Rethinking Wealth Beyond Numbers
Having recently read Die with Zero by Bill Perkins, I’ve been reflecting on the concept of memory dividends. These are the returns we get from meaningful experiences long after they’ve passed. On the journey to financial independence, it’s easy to get caught up in delaying gratification. We often focus on building portfolios. We also get absorbed in our spreadsheets and charts. But life’s richness isn’t just in compounding interest, it’s also in compounding memories.
Building My Own Memory Portfolio
When I look back over the years, I realise I’ve already built up a fair share of memory dividends. Each trip, each adventure, each unexpected turn has paid emotional returns that no spreadsheet could quantify.
Moments that paid Dividends
Looking back, my memory portfolio isn’t filled with possessions. It is filled with moments that moved me. These are snapshots of wonder, discomfort, laughter, and growth. Each one a tiny investment in the life I was building.
1. El Nido, Palawan Phillipines – snorkelling in crystal clear waters, loosing track of time and tide.
2. The Great Barrier Reef, Australia – flying over “Heart reef” for my 30th birthday, marvelling at nature’s artistry.
3. Venice, Italy – wandering through narrow alleys, map and GPS in hand, getting delightfully lost.
4. Berlin, Germany – I wandered through streets dusted in white. My breath fogged in the air. I experienced snow for the first time. It was a quiet wonder in the cold.
5. Trinidad, Cuba – sipping a home made mojito as music drifted from a nearby courtyard.
6. Rome, Italy – a swipe right coffee date with the Colosseum in the background; history and serendipity intertwined.
7. Peruvian Andes – hiking through mountain trails, breathing in altitude and awe.
8. Rurrenabaque, Bolivia – Camping in the Amazon jungle surrounded by sounds of life unseen.
9. Thailand – learning (the hard way) that even a scam can become a story worth retelling.
Each of these experiences became more than just a trip. They became dividends of perspective. Gently reminding me that while money can buy comfort, it’s presence and curiosity that make a life feel truly rich.
The ROI of Experiences
Every one of those memories continues to pay dividends long after the trip ended. The return on investment (ROI) of experiences. The return isn’t measured in dollars or data – it’s in the way I feel when I remember them. Joy, gratitude, perspective, and connection. These are the quiet profits that compound over time. These are the experiences that fuel gratitude during ordinary days. These experiences remind me why I’m on the path to financial independence. Not to accumulate for the sake of it, but to create space and freedom for living fully.
Balancing FI and Living Fully
Being Time Rich isn’t about racing to the finish line of early retirement. It’s about making time itself the reward. Financial independence (FI) gives us choices, but it’s how we use those choices that defines a life well-lived. True freedom lies in balancing the spreadsheets with spontaneity. Investing not only in assets that grow wealth, but in experiences that grow the soul. A frugal life doesn’t have to mean a joyless one. It means being intentional with every dollar and every day. Because while money compounds with interest, memories compound with meaning.
Your Turn: Invest in Your Next Memory Dividend
As you build your financial independence portfolio, don’t forget to invest in your memory portfolio too. The experiences you create today will continue to pay emotional and spiritual dividends for years to come. Take a moment to ask yourself — what memory dividends do I want to collect next?
