Money is like time—you don’t have too little, you have what you have and need to use it wisely. The trick is making what you have enough and that is mostly a matter of attitude.I was asked to repeat a workshop at a conference that had been well received the previous year. To my surprise, a woman who had attended that earlier workshop showed up for my repeat performance. She was a memorable, feisty, committed lady who had no problem speaking up and disagreeing with me. When I asked why she was there again she responded, “I listened to you and started saying ‘no’ to my family, to the church and at work. Of course I don’t say ‘no’ to everything, but I pick and choose now and think about what I want to do and how I want to use my time. Now I want to hear what else you have to say.”
I had to listen to my own advice when I was asked to serve on the board of an organization I respect. They do great work and I would have liked the opportunity to get to know the other board members better and to help them with their efforts. However, I’m not one of those people who cannot just have my name listed on a committee or board without making a real commitment of time and energy. So, after much deliberation, I turned it down. I realized that it was going to be take too much time away from my personal life. Would it be helpful for you to reallocate your time and money so there’s more for the things and people that matter most—including yourself? What would be the first step to do that?
Money Saving Tip
Should you do something yourself instead of hiring someone in order to save money? It’s not worth it if:
- Safety is an issue—if you don’t know about electricity or load-bearing walls don’t chance it.
- Special equipment—if special equipment is required consider the cost of renting it or buying it and how much time it will take to learn to use it correctly.
- Family stress—if it will take weeks, months or years to do it yourself and it means your life will be chaotic, the family stress may not be worth the financial savings.
What made you smile today?
What made you proud of your money choices today?
