We have all heard the sayings

"Money doesn't buy happiness"

“Money is the root of all evil"

"Rich people are crooks"

I have engaged in these philosophical discussions many times and I am starting to think that these are just things that poor people say to make themselves feel better about being poor. It really is sad when people are affected in a negative way because of money - either too much or too little of it. 

It has been said that having large sums of money will just amplify the type of person you already are. If you are shallow and petty, you will become even more so with wealth. Inversely, if you are generous and grateful you will have the opportunity to be those things on a grand scale once your ship come in. There really is no inherent "trait" that will be bestowed upon those with money. Money is neutral and indifferent. 

But the fact is, we live in a world of money. Our modern society is driven by commerce, money and supply and demand. Whether you like it or not, this is reality. Just like the article I have posted about in the past,

People only value you for what you can do for them 

..it is a hard pill to swallow. But, if you understand and accept this fact, you can work with it. It gives you more power to make a positive difference in your life. The same applies to money. If you accept that money makes the world go round, you will understand that earning, keeping, and growing your wealth is a cornerstone to a happy existence. Yes, there are some people who have made it their life's mission to live a simple, stoic existence. That is fine. The point here is to not NEED money or more specifically, to not worry about money. If you are living your life everyday doing what you want without worry then you are living the dream. The problem is most people are not experiencing this state of being. They are worried about paying the bills. They are trying to adopt a lifestyle that they have been told is the "right way to live' and are trying to conform to the "American dream" of happy Flintstone-esque middle-class values but might not have the proper means to do so. Making money is hard, unless you know what you are doing, and you have to give the proper amount of thought, energy and commitment to that end.

It is easy to just go to work at our dreary jobs and bring home our paycheck, hoping that it will be enough to pay the bills. This is normal for a lot of people, but it is becoming increasingly foolish, especially as the world changes. Things are getting harder. Inflation has made the middle class suburban lifestyle more and more difficult to maintain. The cost of housing, education and energy has far outgrown our salaries. It is no longer easy to buy a house, car and raise a family on a single paycheck, let alone a blue-collar salary like our parents could. There are no more pensions. There is too many conveniences that are waiting for you at the press of a button to eat up your spending money without you really being aware of it, as digital money is far easier to part with than paper money.
We need to make money, personal finance and investing a major priority in our lives. This is not a luxury anymore, this is survival. We need to know exactly how much we make, how much we spend and how much we can afford. We need to seriously consider our lifestyle choices and determine whether or not we can pay for them them or not. We need to have a plan and stick to it. Flying by the seat of our pants is less likely to result in a positive outcome anymore. We need to get serious about our personal finances. 

This does not mean you have to become a CPA or get your MBA online. This just means you need to give it due attention. You need to work your plan. 

Create a Budget

Budgeting is something that gurus have been telling you to do for a long time. Everyone hates doing it and really hate sticking to it. I know I do. But it is necessary. We can not get ahead unless we have a reasonable and consistent GAP between what we earn and what we spend. This takes an amount of self-discipline that is starting to be fairly uncommon amongst modern folks. Our grandparents were amazing at it because they had no choice. We need to work hard at it. The good news is there are a myriad of ways to grow your wealth once you have that extra cash available every month.

Invest

At the very least, invest in a retirement savings plan like a 401K, ROTH IRA or RRSP. This is the very start. If you do nothing else, this is essential. You will thank yourself, because, barring any unforeseeable circumstances, you are going to get old. Then, if you are building your retirement income on a consistent basis, you can venture into more advanced methods of investing, which my work teaches, and the great works of others that came before me.  

Multiple Streams of Income

This is the real key to wealth. Get your money working for you and earn money while you sleep. This is the only way to leverage your time and get the true effect of compounding working in your life. The key term here is passive income, which is simply your hard earned money working for you behind the scenes. These are a ton of ways to do this. My website is chock-full of resources for you in they regard. Go crazy..

Start a side-hustle

This is a money making venture that you do in the evenings and on weekends. This is your dream business or a money-making hobby that you do for the pure joy of it, or as a way to supplement your current income. By having a side hustle, you are expanding your money earning abilities by gaining a new skillset, and gaining a newfound freedom. If you went to your normal job everyday with the understanding that you really didn't NEED to go there, you would have a whole new attitude about it. You would be less likely to make decisions that just "cover your ass" and do what is right. You will stop kissing the bosses ass and start doing things because they are the right thing to do. Making work choices out of fear of retribution vs. Pure conscientiousness is night and day, and your superiors will take notice. It is very empowering to be able to say "no" when a request is unreasonable or morally suspect. It is amazing to do your best work for the satisfaction of doing it well instead of trying to climb the corporate ladder. Doing work well with enthusiasm will produce incredible results in spite of the paycheck. In the event you have an unreasonable or tyrannical boss, you now can stand up to him/her, or move on to greener pastures without worrying that you will not be able to pay your bills. 

Having money coming in from multiple sources gives you that power. 

Freedom to make your own decisions. 

Freedom to spend your time as you choose. 

These are incredible gifts that money can offer you and that, sadly, many people do not have the luxury of ever experiencing. This feeling of freedom and self-efficacy is possible by taking your financial plan seriously and giving it the attention it deserves. 

I am not saying become greedy, or corrupt. I am not a believer in "profit above all". I am just suggesting that money and the proper management of it has the power to affect your whole life and, to a massive degree, your happiness. We all need to feel like we have control over our destiny. We all need to feel like we have a purpose. We all need to believe that we are sovereign beings. Submersed in an ocean of capitalism we need to have a firm grasp on our money management habits in order to assist in gaining the aforementioned feelings. We are free to have our own priorities and philosophies about how we treat people and the more subtle life skills that bring us joy. Family time, personal growth, love, safety and adventure are all important components of a full life, but money is the lubricant that brings them to us with more ease. If you have money you have more time. If you have more time, you have the ability to focus on these "more important" things. Otherwise you will have all of your mental, physical and spiritual energy being spent on "earning a living" and have nothing left for the "more important" things. 

My books and courses can offer you a plan to make money a priority and learn how to make the most of your current income. Freedom can be yours, you just have to make it a priority and give it the necessary attention.