A Simple Thought: Money
 

I have to get this thought in writing. It's messy but here goes.

Is saving money a measure of worry?

After a certain point of saving probably yes for many of us.

Could also be a sign of optimism, it just depends on conditions and outlook.

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I find that having enough money saved to cover emergencies and contingencies results in a shitload less worry and stress than back when I was living paycheck to paycheck.

2nd that.


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Spending money responsibly used to be a measure of maturity, responsibility and looked upon as a virtue. I say "used to be" because I'm not sure it still is viewed that way.

Congress is a bad example. People are sheep. Unrestrained Consumerism.

I'm not referring to Congress. I'm referring to folk's changing attitudes about money.

So was I. Attitudes change for a reason or two.

Interesting. Your perception of spending money seems to harmonize with the 20th century American expression of "whatever it takes". The phrase was a catch-all that I first heard in Michigan during the 1980s. In the context of spending, it seemed to be an expression of wanting to do a part in helping the community keep working. The book "Deer Hunting with Jesus" reminded me of the phrase and did a nice job of capturing the mindset associated with that phrase.

When I posted the question the other night my mind was humming along with a slightly different tune. It was a discordant hum that strained to harmonize success in the context of happiness vs success in the context of wealth. The underlying beat was the recurring statement from people that are successful in the context of wealth. It seems that interviewers always ask them how they managed to be brave enough to take the risk, and the successful people always answer that they are actually risk averse. In other words they became wealthy because they were worried.

Without measuring opinions, my take away from this thread is that saving reduces worry up to the point it covers rainy day expenses. That is the mindset that I grew up with.

Human machinations can only weather so big a storm. Mother Nature always wins.

I dunno. Just thinking out loud.

Peace!