Priceless Tips to Cure Your Money Phobia
By: Bean Jones
I don't like talking about money--mostly because I always think that I don't have enough that's worth discussing. On top of paying my bills and my college loan, I confess that I tend to splurge on comic books and talking key chains. So, whenever my mother calls and asks me, "Do you have enough money?" (It comes with being the youngest kid, I guess.) I just cut the conversation short by threatening to move back in with her and my dad. Of course, my mother laughs at this and then hangs up.
Recently, though, I got hold of Andrew Matthews' Being Happy!: A Handbook to Greater Confidence and Security and realized that my money phobia was costing me a lot. "Many people are uncomfortable about money and hence they keep themselves poor," says Mathews. He also adds: "If we are too attached to money, it becomes difficult to make it and difficult to hang on to it."
Needless to say, those statements hit real close to home. Thankfully, Matthews offered some mentally enriching tips that'll help me and others who are also suffering from money phobia:
1. Save first and spend what is left. People who see themselves as "perennially broke" often spend first and figure out what they will save later. So, figure out a savings plan and stick to it. For this task, I found the first Simpleology 102 lesson ("The Grand Law of Wealth: Increase Your Incomings and Decrease Your Outgoings") very helpful.
2. Always carry some cash. Aside from making you feel more prosperous, having money in your pocket will help you learn how to have self control. Just because you have cash, it doesn't mean you have to spend it. Take responsibility for your spending habits. Leaving your cash at home because you don't trust yourself not to spend every penny is the ultimate cop-out.
3. Spoil yourself occasionally. You have to realize that you can afford to spoil yourself. As you enjoy the money you have, you gain incentive to make more. But then again, put emphasis on the word, "occasionally." That certainly doesn't mean each time your paycheck comes in.
Hopefully, I can ditch my money phobia for good by doing these three things successfully and consistently for the long haul. Yes, I know that I should have resolved my money issues years ago, but, hey, we all have to start somewhere, right?
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