I’ve spoken before about the value of something depends on how badly you need it. If you’re stranded and the first gas station you come to after a five-mile walk is charging eight bucks a gallon, you’ll gladly pay it just to get yourself out of the desert. But value is also dependent on how willing you are to receive.
As a writer, I attend conferences and enjoy listening to the speakers. Some presentations are awesome, and some don’t hit quite the need I have. It’s interesting to listen to the other attendees out in the hallways. Some will say, “This is the best conference I ever attended. I’m so glad I’m here—my registration fee was really worth it.” Others will say, “I’m so bored. I wasted all this money to come here.” So much of the time, our attitudes dictate value—our appreciation increases as we are thankful for what we have.
In a roundabout sort of way, what I’m saying is that gratitude is essential when it comes to spending and budgeting. If we’re grateful for what we have and we’re more likely to be thankful than to nitpick, we may find that we appreciate our things more. We may find that we want to replace them less often, and that in turn can save us money. In the example of the conference and the differing attitudes of the attendees, those who were open and willing to receive knowledge and guidance were the ones who received value, while those who were looking for the negative were the ones who felt they’d spent too much.
In addition, we should strive to be more grateful for our paychecks. When you’re thankful for something, you tend to take care of it. When we realize how lucky we are to have employment when so many others don’t, or when we realize how blessed we are to have relatives who love us enough to see to our needs, then we take better care of those blessings and we choose more wisely how to spend them.
So, gratitude+frugal living+receptiveness=more money and more value? I certainly think so.
Related Blogs:
The History of Money, Part One – Barter
Should Teens Get an Allowance?
Wealth Building Strategies by Chris Waltzek