The Camel’s Nose: A Sneaky Reminder to Avoid Spending Woes

Andrea Schmutz, USU Extension Assistant Professor

Has anyone ever told you to “beware of the camel’s nose”? Just the other day, as I was telling my teenage son about a situation and how I was planning to handle it, he looked at me and said very seriously, “Be careful mom, you’re letting the camel’s nose in the tent. Are you sure you want to do that?” His comment caught me off guard but his wisdom caused me to rethink my plan. He was referencing one of my favorite fables with a universal message that can be applied to almost any situation. As I pondered his response, I suddenly realized that the camel provides a great analogy for budgeting and spending habits, especially as we enter the winter holiday season. 
In case you are not familiar with the story about the camel in the tent, or if it’s been a while since you’ve heard it, let me share it with you.  As with any fable, there are many versions, but this one is my favorite:

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A traveler and his camel were traversing the desert sand dunes when a wind storm arose. The traveler quickly set up his tent, went inside and closed the flaps to protect himself from the blowing sands of the raging storm. The camel was left outside, but soon found the driving sand unbearable as it pelted his body and irritated his eyes and nostrils. Finally, he begged the traveler to let him in the tent.
 
“There is not enough room,” said the traveler.
 
“Maybe I could just put my nose inside so I can breathe air not filled with sand?” asked the camel.
 
“Well, perhaps that’s okay,” replied the traveler, and he opened the flap a tiny bit and the long nose of the camel entered. How comfortable the camel was now! But soon the camel became weary of the smarting sand on his eyes and ears.
 
“The wind-driven sand is like a rasp on my head. Could I put my head in?”
 
Again, the traveler decided that the camel’s request would do him no damage, for the camel’s head would be in the space at the top of the tent which the traveler was not using. So the camel put his head inside and was satisfied again—but for a little while only.
 
“Just my front legs,” begged the camel, and again the traveler relented and soon the camel’s front shoulders and legs were in the tent. Before long, after similar exchanges, the camel’s torso, his hind quarters and all were in the tent. But now it was too crowded, and the camel kicked the traveler out into the wind and storm.
 
The moral of the story: Be careful about allowing even small exceptions or malpractices because they may grow bigger over time. 
 
So what does this have to do with finances? Think of the tent and the traveler as your budget or spending plan and the camel as financial temptations that arise. Each time we stray from our plan or make an exception, it’s like letting the camel’s nose in the tent. If we are not careful, one thing builds on another and pretty soon we may find the whole camel in our tent. In other words, we may find ourselves losing sight of our financial goals, accumulating unintentional debt, creating stress within our family, and facing a myriad of other challenges that arise in times of financial discord.  
 
As we enter the winter holiday season, there are some precautions we can take to keep the camel out of the tent and avoid the stress of overspending:
 

• Make a list (and check it twice) - Make a list of gifts you need or groceries you need and cross them off as you go shopping.
• Leave credit cards at home and take only the amount of cash that you intend to spend.
• Track your spending - You may be pleasantly surprised when you find out you did not need as much as you budgeted in a certain category or on a certain item and then you can shift the excess funds to another category or put them toward a debt you are working to eliminate. Tracking your spending will also help you avoid the unpleasant surprise of learning that you exceeded your budget.
• Look for ways to save - Watch for early sales, compare prices, order from stores or sites with free shipping, shop at discount stores, take advantage of holiday-related sales and stock up on items you use regularly, but remember to only buy what you will use even if it’s a “screaming” deal.
• Avoid impulse purchases - Make a note of the exciting deal you are tempted to purchase - how much it costs, where you found it - then go home and evaluate your budget to make sure you have the funds to purchase it. This also allows time for your emotions to settle and clear your head so you can determine rationally if you will actually use the item. Don’t let an expiring offer rush you into purchasing something - note the price and start saving your money for when another sale comes around.

 
As you welcome the approaching winter holidays, keep the story of the camel and the tent in mind and occasionally ask yourself if you are letting the camel’s nose inside. Let it be a sneaky way to remind yourself to stick to your spending plan so you can enjoy the season!
 
Parting thought: Small things, done consistently, add up to big things in the long run.
-Laura Vanderkam