Love of Money: My Financial Confessions

By: Stephen Oakes
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:17:39
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I find myself constantly pondering new ideas and thinking about my own personal finances. Last night I remember lying in bed, eyes wide open, thinking about the common perception and encouragement that most of us feel to spend money that we do not even have. Then you and I are supposed to just turn around and feel completely good about it and fall further and further into the debt trap that spirals out of control. We fill our pockets and houses with junk we don’t even need only to find ourselves with a migraine when the bill comes.

Here in the United States the average person does not save enough anymore. I believe the figure now shows that our national savings rate has fallen into negative territory. We have become used to a specific lifestyle that is unsustainable. Why would we ever think that the economy and all things good would last forever, because you and I both know they never do.

I look back at some of the things I bought. Items that I am likely to never use again and wonder if perhaps my idea of happiness was sold to me in a box rapped up with false hopes. Most people would consider me a net saver or perhaps even a tight-wad. This particular rant is about one little purchase I made in the past month, but yet I wish I had not spent the money and invested it instead. Now, this early holiday present will likely serve its purpose in filling up the space around me with unwanted clutter.

In my household the majority believe in the philosophy that what good is money if you don’t spend it. I see their point, but it is the uncertainty in life that scares me. Maybe I need to feel financially secure, maybe I’d like to provide for my parents and children, maybe I want to become a millionaire, and maybe it is just a little bit of everything. Are these dreams of mine such a sin? Of course my philosophy in response would be that a penny saved is a penny earned. People are lazy by nature. Why else would we have invented so many tools that assist us in everything we do in life? Yes. I think this is another piece to the puzzle. I am inherently lazy and would rather have money work for me instead.

Furthermore, I have been in debt before. This was debt used to pay off a margin call in the early days of my once small portfolio in which I had foolishly made a poor investment decision. This was a very long time ago, but it taught me an important lesson about being financially independent. It made me feel guilty and in debt to another person. These are the feeling and situations that I never want to find myself in again.

I guess it depends on what you value in life. How many times do people argue over money? Couples break-up every day over it. It is true that having lots of money can tear people apart as well. This is only if you let it change who you are inside. I did not grow up rich, but I do respect and make most out of every dollar I come across.

Love or lack of money can be a very powerful force in shaping how we life our lives. If understanding this phenomenon is the first of many healthy and conscious decisions then you and I are on the right track.

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