Tip #150 - Money Will Only Get You So Far. Having money is great. It will buy the clothes on your back, the roof over your head, and the food in your stomach. It will be there for you when the air conditioner breaks down or when you need a new car. Without a doubt, having money is easier than not having money. When you have money, there is no worry about where your next meal is coming from or how you will pay for the water bill. It will pay for a trip to the beach or a getaway to the mountains. It will pay for your doctors’ visits and for a day at the hair salon.
But money will only get you so far. It will not help you find love. It will not keep you from getting sick. It will not make you happy. Yes, your life will be easier if you have extra money in your pocket. It might get you to the best hospital if you are ill, but it won’t prevent you from contracting a disease. It might help attract someone of the opposite sex, but does not guarantee that you will be happy with that person. It might buy you a large, fancy home and a fast car, but it will not make you happy.
So while we should all be responsible about money - having enough for basic necessities and saving for a rainy day, money should not be the sole goal in life. Having a job you enjoy, people you love, and enjoying them both in good health will make you a much happier person than money will.
In Real Life (IRL) – For the past nine months that I’ve been writing this personal finance blog, I have become much more attuned to our finances. When I was young, single, and fresh out of college with a finance degree, I was the same way. I had an Excel spreadsheet of my finances, showing my current state and my expected future earnings. I had a date in the far future that showed when it I would have a million dollars. Then life got busy - I went to graduate school, met my husband, and had children. While I was still spending wisely and saving money, it took a back seat to all that was going on in my life.
Now that I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve been concentrating more on money. I have become much more aware of our daily expenses, how much we are saving, and when we will be able to retire. Each day I read other financial blogs and compare what others are doing. And sometimes I have a hard time focusing on things that are more important than money. Then I read about someone with a sick child or someone who loses a spouse and it brings me back to reality. Money is great to have, but there are many more important things in life. Once you reach a certain point of contentedness (no debt, healthy savings, and living within your means), then the focus should be on other things, not money. Life is not a race of who will have the most money before we die. Ironically, as I am writing this, I just got a call from my husband that he was in a car accident on his way to work. Nothing too major and he’s fine, but it solidifies what I just wrote.
But money will only get you so far. It will not help you find love. It will not keep you from getting sick. It will not make you happy. Yes, your life will be easier if you have extra money in your pocket. It might get you to the best hospital if you are ill, but it won’t prevent you from contracting a disease. It might help attract someone of the opposite sex, but does not guarantee that you will be happy with that person. It might buy you a large, fancy home and a fast car, but it will not make you happy.
So while we should all be responsible about money - having enough for basic necessities and saving for a rainy day, money should not be the sole goal in life. Having a job you enjoy, people you love, and enjoying them both in good health will make you a much happier person than money will.
In Real Life (IRL) – For the past nine months that I’ve been writing this personal finance blog, I have become much more attuned to our finances. When I was young, single, and fresh out of college with a finance degree, I was the same way. I had an Excel spreadsheet of my finances, showing my current state and my expected future earnings. I had a date in the far future that showed when it I would have a million dollars. Then life got busy - I went to graduate school, met my husband, and had children. While I was still spending wisely and saving money, it took a back seat to all that was going on in my life.
Now that I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve been concentrating more on money. I have become much more aware of our daily expenses, how much we are saving, and when we will be able to retire. Each day I read other financial blogs and compare what others are doing. And sometimes I have a hard time focusing on things that are more important than money. Then I read about someone with a sick child or someone who loses a spouse and it brings me back to reality. Money is great to have, but there are many more important things in life. Once you reach a certain point of contentedness (no debt, healthy savings, and living within your means), then the focus should be on other things, not money. Life is not a race of who will have the most money before we die. Ironically, as I am writing this, I just got a call from my husband that he was in a car accident on his way to work. Nothing too major and he’s fine, but it solidifies what I just wrote.
1 comment:
Now everything is based on money. Those who have money they can easily utilize them as per their requirement but those who don't have money they need to do planning to utilize the money in a proper way. I also do agree with your views.
Thanks for sharing this post it is really very mature online financial resource.
Good luck.
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