Money

If you want examples of why it’s risky to play fast and loose with your money, look no further than some recent lottery winners.

Is it just me, or are podcasts the biggest thing since sliced bread? I’m definitely a fan, but I’m a little surprised at how they’ve exploded in the last couple of years. People talk about what podcasts they listen to as much as the discuss movies and TV shows, so clearly this type of media is here to stay.

Many people will instantly associate the world “wealth” or “wealthy” with money. However, true wealth is not about money. It is about freedom. Some people think if they were to stumble across a large sum of money, it would completely change their circumstances. If I could just win the lotto, I could quit my job, still pay the bills, and have a financially secure future.

There’s a difference between being rich and being wealthy. I can work 80 hours a week, never see my family, eat three meals a day in the office and become very rich, but that would not, in my eyes, constitute a wealthy life. What you’re able to do with your money is far more important than how much you have, and that’s why I’m as much a fan of saving as I am of earning.

Every so often, I like to take a minute and think about how absurdly expensive things are. A reasonable house for $400,000? Before any of the taxes and repairs and countless other expenses that come with homeownership? That’s crazy!

Life has no shortage of conflicts and hurdles. No matter how well things are going, it’s never hard to find a new problem to dwell on. Some of these struggles can be dealt with easily, others linger for years and constantly nag us.

“Get out of debt!” the financial advisor yelled, then provided exactly zero examples of how to do so. Sound familiar? It’s widely agreed upon that the first step toward financial security and growing wealth is to eliminate your debt, which is why countless articles and advice columns start like this: