Why I Love Money and You Should Too

Money is a taboo topic in this day and age.  And loving money is practically verboten.  But it shouldn't be.  There are so many benefits of having money, that there is no reason why everyone shouldn't love money.

Not only does having money keep your belly full and a roof over your head, it gives you peace of mind.  If you are constantly counting your coins, you don't actually have the time to enjoy life.  

"Stop and smell the roses" is more like "stop and count your money before the bill collector comes."

Money is something I believe is not talked about often enough.  If people talked more about money, maybe there'd be a better understanding of money itself.  

The mysteries of how to make money and keep it wouldn't be so mysterious.  Maybe then you would see a healthy middle class instead of the shrinking one we see today.

But I digress.  Back to the benefits of having money.  I am not saying that money is beneficial for the things it can buy but more so for the lifestyle it can give and the options it opens up for you.

Here are my top 5 reasons to love money.  The number 1 reason is the why I am pursuing financial independence and FIRE to begin with.  It is why I am working 3 jobs+ and blogging on top of that. 

It's my motivation.  And I know it will be yours too.

5. Money Brings Respect

"Money, power, respect. What you need in life...  You'll see the light.  It's the key to life." -  The Lox (feat. Lil Kim and DMX)

Ayyy! That was the jam back in the day!  And while I do not back picking up chicks and buying cars that glide, I must admit they were on to something.  (Full disclosure: I totally just hit up youtube).  

In all seriousness, money is a reflection of your hardwork, your effort, and your contribution to society.  So it is only natural that where money goes respect is sure to follow.

Take Oprah for example.  She is someone who has lived through the struggle.  She grew up poor and look at the empire she has amassed now.

And she did this through her hardwork and dedication.  Her dedication to something greater than herself.  Her vision of a better society.

And let's be real, who doesn't want to be Oprah?

4. Money Brings Power

As I am writing this, I am really realizing that The Lox was really on to something.  Who would've thought a rap song could be so right!

Another one of the many benefits of having money is that it gives you power in your life.  Growing up in a household where we pretty much lived paycheck to paycheck, I understand how it can make you feel powerless.  

Even if you hate it, you are tied to your job forever.  You can't quit because then how would you survive?

But when you have enough money set aside that you can live off, when you are not tied to your paycheck or your job, you have power.  You don't have to take on work that you do not want to and it is empowering. 

This is the power that money brings.

3. Money Brings Control

This one kind of relates to power because when you have control over your life, you, consequently, have power.  No longer do you have to work at a job you hate.  

Nor are you forced to take what life gives you.  When you have money, you have options.

So many of us do not have the option of where we live or where we go to school.  We live in a bad neighborhood.  Why?  Because we don't have the money to move uptown. 

We go to the public school down the street.  Why?  Because it's free.  We may not go to a 4 year college.  Why?  Because we don't have the money to pay those exhorbitant fees.

Without money, you no longer have control over your life.  You cannot buy the food you want, live where you want, nor go to the school you want.  Your choices are limited by the amount of money you have.

Now I don't know about you, but I prefer to have options.  And in order to gain that level of control, you are going to need money.

2. Money Brings Peace of Mind

One of the main benefits of having money is that it gives you peace of mind.  This is a big one for me.  I want to have enough money that I don't have to worry about how I'm going to pay rent next month.  Or worry about having enough food for me and my family.

Furthermore, if there were to be an accident or something were to come up, I want to rest assured that I have enough money to go to the hospital, or support a loved one.

Having money allows you to live without all the stress and worry.  And with stress being linked to so many diseases and health problems, you'll definitely want to limit that.

With money, you can pay your bills and provide for your family with ease. You can do the things you love and not feel guilty about it.  You can go through life feeling confident that no matter what life throws at you, at least, you are covered financially.

Truly, peace of mind is worth its weight in gold.

1. Money Brings Freedom

Freedom. Don't you just love the sound of that? FREEDOM!  Music to my ears.  It is by far and away the number one benefit of having money.  This is my reason for pursuing FIRE.  I want real freedom.

All those other reasons I listed earlier can kick rocks when compared to this.  Sure they are all wonderful benefits of having money but this right here takes the cake.

For those of you who know me, I love to travel.  I love exploring other cultures and getting to know new people.  And having money allows me to do this. 

Money gives you the freedom to live life on your own terms.  You get to decide what job you take.  Or where you live.  You get to decide how you spend your day and who you spend it with.  

Just imagine being able to wake up and do the things you want to do.  To take each day and fully enjoy it.

So I have a little rewrite for that Lox song, money may bring you power and respect but "Freedom is the key to life".

All in All

With all these reasons to love money, why aren't more people excited about it? Why aren't more people talking about it?  

It is a shame that talking about money is so taboo when there are so many benefits to having money.  It is key to living the life you've always dreamed!  So why is it taboo?

We don't have to allow it to be that way.  Let's bring money back.  Start having these talks with family and friends and start learning more about money.  We all need it.  We all use it.  The least we can do is stop pretending that it doesn't exist.