Most people cringe when they see the words “money” and “happiness” in the same sentence, and rightfully so. Money doesn’t equal happiness. You can, however, use money in a way that satisfies your own values. To find those values, it helps to consider your happiest moments.
Photo by Tommy Wong.
Money is used to measure value, so it’s easy to think of it as the end goal, but it’s not. Money is just a tool. And here’s what personal finance blog Mum and Dad Money suggests for using that tool in a way that speaks to your own values:
If you know which parts of your life make you happiest, you can make spending and saving decisions that allow you to experience those parts more often. The number-crunching becomes an exercise in accumulating more happiness rather than accumulating more money.
Your happiness becomes the purpose behind your financial plan. The numbers are just the muscle that helps you get there.
This is sort of like our previously mentioned suggestion to answer “why” when drafting financial goals. But if you have a hard time figuring out what that answer is, contemplating your happiest moments can help you identify your values and make better spending decisions. For more detail, check out the full post below.
When Are You Happiest? [Mum and Dad Money via Rockstar Finance]
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