The Importance of Money: A Means To an End or End in Itself?
I am sure everyone, at least once in their lifetime, has wondered how important money is to them. Is money a means to an end or the end in itself? Everyone will have their personal opinions about how important money is and whether money will make them happy, and I respect that, but here are my thoughts on money.
Money has never been my main concern; yes I see the irony of having a personal finance blog, but that’s not important here. Although I see and understand the need for money, there is only so much I am willing to give up for it. I am not willing to sacrifice my happiness and freedom to obtain Financial Freedom. I subscribe to the idea that money can not buy you happiness; to me there are things that are far more important than having money, things like spending time with family and loved ones and enjoying your career.
Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.— Jim Rohn
Being a millionaire means nothing to me if my loved ones and I are unhappy. If I live in a $4.5million villa but hate what I do everyday for nine or ten hours that villa will be my prison and I’ll be enslaved to the dollar. If I have to work fifteen hours a day and never get time to spend with family and friends and spend that money, than what good does it do? I am not saying that I do not want money or that money does not matter, because money does matter, but it should not be the primary goal.
Money, if it does not bring you happiness, will at least help you be miserable in comfort.—Helen Gurley Brown
I would rather work for less money but more satisfaction and happiness; I do not need the latest gadgets or luxury cars and homes. I can live in a small apartment drive an eight year old Honda and work for a small company as long as I enjoy what I do and am not afraid to wake up in the morning to go to work. I love waking up at 7 am every morning and working on this blog, I enjoy talking to fellow bloggers via email and twitter. It’s a great feeling when I reply to a reader and help them with their situation without any expectations to return the favor. I enjoy reading other blogs and the news. The income is not the greatest (well yet) not nearly close to full time job, but the satisfaction is priceless. Don’t get me wrong working in the financial industry has been great, but not nearly as satisfying as this blog or some of my past projects.
You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you.—Ruth Smeltzer
One might think that I am rich and therefore can afford to say this and others may believe that I have never been poor so do not know what its like to not have money. I can assure you both that I am not rich and I have been poor. I have lived on an income much below the poverty line and there have been days where we only had one meal a day, so I understand what it feels like to not have. But those days have passed and now I have a car, savings and investments, I go on trips and have 5 meals a day (Yes I know!) and love what I do. I could probably make much more if I decide on another career path, but I doubt I would be as happy.
While money can’t buy happiness, it certainly lets you choose your own form of misery—-Unknown
I had a family member who had a six figure income, lived in a 7 bedroom mansion drove a new Lexus every 2 years, but worked fifteen hours a day and hated what he did. Several years ago he had a heart attack and passed away at a very young age. What did he leave behind? He left a big home and a lot of money for his family, but that’s all. His children do not remember much about him, they really do not know who their father was, and they have no memories of him to share. I am sure he worked this hard for his family, but it makes me wonder if that is what they really wanted? Would they not rather have their father back? Or at least have some memories with him?
Waste your money and you’re only out of money, but waste your time and you’ve lost a part of your life. —Michael Leboeuf
Sometimes it is necessarily to work extended hours and take on a job you do not enjoy in order to get out of a situation such as large debt or to get the career you do enjoy, but this should not be a lifestyle. You should not make a career of something you do not like just because it pays better and one should not give up their happiness in pursuit of money. After all it’s just money!
It’s good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it’s good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven’t lost the things that money can’t buy. –George Horace Lorimer
What I learned is that money comes and goes (hopefully comes more than it goes) but what stays is memories with your family and friends and from where I stand no amount of money can buy that. Money is a means to an end and should never be the end in itself, at least for me. What about you?
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There are 14 comments to "The Importance of Money: A Means To an End or End in Itself?".
It is apparent to me that something is stirring in this (once) great country of ours… I call it “The Money Revolution”.
Abundance rarely brings anything other than increased sorrows… whereas… frugality breeds morality, appreciation, consideration, etc.
