Coming in hot from the finance guy….
In all seriousness, we have a very complex relationship with money. We need money for necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter. Some folks live within their means and others have “champagne tastes on a Miller Lite budget”.
I was recently honored to present at St Mother Theresa’s “Living Well” speaker series. This year’s theme is relationships thus my focus on the one we have with money.
Money has three basic functions: store of value, unit of account, and medium of exchange.
The earliest origins of money can be traced to the present country of Turkey in 7th century BC. It’s been around for quite some time.
My presentation touched on other items such as: time, budgeting, time value of money, investments, and moral conscience.
One of the most interesting discussion topic centered around the question: “Is Money The Root of All Evil?”
The answers are not totally straightforward, but generally:
Money alone is not evil
• Accumulation of wealth/money is not evil.
• Money can be a positive motivator.
• Money can facilitate good deeds.
• Obsession with wealth, money, consumer goods is a not good.
• Wealth Shaming is a form of evil. For example:
Poor people are not lazy
Rich people didn’t become rich by taking advantage of others.
We discussed budgeting as important function of business and personal finance. We are all familiar with budgeting income and expenses. In addition, many businesses and individuals budget donations for common good causes such as the arts, public gardens, or the Red Cross. Budgeting for rainy days or unforeseen expense(s) is important as well.
Budgeting for interest on debt can be a really good thing. Taking on debt to grow a business or buy a home is a great use of other people’s money. In fact, most businesses cannot grow without a credit facility. Using debt to generate sustainable cash flow or asset appreciation allows for charitable giving. In contrast, servicing high interest debt to satisfy obsession with consumer goods isn’t the best use of debt.
Budgeting time is just as important as money. Time for work, sleep, and meals are baked in our day. Budgeting time for our health, family, volunteering, and general well-being need to be prioritized. You know what they say about all work and no play. Frankly all play isn’t good either.
For those interested in learning more about this topic, please contact me and I will be happy to discuss and share the slides.
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