Money is Meant to be Used, Not Saved

Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash

If you have a sturdy savings account or stacks of cash stowed under your mattress, you’re not doing yourself as much good as you should. There might come that one rainy day where you do get to take a hammer to that piggy bank of yours and pick up the few cents within the shattered shards to cover some emergency expenses. But that’s not what money is meant to be used for.

Money needs to be used in order to have a purpose. You leave money frozen in an account with the hopes of it being useful in the future. However, that money can be made more useful right now than it will be tomorrow.

I’m not talking about deciding “screw it” and buying that Lambo you’ve always had googly eyes for. The key is to put your money into smart investments. Here are a few of them.

1. The first is to invest in stocks, bonds, ETFs, and things of a similar nature. The investments don’t have to be very risky but that all depends on your knowledge relating to the stock market. Whatever brokerage you build an account through, be sure to diversify. You can also have accounts with several brokers as a way to diversify your brokerage access. This is a process that gives money use by making it grow.
2. Purchase assets that have unperceived value. Buying shares in art pieces or real estate will steadily build over time. There is also the option of flipping items from eBay, general stores, thrift stores, and garage sales. You could pick up a basket of action figures for $5 and sell each online for $20. There are people that take flipping to the level of real estate. Doing so means buying a crummy house at a relatively low price, fixing it up, and selling it for a higher price.
3. If you want to establish a business or get more exposure for your brand, spend money on advertising campaigns. There’s a reason big companies spend over a hundred million dollars to air a commercial during the Super Bowl. On the small scale, you can spend money on online advertising to get yourself noticed. You could be setting yourself up for more opportunities in the future.
4. If you have a clear idea as to what you want to do with your life, buy books to learn from and take advantage of learning courses. This is the best method to sharpening your skill set which will allow you to make money in the future for doing what you want to do. You may even have to purchase the tools necessary to get to that position. It might be some software or some crazy equipment. This is money being used to help you grow.

Being able to help yourself grow and be on the receiving end of multiple streams of income is money put to good use. Don’t cave into retail therapy and don’t keep up with the Joneses. If you want your money to give you security, then invest and thank yourself later.