Everything is about money.
The food you’re eating, the clothes you’re wearing, the house you’re living in, your entire life – it’s all about money, whether you want to acknowledge it or not.
Money informs every single one of our choices, both individually and nationally. An individual uses their financial situation to make everyday decisions, such as deciding what to have for breakfast, and long-term decisions, like putting money away for retirement. A nation must decide which programs to implement based on its budget.
Everything relates to money in one way or another.
Everything is About Money
Everything, from self-care to hobbies, parenting to food, wellness to productivity, entertainment to politics, is about money.
Self-care allows us to relax and recharge, but we’re often so busy working to make money we don’t have time for it. Hobbies cost money. Providing healthy food and great opportunities for our children gets costly. We must earn money to survive in this world, and it takes even more money to thrive.
Money, or lack thereof, affects every aspect of people’s lives. It opens up worlds of opportunities for the haves and restricts access to the have-nots.
At a more significant level, money can impact society. Governments can decide whether to spend their budgets on wellness for the populace or war-mongering to enrich the wealthy. They can give tax cuts to businesses or provide childcare and healthcare to families.
Money is Political
Some finance bloggers and writers shy away from political topics. They think money is money regardless of what side you fall on. The tools for making and saving money apply to everyone. Investments and taxes don’t care whether you identify as red or blue.
Unfortunately, that attitude only works on a micro-scale. And even then, it’s not entirely true. Tax policy, business expansion, capital gains, bank policy, job availability – all of these things are affected by politics.
People who say personal finance isn’t political are sticking their heads in the sand. It’s very political.
For instance, the United States’ economic system supports poverty and middle-class traps. It promotes work above all else, not even allowing many low-wage workers the privilege of taking a sick day while making it prohibitively expensive to raise a family.
Even policies that don’t seem to be about money at first glance (national security, immigration, the justice system) are about money if you dig deep enough. Countries that help us economically often get a pass on national security threats, while immigrants from wealthy countries are far more likely to get Visas than immigrants from poorer countries.
We only need to look at the Affluenza Teen to see how rich folks receive special treatment in the criminal justice system.
Everything is about money, especially when it comes to politics. Denying the connection only perpetuates an unjust system.
Life is Expensive
Of course, it’s not just political. Everything in life is about money.
It costs money to simply exist in today’s society. The cost of living is constantly rising, and it’s getting harder and harder for families to keep up.
Doing what you love is nearly impossible when you constantly worry about making enough money to survive. We need food and water, a place to live, and utilities to keep us warm, cool, or connected. These things aren’t free.
At its very core, money is one of the most essential things in all of our lives.
Everything in Life is About Money
Most people want more than basic survival. Whatever lifestyle you want, you need money to achieve it. Although some think of luxury cruises, fine dining, and a life of riches when they imagine the life money can buy, the truth is money buys every life.
Even simple pleasures, like playing video games, gardening, or low-key travel, cost money.
Money allows us to have homes, to enjoy a night out every once and a while, to eat healthy foods, and to read books. It gives us access to world-class education and the opportunity to experience different foods and cultures through travel.
Having money is a gateway to self-actualization, one that far too many of us can’t even afford to open.
The Need for Money Limits Creativity
Creating art costs money.
Geniuses are walking among us who don’t have time to write, paint, draw, or perform.
Art supplies cost money, and art doesn’t always pay. These would-be masters must spend their time making money rather than refining their skills.
How many great novels, impressive paintings, or inspirational movies don’t exist because the artists who would have created them spend their days toiling away to afford life?
Millions of people are stuck in a life they wouldn’t have chosen because they can’t afford to do what they were meant to do. Some folks may want to entertain others by streaming video games. Others would travel the world in an RV or homestead and grow vegetables for a community.
But they can’t because they’d end up destitute if they tried to pursue those dreams. So instead, they trade their limited time on this planet for the money they need to survive.
If Everything Is About Money, is Money the Answer to Everything?
Everything is about money, but money isn’t everything. It’s like how all squares are rectangles, but all rectangles aren’t squares.
Although everything is about money, money isn’t everything.
Money in and of itself can’t buy happiness, love, or commitment. It can’t buy self-respect, self-esteem, or personality. But guess what? It sure helps!
“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness has never been poor”
Could you be happy living in poverty, not knowing when you might be able to eat again? Would you feel good about yourself if you were homeless? Is it possible to be in a healthy, loving relationship when money struggles are constantly present, trying to drive a wedge between you?
Sure, those things might be possible. However, having money makes things easier.
Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy you freedom, security, and the lifestyle of your dreams. You can create your own happiness when you have those things.
It doesn’t buy commitment but can allow you to commit to something you’re passionate about. It can also give you time to nurture your relationships, which may lead to healthier attachments and greater commitment.
Money can’t buy love, but it can purchase financial security and take away a significant stressor in most marriages.
Access to money isn’t the key to a happy life, but not having money makes things exponentially harder.
Money Relates to Everything
Do you agree that everything in life is related to money? Why or why not?
Melanie launched Partners in Fire in 2017 to document her quest for financial independence with a mix of finance, fun, and solving the world’s problems. She’s self educated in personal finance and passionate about fighting systematic problems that prevent others from achieving their own financial goals. She also loves travel, anthropology, gaming and her cats.
It’s kind of funny, we’ve got more money than we’ll ever spend, we haven’t had to work for years. I watch our net worth drop by nearly half a million dollars and feel zero pain. I watch it go back up and feel no elation. We still buy store brands and drive old cars. Still live in our first and only house. Life is awesome, we only do what we choose to do and we have a lot of fun. But money stopped mattering after we realized we have more than enough.
It seems like everything is about money until you have enough money for it not to matter. But still, it’s about money because it only doesn’t matter because you have that cushion.