UNITED STATES—It is not easy, but it is something that every American struggles with, money. Money is a commodity that is quite decisive. It can control you and you can control people with it. Yes, there are people who don’t want to hear that people utilize money to control others. However, the reality is that people do it all the time, even though we like to act as if it doesn’t exist.
I’ve done something as of late that has made me quite happy to say the least. I haven’t spent much money except for the basic necessities. I thought this would be a difficult process, but I’m learning after three weeks, this could become a bit of a norm for me and I’m confident I can turn it into something even more successful in the coming weeks as I continue to build up more into my savings.
Americans are destined to want things. I don’t care what anyone says, it is in our DNA; it is in our innate nature to want things, and we all have our guilty pleasures. It could be pampering yourself beauty wise, it could be that expensive tea or coffee, it could be eating at nice restaurants or the fine-dining experience, it could be music, movies, art, gadgets, concerts, shopping, clothing, the list goes on and on.
When you work hard for your money, you feel almost forced to spend it on yourself in some sort of fashion. Why? It is a sign that you’re treating yourself and not just spending all your money on bills and basic necessities to live on a daily basis. Someone recently asked me what they should do if they’re getting a tax return this year? I didn’t have a definitive answer for them, I told them what I planned to do with my tax return, which was to pay off some debt and save.
I recently had an epiphany while cleaning up my closet and doing some organizing, I have a lot of stuff. I recently donated a ton of things, and it just hit me, I was compensating as an adult with all the things I had purchased in recent years. I think it was my way of making up for the lack of things that I didn’t have as a child growing up.
In addition, it ultimately hits you that you can’t wear every single pair of shoes that you have, you can’t wear all those pairs of jeans at once, the same with those coats, watches, jewelry, purses, and so much of that other crap that we buy in abundance only to realize at the end of the day it is just stuff. It is just stuff. You are happy the moment you purchase the item, only hours later to have that natural high dissipate.
I have become happy being disciplined with my money and the realization that I have time to do other things. Time is more important than money because that is the one commodity you cannot get back. Once that time is gone, it is gone America, there is no second, third or fourth chances. However, it does raise the odd dichotomy that when you have more money you ultimately have more time.
Which is true? You’re not working excessively long hours to earn money to survive on basic needs of housing, food and clothing. It sounds strange, but that is the truth America, those are your basic needs and then you of course have electricity, water and heat and anything else beyond that is simply an extra perk.
I do want to go back to the tax return issue because many Americans will get one this year and a lot of the time it’s a massive amount of money that is not expected at a single time. Most Americans splurge with that money, very few save and put it into their 401k or IRA for a rainy day or for the future. It can be hard to discipline one’s self when it comes to money, but at the same time, it is nice to treat yourself which you do have to do every blue moon. You can’t just work without feeling like doing something for your self as a sign of all your hard work.
It goes back to my saying in life when it comes to money, “Don’t allow your money to control you, you control the money.” When you allow money to have control over you it will always lose because you’ve given it all the power, when the actual power is yours to begin with, it all hinges on you reminding yourself of that.
Written By Jason Jones
