and you are thinking this is calling for some kind of celebration; a party, a car, a big wedding. Before you splash out ask yourself
Should I be spending? 
Spending money on a celebration to mark your work anniversary sounds like a very good idea but would it not be even better to mark the milestone with a little money put away somewhere? Your efforts are being compensated with money (like maybe a 13th cheque) so for your own sake keep some of it. Ideally, it should be put away in an account with your name on it at a reputable place. You can call it your ‘bonus savings’ or ‘emergency stash’.
Put a little away as come months later it will look much better than filling out cash advance forms or a money lender’s ledger.
Do I need another car?
Yes the promise was made to yourself that as soon as you reached ‘the’ milestone you were going to buy a car; for you, your spouse or your child but what is wrong with the car you have now? Can you afford a car and all that comes with it? Does your spouse need a car to earn an income for the family or just to get from friend A to friend B or to chauffer their family from point X to Y? (No prizes for guessing who pays for the fuel?). With all the cars on the road is another in your possession really necessary. The country has not outlawed public transport so therefore your child can get on to public transport, right?
Whatever your answer is truthfully you will have an answer to the question, do I need another car?
Can I afford a big wedding? Weddings are a quiet business and your big day is the business for bridal boutique owners, caterers, reception venue owners, photographers, flower vendors and printers. Before you can say “I do” and faster than you can make an invitation list there are suit and dress makers to pay, event planners to negotiate with, flowers with names you have never heard of to choose and buy, cars to hire or borrow but certainly decorate (and pay someone to do it) and last but not least the person presiding over the ceremony will be expecting a little, just a little.
Before you decide to spend on anything that will cost you really large (actually even small) amounts of money; take pause and have a think.
