How to Money · Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Financial therapist Aja Evans discusses how to justify significant purchases, like a culinary trip to Noma, by prioritizing experiences that bring joy and are deemed 'once in a lifetime.' She suggests that for more frequent splurges, like dining out, an allotted monthly amount based on personal values and priorities can help manage spending without guilt.
“I really love to go out to eat and spend my money on delicious eats, whether they are fancy eats, casual eats, quick eats. Me and my husband took a flight to Copenhagen right before COVID actually, and we got to go to Noma and got reservations for Noma.”
“Sure, So I think it really depends on what's important to you and what's a priority in your life for you and your yourself or your family. For us, getting something like that reservation is already difficult, and we knew that if we were able to get the reservation, like, we're making peace with whatever it is that we're spending because this is literally a once in a lifetime situation and scenario.”
“But we know that that's something that brings us joy, and we have an allotted amount of money that we feel comfortable with spending a month on things of that nature.”