Hey Cousins, 👋🏾

I want to vent, can I vent?

I mean, yeah, I want to talk about spending with intention—but I mainly want to talk about yesterday and how I damn near fought the internet for Beyoncé tickets while still trying to be a responsible adult.

Yesterday, instead of doing a million other productive things (because, you know, I’m in the middle of a whole cross-country move), I sat there, eyes locked on my laptop, waiting for those presale tickets to drop. I had my wallet ready, my prayer warriors on standby, and Alexa counting down the seconds.

My happiness is a big financial priority for me. And I don’t have everything figured out, but if I’m gonna stress about money, at the very least, I want to be screaming, “THIS AIN’T TEXAS!” in somebody’s stadium while I do it.

Watch me NOT get Cowboy Carter Tickets on my YouTube Channel @theemoneyplug.

Happiness is an Investment

I already know somebody’s uncle/cousin/grandmother is gonna be in my mentions like, “You should be buying stocks instead of Beyoncé tickets.” 🙄 And let me just say first of all, mind the business that pays you. Second, financial wellness isn’t just about hoarding wealth—it’s about spending intentionally on things that make you happy.

When the rumors of a new tour started going around after she dropped Cowboy Carter, I started getting my game plan all the way together. I canceled a couple of my subscriptions (because do I really need five different streaming services?), I renamed a sinking fund I use specifically for concerts for motivation, I set up my automatic transfers, and most importantly, I started mentally preparing myself for the Seat Geek war zone I knew I was gonna have to cross.

Scammers, Bots, and Beyoncé Tickets—Oh My!

Now, let’s talk about the Seat Geek Hunger Games.

I had my pre-sale code ready. My account, logged in. My payment method, saved. And guess what?

I still didn’t get a ticket. 😅

Because, of course, the site crashed repeatedly, and resellers popped up trying to charge a whole damn month’s worth of rent for a seat next to Mary in the nosebleeds.

Capitalism is really something, huh?

And trust me, the temptation to just throw my sense out the window and pay whatever they wanted was real. But I had to remind myself: “If it’s not in the budget, it’s not happening, ho.”

Beyoncé will tour again, maybe. My financial peace? Non-negotiable.

The Real Lesson Here

So yeah, I took an L on tickets. For now. But what I didn’t take an L on? My budget. My boundaries. My commitment to spending in a way that makes sense for my life.

And that’s really the point—financial freedom isn’t just about stacking money. It’s about knowing when to say yes to my happiness and when to say no to foolishness.

So, while I figure out my next move (because trust, I’m a still see Beyoncé somehow), I need y’all to do me a favor:

🔹 Stop letting people shame you for spending money on what makes you happy.
🔹 Make a plan for your happiness, just like you do for your bills.
🔹 And if you ever catch me slipping on my money boundaries? Drag me. With love.

Now, while I manifest these tickets, y’all make sure to like, subscribe, and share—because supporting your favorite money cousin? That’s an investment too. 😉

Until next time, may your spending always bring you joy. 💸✨

Your favorite cousin,

The Money Plug 🫶🏾✨