Image via WikipediaWritten by Karen D. Swim
“As she rounded the second flight of stairs, she caught sight of something on the step. Folded green paper. She paused, leaned over. Twenty dollars. As her fingers brushed the bill, a current of air swirled behind her.
The man looked down at her body, sprawled awkwardly over the steps. A twenty placed at eye level. A human trap.”
The passage above is from the fictional book, “Exit Strategy,” written by Kelley Armstrong (This author apparently writes otherwordly fiction but this particular book is a good old fashioned murder mystery). In this passage a serial killer uses a folded twenty to divert a victim’s attention. This particular victim was on her way to work and had already been reminded of her money problems. As she mentally ran through solutions to help her afford a new dress, the money appeared in her path. Transfixed by the bill, and laughing at her good fortune she never looked above or below her to ensure she was safe in a deserted stairwell. Her focus was on the money alone.
While you may not meet an end as bleak as the one described in this fiction read, it is possible to fall prey to this very real human trap. We are besieged with the promise of easy riches. We live in a day and age where anyone can seemingly be rich or famous. Videos, emails, and advertisements place dollars at eye level in hopes that you will take the hook. If the opportunity for money intersects with your point of need, you may be tempted to grab that dangling carrot, without considering the consequences. And yes, there are consequences, and a real danger if you do not raise your eyes above eye level.
Money plays a big role in all of our lives. It is the trading commodity used to buy the goods and services that we need and want. We must be prudent with how we spend, save and invest this commodity. Our checkbooks are a mirror to our soul as they reveal what is truly important in our lives. Yet, how we make that money is an equally important decision that should not be made based on dollar signs and decimal points alone.
Before you reach for the money, here are three things you should consider:
- What strings are attached to the currency? Let’s face it there’s always a string! You may not see them all at once but they are there. A large salary may have a string attached to lots of travel and time away from your family. A business opportunity may be attached to giving up sole control. You cannot avoid the strings but you can choose which ones you will allow in your life.
- Who’s holding the cash (and strings)? I have known many people who reached for the money only to discover later that they were in business with a boss, investor or partner who neither shared their vision nor values. The promise of financial relief quickly gave way to misery. It is easy to make a financial decision but harder to walk away from one.
- Is the face value the real value? I learned this lesson early in my corporate career. I added up the hours I was working and discovered that my six figure salary was not so attractive after all. With the hours I was working, my hourly salary was equivalent to flipping burgers. As an entrepreneur you may take a client job that seems valuable only to realize it would have been more profitable to walk away.
It’s nice to believe that money comes easy but in reality it rarely happens that way. Even lottery winners have had to make trade-offs for their windfall. Most unprepared for the “easy” riches end up broke again. I am definitely not anti-money but believe that when you allow money alone to motivate your decisions you may end up with a pocketful of regret.
Have you ever made a decision based on money that you later regretted? How do you maintain balance when making decisions that involve money? Add your two cents (or twenty dollars) right there in the comments. Your money is good here. 😉
Dollar bill stair image ©Alexander Dolgin | Dreamstime.com
Karen,
I’ve got a job with a regular income which is okay with me. There are some things I can enjoy without spending much money (walks in the park, lending books from the library), but there are certain things which afford to have money – going to exhibitions, having a nice meal with people I like to be with, going to a Yoga club and doing something for my health. It is not that much money for me; but I have a lot of friends, especially women, which live on very little money , and for them it would be difficult to do these things I just mentioned…
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Water lilies
Karen, I like your opening very much. Interesting topic you brought up too! It’s not money that is evil; it is the constant craving for it! It’s when we lose all sense, kill, fight, backstab, etc in the name of money and therefore, not serving humanity.
Evelyn Lim | Attraction Mind Maps last blog post..Walk On Water With 7 Magic Stones
Friar, rofl! Your last two points are so true!!! LOL! I had a $200k salary and I didn’t hate it, but I also did not hate the work. If I hated the work and never saw my husband then I would have wanted out. But when it was over I did realize I was really tired.
E, thank you, thank you thank you! Money is definitely the shiny thing in the road and while I am easily distracted by bright shiny objects, money kicks in my caution radar. 🙂 Nothing against it I just prefer to rule it rather than the other way around.
Brad, what a great perspective from the customer perspective! We should all keep this in mind as we work to create value for our customers. Thanks Brad!
Jamie, ah, the sunny day fund 🙂 I think over the years I have learned we don’t need half as much as what we believe. I could care less about stuff or status but there are things that I do value and some take money. I think that’s the key isn’t it, knowing what is important and allowing that to guide our decisions. I’m glad you’re happy and I look forward to reading all about it on your book jacket cover. 🙂
Rebecca, what a great point about the learning experience! This week I had the opposite where I had a project that should have come with combat pay! Eeessh! LOL!
Karen Swims last blog post..3 Tips to Avoid the Money Trap
As a freelance writer, I’ve made plenty of decisions based on money – and yes, there are a few that I later regretted. Those were the projects that ended up taking exorbitant amounts of time or that were poorly managed by clients (usually both). The good thing is, I came away from these experiences having learned what to look for and what questions to ask the next time a lucrative project comes my way.
Rebecca Smiths last blog post..Chainsaws and callers and crows, oh my!
I’m right there with you on #3, Karen. I figure I make about half what I did when I was a straight programmer (if you look at it by hours worked and vacations not taken).
The balance is that my wife and I live a very modest lifestyle and it’s allowed us to put away enough for a Sunny Day Fund (TM). 😉
Jamie Grove – How Not To Writes last blog post..A Writer’s Choice
In my former life selling industrial supplies, I saw buyers regret purchasing decisions based on price on a daily basis. They saw the money they were spending as immediate and tangible. The benefits of what they were buying were long term and vague. Sometimes it was our fault for not doing a proper job of selling. But many times, the customer felt too much pressure, either self imposed or from above, to conserve cash.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Guest Post on Joyful Jubilant Learning
Excellent analogy Karen! I’m twitting and stumbling. Great post. It covers all the bases. Money can definitely be a trap as any shiny thing in the road. Why do you think trickster crows can be seduced with aluminum foil!
Love this stuff. Thanks. E
PS Also bookmarking.
Ellen Wilsons last blog post..Inner and Outer Authority
Right now I’m lucky enough to be making ~ $35K more than I did 5 years ago.
And believe me, it’s made a HUGE difference in my quality of life.
Now I can afford things without stressing out and dipping into my savings.
Like fixing the car. Buying winter tires. I live in a decent house (not a falling-apart rental). I can afford medical services not covered by my health plan.
Plus I can afford the odd indulgence (books, a few toys, fishing equipment, vacations) that I don’t absolutely need, but they DO add to my enjoyment of life.
That being said, eventually you get to a level of diminshing returns. (I suppose if I was earning $200K, the extra $35K would be nice to have, but wouldn’t make that much difference).
I’ve learned two things, regarding money:
1) People who say “Money isn’t everything” are often the ones with the most money.
2) Somewhere I read:
“Life is like a sh*t sandwich. The more bread you have, the easier it is to eat.”
Friars last blog post..My Favorite Touron (*) Moments