ABSTRACT
Backpackers who want to pack lightly have an apt saying: “take care of the ounces, and the pounds will take care of themselves.” So it goes in one’s financial life; wasted dollars lead to wasted thousands of dollars, and so on, until it turns into real money. On the other hand, staying conscious and conservative with small expenses can lead to surprisingly significant improvements in the bigger picture. Therapists typically cannot look forward to “a big deal”: a sale or transaction that can bail them out. Just by the nature of the profession and the regularity (hopefully) with which you generate income, you are the financial “tortoise” rather than the “hare.” Therefore, you must constantly bear in mind the overall trajectory of your financial life. It is important to be conscious of your spending habits while attending to the profitability of your professional practice. If you can do these two things consistently, you will, over time, build a strong financial structure for your life.
