What’s Your Connection with Money?

Money … Jonathon Clements wrote in his book How to Think About Money, “There is a connection between money and happiness, but the relationship is far messier than most people imagine.”  He was so right, money is very complicated because it means different things to different people.

One of my favorite movies is The Man from Snowy River. It’s a great movie you may have never seen. The young man in the movie came from meager means barely surviving when he lost his father and was forced to leave his mountain home in search of work. He ends up on the Harrison ranch where he meets the daughter Jessica. Jessica is a young woman of privilege.

In one interaction Jessica expresses disdain for all she has while the young man Jim calls her childish because he knows the “lack of” money.  You see, we all come to the table with different experiences and they shape our view.  Views on money are no different.  If you’ve lived a time in your life when there was a lot more month left after the paycheck was spent, saving becomes a priority because you never want to have that feeling again.

If on the other hand you come from a background where your needs were always met, then someone’s fears who spent time scrabbling to get by seem irrational.  What are your views on money?  Is there something from your past that still haunts you today?

Growing wealth is actually quite simple; live below your means, save, and take on debt cautiously. It’s dealing with the space between our ears that makes it complicated …