Money

Money is good! In this day and age that we live in, money is not only good, but absolutely essential. Besides air, it may be the next most important thing in life. Of course health, love, friendship, fitness, faith, and happiness are all very important too, but how do we eat, or pay rent, or go to the doctor without having money? Until we change society dramatically, money will always be number two on a scale of importance, with air being number one.

That doesn't mean that money should be one's only reason for existence as that would be a weird and unnatural form of money worshipping. To function in society we have to have a certain amount of money to operate comfortably. That could mean $250 per week or $800 per week depending on your circumstances and your location. Anything above that survival amount is less important than your health, your family, your happiness, your friends, and your spiritual life. Anything below that amount becomes a struggle for survival and should avoided at all costs.

 Money is not the Root of all Evil

Many people form their opinions about money from an early age. Unfortunately this means that many untruths get picked up from those in our life that mean well. One of the biggest untruths is that money is evil and the cause of all our problems. This may have come from our parents or religious authorities or mentors trying to teach us their beliefs. 

True, money has been involved in many of society's problems, but it is really the people that are causing the problems. Money is really just a tool that is used and abused by people. While there are many people willing to kill or die for money, there are more people using money to heal the sick and feed the poor. 

A good person will do good with money, while a bad person will usually do evil. A knife shouldn't be labeled evil because of a few bad people using them incorrectly.

 Money can buy Happiness

Another common term that money has been burdened with is that it can't buy happiness. This is partly true yet mostly false. It is quite possible to have very little money and live a very happy and fulfilled life. But if you have less money than is required for survival and the bills are coming in, your landlord is chasing you, and your children are hungry.. how happy would you be?

I'm as hippy as the next dreadlocked, organic eating, environmentalist at a music festival chanting, but I believe that money can increase my happiness. It makes me happy to give to friends, to own a house, to eat organic foods, to provide for my family, to wear comfortable clothes, and to drive a car that is friendlier to the environment. 

Look at the two richest men in the world as an example. Bill Gates is finding his greatest happiness in giving his money to those that are less fortunate. His friend Warren Buffett has pledged to give the majority of his fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. They are working on solving some of the biggest problems in society because they have the money to do it. Very few wealthy people find happiness in clinging to their great fortunes. They find happiness in providing for their families, their community, and even solving global issues like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates are doing.

 Increase your Money

Even if you do believe that money is evil and that money can't buy happiness, it is hard to argue that your life would not be better if you had a little more money. You may not want a million dollar home or a hundred thousand dollar sports car, but being able to pay the bills on time and eating good food should be the starting point for any happy individual. 

There are ways to increase the amount of money you have with very little sacrifice to your current lifestyle. There are ways that are so simple that most people disregard the advice because they think money is not that easy to acquire. You don't needs accountants and financial advisors or even a large income to start becoming wealthy. All you need is commitment, persistence, and time to have more money.

 Keep 10 Percent of Your Money

The path to becoming wealthy starts with keeping at least 10 percent of all you earn. It's a rule that is ignored only by those with no money. The ten percent is not for holidays or fast cars or a bigger house, but for investing in assets that produce an income and/or increase in value. As your total income increases, your ten percent increases and your tiny amounts that you first started saving each week become larger and larger. Your wealth snowballs with time. 

If you are not wealthy I can guarantee you that you don't use this technique. If you are wealthy, there's a good chance that used this technique or something very similar. George S. Clason wrote a little book of money parables called the Richest Man in Babylon. It's a book that should be essential reading for everyone that has less than $10,000 in the bank.

"Money is one of the most important subjects of your entire life. Some of life's greatest enjoyments and most of life's greatest disappointments stem from your decisions about money. Whether you experience great peace of mind or constant anxiety will depend on getting your finances under control." Robert G Allen Quote