Righty ho, let’s start by saying that I’m far from a wealth expert. Many a time money has slipped through my fingers like a slippery eel. Either that or I’ve been done over by some boo hiss baddie, without a conscience, who has stitched me up like a kipper.
So I’m on a financial freedom quest to get my money in order and working for me.
I kinda figured that I’ll share what I find so that we can be on the path to our millions together. Deal?
For me, my go-to has always been – I’m not that bothered or interested in money – as if viewing people who are, as obsessive and greedy. Well go figure, wake up JB, you need to be interested unless you want to be working until you’re 96.
I’m sure I’m not alone with a bit of a head in the sand or just not really making it a priority. Let’s be honest financial spreadsheets aren’t exactly come hither sexy and enticing.
Your mantra might be – I’m never any good with money. Keep saying that and sure enough you’re on the self-fulfilling prophecy route.
So in light of the above, a good place to start in my humble.
MINDSET
AKA. How you view money.
Do you get paid and keep drawing money out until there’s nothing left and you’re living on a wing, a prayer and pot noodle until the next pay day? Or. Are you a bit of a savvy saver squirrelling it away? Perhaps you’re a bit of both?
It’s interesting to note how many lottery winners end up broke. I wonder if it’s because they feel bad that they have so much money that they end up giving it all away. Be that to charitable causes, drinking establishments, the local drug dealer or strip joints.
Or is it because once they have a lump sum of money, they think it’ll always be there and won’t disappear? You go crazy. Buy the houses, the private plane and designer clothes then puff like the Genie in Aladdin, it’s all gone.
There are also those lottery winners who aside from a new home and a car or two, still have their money and see it growing, thank you very much.
We all know we should save, heck I’ve got a mate like Sammy the Squirrel, but for me I like a bit of balance of spending and saving.
Perhaps it’s also the sayings that have been ingrained into you when growing up or just generally being around money naysayers.
Take ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’ or ‘money is the root of all evil’. Mwah ha ha. Sorry getting a bit carried away. Thought I’d pop in a villain’s laugh and while I’m at it, here’s a villain …
If you’re curious and not sure (or you’re doing that sand head dive) on your mindset then check out the money mindset quiz here.
Ok duly enlightened?
EXPERIMENT
Then let’s now look at an eye opening and jaw dropping experiment.
In 2015, Mark Dice, a media analyst, went out and about on the streets clutching a bundle of Hershey chocolate bars and a 10 oz bar of silver bullion. The silver bar was valued at $150 at the time.
In this money experiment, he was offering for FREE, a choice of the bar of, albeit chilled, chocolate/candy or the 10 oz bar of silver.
Go on. Go on. Guess. Out of the 8 people he asked, how many opted for the chocolate/candy bar? Yep. That’ll be all 8 of them.
I can’t make up my mind if the lunchtime and people were hungry combo swayed them. Or if perhaps they were all suffering from heatstroke.
I had high hopes for one but the dialogue went like this:
Lady: ‘I don’t err I don’t have any way to do anything with the silver.’
Mark: ‘So you prefer the Hershey bar?’
Lady: ‘Yeah but is it real?’
Mark : ‘Yes. Just straight out of the fridge.’
Lady: ‘Doesn’t seem real.’
Mark: ‘The Hersey bar doesn’t seem real. I mean we can go into the coin shop (they were standing outside of) and verify that the silver bar is real.’
Lady: ‘No, that’s alright. I always take the chocolate.’
Doh. Yes this might be 2015 but I fear things might not have changed much. Is it a case of too good to be true or not having a clue on the value of money?
The moral of the story is never make a decision when hungry.
Additionally, if there’s no silver foil, like a Chrimbo tree let-me-unwrap-you decoration, then grab the silver bar with both hands. And. Run. As you do so, mime a cheery ‘thanks’ wave, as you sprint off into the distance…
The 3 min vid is worth an incredulous view here.
Go on. Fess up. Chocolate bar or silver bar? Let me know in the comments!
I hope I’d go for the silver – out of curiosity as much as anything and I don’t need a bar of chocolate!
That’s good to hear!
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WHO in their right mind would choose a Hershey bar over a BAR OF PURE SILVER 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
I know. Crazy eh! As soon as he had gotten to Sil… it would have been in my hand!
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