More & more people are finally realizing that money cannot bring them the happiness they crave. I think people said they believed this before, but now it has turned into something they are actually starting to live!
Personally, I see money as a means to an end. I want certain things, and money is necessary to enjoy them. Happily, though, money is only needed to provide me with a safe and comfortable (albeit modest) home, food to eat and the ability to visit friends and family. And to buy books sometimes 😉 Other than that, I don’t need much at all. Indeed, we spend less than our income, and we live a generally frugal lifestyle. Money is necessary, but it isn’t the only thing. And once our basics are covered, we find that we have richness in being together and enjoying the simple things.
I think that once one has a certain level of money to provide for a life with options, then heck yeah – money won’t get you much further after a while. Depending upon what each person wants to do, this level could vary somewhat. But if you still don’t know where next month’s rent is coming from, or worse, have only enough to pay for rent and food… I think it’s much harder to ignore money.
I agree that money is simply a means to an end. I like the things that money buys, but they are not the most important things in life. No amount of money in the world can buy back time with your kids when they are little or a lost love. We certainly have to be careful to set our priorities correctly to avoid regrets later in life. Money is good, but other things are better!
Unfortunately, my life experiences have taught me somewhat differently. Even though I do think money is the means to an end I must say it has more significance to me then most of you who commented. Growing up I was a strong feminist and watched as some women continued to live in rather compromising situations because of their lack of an alternative. Over time I realized that money can buy one more then just material things; it can buy one freedom, the right to have a say in the household, the right to buy things that bring happiness to those around them, and the right to walk away from any relationship if need be. I understand that an education and good experience can mean that one can get favorable employment and hence do not have to worry about money; but I think having money is integral to one’s freedom. For this I am willing to work very hard and spend very little so that I have sufficient money so that I am never financially dependent on another human being and don’t have to ever live in any compromising situations. So maybe for me money is more than just the means to an end!
Thanks for sharing your views everyone!! seems like we are developing 2 camps which is great for discussion :)… I think everyone has makes some good points…
@ Matt I agree with your statement that many SAY they believe money won’t bring them happiness, but when looking closer money has become such an important part of their lives and all their “happiness” depends on it.
@Miranda I think you hit the nail on the head!
@ Jeff “money can’t buy time” couldnt agree more
@ MoneyEnergy I see your point and agree to a sense but here is my view on it ones your happiness is tied to money than no amount of money will be satisfying, you’ll always want more options and new things therefore more money ….
@ Recessionista— interesting points you bring up and I can understand your situation. One thing I think is important that I did not mention in the post is that your past experience with money is crucial to how you view money. I respect your opinion but i will give you my view on your comment, i get from the post is that almost everything depends on money for you “it can buy one freedom, ” Seems like almost everything depends on money, Your freedom depends on money! It begs the question: what kinda of freedom will that be if it depends on money? maybe you will be “independent” from others but now you are dependent on money you are enslaved to money.
“the right to have a say in the household, the right to buy things that bring happiness to those around them, ” Buy things that bring happiness to those around you….uumm again you are happiness depends on material goods….is that real happiness?
“and the right to walk away from any relationship if need be.” This makes me wonder if you were in the relationship because of money…why would you need money to walk away from a relationship unless you are depended on money…if you happiness is more important than money you can just get up and walk out of a relationship…money should never be a reason to get in, stay or walkout of a relationship.
it seems like the center of everything is money, but ones you learn and understand that money is not what you make it out to be you will achieve real FREEDOM….
Ray
I do apologize for I may have not been clear in my explanation because you are very much mistaken. As for depending on money, one depends on money until they have enough so that the money works for them and continuously grows. Hence I want to earn a lot and then let it grow and accumulate. With buying things for people around you I was referring to necessities and little things that bring happiness. This can be having enough to feed your children or enough to buy birthday presents for their friends. And yes if you’ve been around kids you know that their happiness sometimes does depend on a little money. Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to have a great partner in life – unlike myself. At times people are stuck in abusive relationship simply because they know that they don’t have any other means to but food on the table for their kids – welfare may not be an option. It’s not about being in a relationship for money but having enough to take your kids and knowing that you’d not have to sacrifice their wants and needs or their safety in order by walking away. I hope this makes it a little more clear.
