Common Sense, Effective Money Principles
Over the last several years, Ivy and I have uncovered some money principles that we have found to be true and helpful for us:
- Recognize that the best things in life--and most of the good things--don't require any money (e.g. walking around outside; visiting family and friends; reading books from library; conversation)
- Cultivate an interest in the things that require less, or minimal, money (e.g. have friends over for dinner instead of automatically going out to eat; listen to itunes radio instead of buying new cds)
- Live below your means, avoid debt and save (e.g. it required some degree of inconvenience but we successfully have had one car the last five years)
- Be an owner--and a seller (of real estate or business interests that go up in value and then sell them for a profit; e.g., real estate or business equity)
- Recognize that consumption does not equal happiness or satisfaction (Ivy is much better at applying this than me. It is radically counter-cultural to choose NOT to spend money on something to have fun. But we find that when we do something that requires more effort on our part, it's often more satisfying: e.g., cooking your own food; reading an unread book you already own rather than buying a new one)