There are three types of expenditures in this world where the more you spend, the more you earn. Moreover, these are expenses that you should not hesitate to take on.
What are these 3 expenditures?
1. Investing in self-growth
Investing money in one’s own mind is the safest form of financial management. Some may argue: “When I can barely afford my three meals a day and I’m drowning in debt, where do I find the money to learn? And learning doesn’t necessarily yield immediate results!”
However, if you are truly destitute, your intellect is your biggest asset in making a comeback, and that’s where your investment should be. If your mind remains impoverished, so will your life. We see many people around us spending their entire lives struggling for money, forever trying to fill a financial black hole. This is primarily because they fail to see the bigger picture. If they only focus on the present and fail to take a longer view, the chances of a turnaround in their lives are slim.
Breakthroughs and leaps come through self-exploration and learning. Therefore, money spent on learning should be considered an investment, even if it means borrowing for the time being.
2. Honoring parents: Gratitude and reciprocity
The money spent to honor your parents is an essential expenditure. Some might think when they can’t even afford necessities and are heavily indebted, there’s no way to provide parents with a regular allowance. Others may say their family doesn’t lack money, and their parents have enough and don’t need them to contribute financially.
Regardless, if they could tighten their belts to raise us, we should bear the burden of supporting them in return. Regardless of your parents’ financial situation, you should provide them with a regular, fixed allowance. No matter where you are in life, always remember: Money for your parents should not be skimped on.
If you don’t yet have the ability to earn money or don’t have an income and can’t financially honor your parents, remember to be obedient and respectful. This means that when your opinion diverges from your parents’, communicate with them in a gentle and peaceful manner. Parents always want the best for their children; if their communication style is hard to accept, adjust to it. If you can’t be filial with money, at least be obedient.
3. Giving back to society: Personal and communal rewards
Giving back to society and the people around you is vital. No matter how poor you may be, there are always others more unfortunate than yourself, and you should always maintain a grateful heart.
In the best-selling book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, the rich dad strongly believed that money needs to be given before it is returned. Hence, from a young age, he developed the habit of regularly donating to society regardless of the difficulties he faced, which in turn made him wealthier. The poor dad, on the other hand, always said that any surplus money would be donated, but throughout his life, he never had any extra money.
When you see hardworking people struggling for their livelihood, you should respect and cherish them. Your small contributions are expenditures that can ensure their families’ warmth and happiness. If you’re a business owner, don’t forget that today’s success is the result of your employees’ collective efforts. Rewarding them is only fair. Many companies set aside a certain proportion of their profits to give back to their employees as benefits. In reality, money is cyclical, and it always returns to its source.
If you are currently in a tight spot and unable to give back financially, please give back to your company instead. You can make this expenditure by maintaining a grateful heart and putting your all into each task.
Translated by Patty Zhang
