Everything is About Money — Don’t You Think? — Partners in Fire

Everything is about money. Yeah, I said it. Everything. 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: simple picks such as an individual asking what to have for breakfast to complex decisions such as a nation deciding which programs to implement. All of these things relate back to money in one way or another.

Everything is About Money

You may have been visiting Partners in Fire lately and reading all the awesome content but thinking “Wait — isn’t this a finance blog? Why am I reading about self-care (or social distancing, or politics, etc.)?”

And let’s address that. We’ve already established that everything is about money. Yes, self-care is about money. How do you expect to make money and be financially secure if you aren’t taking care of yourself? Social distancing is about money — people are angry because they think social distancing is hurting the economy. All politics come down to money, regardless of what side you are on. Hell, I even found a way to relate my favorite television show to money!

Basically, everything in our lives is about money, for better or for worse. And I’d much rather read and write about the impacts of money — how it affects people, what we can do with it, how we as a nation can use it to improve society, etc. than the mechanics of money — how to invest, how to save, how taxes work, etc. And that’s why most of the content here falls into the former category (though I do write about the latter as well- all money topics are fair game as far as I’m concerned!)

The Political Side of Things

A lot of finance bloggers shy away from political topics. Regardless of what side of the aisle you fall on, money is money. Making money is the same. Saving money is the same. Investments and taxes don’t care whether you identify as red or blue.

But guess what? That attitude only works on a micro scale. And even then, it’s not entirely true. Tax policy, business expansion and profits (the money you get from investing!), 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.

Are you chuckling as you read that part? I am. If you’ve been following Partners in Fire at all, you’d know that we rarely post about tax policy, or corporate regulations. What I do love to post about though, is the societal impacts of policies, especially as they relate to money.

For instance, I wrote at length about poverty traps and middle-class traps, and how our economic system supports both of those traps. I wrote about the privilege that you have to have to get sick, because most people can’t actually afford it. UBI, the cost of having children, the gender wage gap — all these things are related to the personal side of personal finance. 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. Everything is about money, especially when it comes to politics. And that’s why I write about it so often.

And yes, I get passionate about it sometimes, because of the injustice of it all. It’s not fair that I can do so well, while others, through no fault of their own, are suffering. Partners in Fire isn’t just about me and my lifestyle — it’s about everyone. That means both teaching people about money and finance (clearly important) but also acknowledging and addressing the systematic issues that prevent others from achieving a similar lifestyle (also important, though not as commonly discussed on finance blogs).

The Lifestyle Money Can Buy

So let’s talk about that lifestyle — one that having money can afford you. No, I’m not talking about luxury cruises, fine dining, or a life of riches. The lifestyle I like to focus on is much simpler than that. I want to travel, eat some good food, play video games, and enjoy life. That’s it.

Maybe someone else out there wants to stream video games and create masterpieces and write a novel and travel the states in an RV. Or maybe someone wants to just do one of those things. Others might not want to do any of those things, but are entertained and motivated by reading the stories of someone who does. Regardless of the reason you come, you do (and I love you for it!) and I hope that you get something out of my stories.

These things that I want to do and write about aren’t specifically related to money. But guess what? They all cost money. Just basic living costs money, and if I want to spend all my time doing things I love instead of working, it’s going to take a lot of money. So, everything I do is about money, even if it doesn’t always appear to be that way. And, I’m going to venture to guess that everything you do is related to money in one way or another.

You see, we need money to survive, just as we need food and water. Money buys the food (and usually the water too). So at it’s very core, money is one of the most important things in all of our lives.

If Everything is About Money, is Money the Answer to Everything?

Everything is about money, but money isn’t everything. It’s kind of like how all squares are rectangles, but all rectangles aren’t squares.

Yes, I just waxed poetically about the virtues of money. Yes, I think that everything is about money (because it is!). But the other statement is also true: 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 freaking helps!

“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness has never been poor”

Can 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 even possible to be in a healthy, loving, relationship when money struggles are constantly present, trying to drive a wedge between you? I mean yeah, all those things are possible — but having money sure 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.

Do You Think Money is Everything?

What are your thoughts about how money relates to everything? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Originally published at https://partnersinfire.com on April 30, 2020.