Money is important, yes, it’s not the only thing in life, but it’s important. Being able to wake up, work on your own stuff, without depending on a monthly salary is great for your happiness. But…that is just accomplished when you can sustain the lives of your wife and kids in a certainly good way (good schooling, good medical care, etc), and obviously your life also. When you have achieved that without depending on a monthly salary, then yes you become certainly happy with life and lower the priority of money. Before accomplishing that? You certainly have to reach a state of economic prosperity that might take some years or even decades to accomplish, in the meanwhile you have to work your ass off.
just my 2 cents.
Money is just a means to an end as money can help fill a host of material needs. But learning to be content is far more important – love from family and friends, good health, time to spend with loved ones. This outweighs being the wealthiest but the loneliest man in town. Though money can buy status, friendship or even save you out from a sticky situation, all these evaporated once your money varnished. Once time invested in love and quality friendship could last eternally.
Greetings,
Can you be happy without money? Absolutely. This can be pretty hard to accept given what society teaches us. The importance of the information in this post can’t be over emphasized. In my blog at http://www.easymoneyeasylife.com I explore this in depth. Everyone should read this post Ray. Have you ever read brief statement by Victor Lebow on consumerism (if not you can read it on my blog post, “The Story of Stuff”). It’s shocking and we’re doing exactly what he quoted. Frankly it is the cause of immense unhappiness for many, many people. Money is just a tool to facilitate trade. It can and should bring you a better life but instead it’s meaning has been distorted. Thanks Ray for helping people gain perspective. I work to do the same on my Blog.
Archie
Wow Amazing, this is quite the article, if my husband was only that considerate, im his second wife i have children of my own who are grown, his are grown as well and there are grandchildren involved, understanding his past families struggles and what we all go through, this man loves money more than anything, he is more worried about paying the bills than my health, than happiness, and he is a very inconsiderate man and a christian, he has been in business for 25 years and controls all money and aspects of life, has no interest in family, now that business is not doing so well he is even worse now, no matter what i do as a wife he is NEVER EVER, happy, and not even with God, he has been very succesful in life, and it is sad that everyone loves him but he does not love us he loves money, again thanks so much for your article it brought joy to me, blessings,
Hi,
Not a problem that is unique !
Your patience and perseverance and tolerance and whatever virtues you possess are put to test by the One Above ! There is a dictum quoted by Lord Krishna, one of the deities of the Hindu religion, which says, ” Whatever happens, it happens for good; Whatever has happened, has happened for good and whatever will happen, will also happen for good !”
To exemplify, because of the nuclear bombs, Radiation Medicine or Oncological Medicine developed providing a means to treat Cancer victims ! Another example : Because of the prolonged starvation among the stranded sailors who developed Vitamin deficiency diseases, the Vitamins and their significance was discovered ! Blah, blah, blah !
So, the answer is ‘Silence and Patience and Tolerance’ until the One Above shows the Green Signal ! May the Lord Jupiter shower his blessings on you and give you strength !
With all the best wishes and good luck,
Votre ami.
One of the major factors in human disappointment is ‘expectation’ ! Whenever expectation is the motive, the clouds of disappointment loom large ! So it is best not to expect anything from anyone at anytime ! This particularly applies to material gains ! One ought to remember that when we came into this world, we came naked ie. with nothing, and when we depart, we depart the same way, ie. with nothing ! Everything belongs to Him ! Just as He has loaned us the gift of life on the condition that He will take it back whenever it pleases Him, He also has loaned us the finances as per our ‘wealth line on our palms’ which remains here when we depart ! So what are we moaning about ! Let us just be thankful to Him for everything that He has so kindly given us to enjoy the good life and keep on smiling !
Amen !