Visualize a story with me.

You are a few years into your career. Money is tighter than you would like, but God is providing. You are paying the bills, building a little margin, and learning what it looks like to make wise decisions with what you have.

Then, slowly, things start to change. Income rises (either slowly or more quickly). Life gets a little more comfortable. You upgrade a few things here or there. You sign up for the streaming services you used to share passwords for. You stop checking the bank app as often. You breathe a little easier.

And without ever saying it out loud, a new assumption sneaks in: when income rises, lifestyle rises. Otherwise termed: Lifestyle creep.

We each make hundreds of decisions daily.  Some of them are small, based mostly out of habit, but occasionally we find ourselves weighing a decision of significance. 

This article is focused on the latter; for instance, they’re important decisions about vocation, location, and education.