By Petra-Ann Brown, Brown Financial Services
We brought the kids to the circus this weekend — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus — and it was so good.
There were moments that had me holding onto my 6-year-old’s arm because I was genuinely nervous watching some of the stunts. The performers were incredible. The kind of jaw-dropping acrobatics that make you wonder how they do it.
It also made me realize something.
The circus I remembered from books like Dumbo or old TV shows wasn’t the circus I experienced.
This one had:
- no animals
- high-level acrobatics
- a completely different energy
It reminded me how time, awareness, and information can reshape experiences.
A First-Time Experience
For my family, this was a first.
For my husband, definitely.
For my kids, absolutely.
For me… maybe once when I was younger, but I honestly don’t remember.
And that made this moment even more special.
Because this wasn’t just about going to the circus.
It was about creating a memory.
The Popcorn Decision
Now let’s talk about the real circus.
The food.
Overpriced popcorn.
Pretzels with questionable cheese.
Those plastic toys you know won’t last a week.
I had brought money specifically for this.
My husband looked at me and said,
“You know we don’t have to buy this… it’s way overpriced.”
And he was right.
I knew it too.
But I still said yes.
Filling a Different Kind of Gap
That decision had nothing to do with the popcorn.
It had everything to do with a feeling.
Growing up, we brought food from home whenever we could — or we waited until we got back.
Not because we wanted to…
but because we had to.
And while I understood it, there was still a quiet feeling there.
Not resentment.
Not even disappointment.
Just… awareness.
So standing there with my kids, seeing their eyes light up at the snacks — even though they weren’t hungry — I made a different choice.
Not out of pressure.
Not out of impulse.
But out of intention.
The Money Lesson (Without the Guilt)
Here’s the part I want to be clear about:
This wasn’t irresponsible spending.
This wasn’t me ignoring my budget.
I had the money.
I planned for it.
And most importantly — I understood why I was doing it.
Every dollar doesn’t have to be optimized.
Some dollars are meant to create experiences.
The Second Realization
The circus didn’t make its money on the tickets.
It made its money on the experience:
- the food
- the toys
- the extras
And it made me think about how easy it is to spend without thinking…
But also how powerful it is to spend with intention.
Because the goal isn’t to avoid spending.
The goal is to make sure your spending aligns with what matters to you.
Final Thought
That day wasn’t about popcorn.
It wasn’t about pretzels.
It was about joy.
It was about giving my kids an experience that felt light, fun, and complete — without the feeling of lack.
And for me, that mattered.
Because sometimes the most meaningful financial decisions aren’t about saving money.
They’re about creating moments.
Photo by Vidal Balielo Jr.: https://www.pexels.com/photo/popcorn-2337785/
