Taking stock of your return on spending

AS INVESTORS, we spend a great deal of time measuring returns. We track markets daily, analyse charts and compare our investment performance against benchmarks. And when the year comes to a close, the first thing many of us look at is our portfolio statement.

But there is another return we seldom evaluate: the return on our spending.

Every dollar we spend shapes our lives in small or big ways. Some spending brings joy, connection and better health. Some bring regret, or nothing meaningful at all.

So, before we rush into another year of goal setting and consumption, perhaps it is good to pause and ask: Did my spending this year help me live a better life, and what can I do to be better next year?

Here are three simple questions I asked myself as the year draws to a close:

• What am I grateful for that money enabled this year?
• What money decisions drained my peace?
• What money choices are aligned to my future story?

Let me share some of my personal reflections with the hope that they inspire yours.

Money decisions that brought gratefulness

My wife and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in January. For most years, we simply had a quiet dinner with our children.

This year, I wanted to do something special for her. I booked a Spanish restaurant, curated the menu, arranged the wines, and invited some of our closest friends, families and colleagues who have journeyed with us over the decades.

When my wife walked in, she was surprised. Then she was moved. And throughout the evening, we laughed, reminisced and celebrated not just our anniversary but also friendships.

The bill came up to around S$10,000. But its value? Immeasurable.

This year, I also travelled more than usual for vacations – six trips in total. Two were holidays to Japan with my wife and closest friends. One was a short Shanghai getaway with my wife, and one was on my own for a personal retreat in Taiwan.

Another was with my polytechnic classmates to Hanoi, celebrating our 55th birthday – a milestone that reminds us that time together is becoming more precious.

And as I write this, my family and I are in Bangkok. We are here to support my son in what may be his final Sea Games representing Singapore in floorball.

He has poured almost 15 years into this sport with countless trainings, injuries, victories and sometimes disappointments. Being here for him is our way of honouring that journey.

In all these trips, we spent quite a bit on air tickets, accommodation, meals. But the spending bought me stronger bonds in our friendships, shared milestones, mind space, a son who knows his family is behind him all the way, and a heart full of gratitude for the time we have together.

These are returns no investment portfolio can generate.

Money decisions that drained my peace

This year, our family car turned nine years old, with one year left before the Certificate of Entitlement renewal. So, I began looking for a replacement. I’m not a car enthusiast. I take public transport to work and drive mainly on weekends.

But a thought crept in: “Since I can afford it now, maybe I should upgrade to a luxury brand? A nicer image, a symbol of success. Why not?”

That was when I caught myself. Was I about to spend more than S$300,000 just to impress people I don’t know, or to match a perception of what someone in my position “should” drive?

I, for one, should know that spending driven by ego rarely buys peace. So, I stepped back and decided to buy a car that is more practical, value-conscious and more aligned with my values. In return, I got a sense of ease and I stayed consistent with who I am, and not who others expect me to be.

Aligning to my future story

We often plan financially for retirement but fewer of us plan our health for retirement.

As I grow older, I want to continue doing what gives me purpose – travelling, learning, leading, writing, spending meaningful time with loved ones. And I want to be able to take care of my wife, whose health is more fragile than mine.

So, this year, I invested intentionally in my health. Besides doing the regular strength training and cardio exercises, as well as keeping to a diet that is low in sugar and carbohydrates, I went through comprehensive health checks which included CT angiogram, CT scans of lungs and pelvis as well as an endoscopy.

I also embarked on traditional Chinese medicine treatment to strengthen my overall well-being.

These were costly decisions. But they are not expenses. They are investments into improving my health span which I need to enable my retirement plan.

A balance sheet of life

At our firm, we often help clients first make ikigai decisions – decisions aligned to what they find of worth in daily living, before building wealth plans around them. Ikigai comes from two Japanese characters: iki means daily living and gai means worth or value.

In other words, it’s about living out what matters, every day and in the future.

When I reflect on my personal-life balance sheet this year, on the asset side, my spending has helped me build memories, deepen relationships, gain stronger physical and mental health, peace of mind and a life aligned with my ikigai. On the liabilities side, I have avoided ego purchases, and those that cause regret and signal success but steal joy.

We should still manage money wisely, invest prudently and prepare well. But when spending serves what we value most in life, it becomes an asset, not a liability. I guess I ended 2025 with a positive “life net worth”.

Your year-end audit

In closing the chapter on 2025, I invite you to take a quiet moment for yourself – not with spreadsheets (though those have their place), but with honesty. Reflect on three questions:

• What did money enable this year that you are truly grateful for?
• Which spending decisions still trouble you inside?
• Which spending strengthened the story you want your future to tell?

Write your answers down and talk to someone you love and trust about them. Let them shape how you spend in the new year – with intention and aligned to your own ikigai. Let the people you shared with hold you accountable in 2026.

Because in the end, money is not just a tool to grow wealth, it is also a tool to grow life and enable your ikigai.

The writer is CEO, Providend, South-east Asia’s first fee-only comprehensive wealth advisory firm