The most precious things in life are not those you get for money. - Albert Einstein
I have never been all that good with money. I'm not terrible with it. I don't impulse shop or spend frivolously or steep myself in credit card debt or anything. I'm really just bad at keeping track of my expenses. This is something I have been working a lot more on, thanks in large part to my wonderful finance-oriented (and math genius) girlfriend. She has really taught me the value in keeping a budget and seeing exactly where my expenses go.
It is sometimes a terrifying and frustrating experience to tally up my finances. It is an arduous process for me. I have an artistic visual mind and not one that is accustomed to dealing with numbers. I just plain don't like to do it. However, I see it's value. By keeping track of my money and making sure that I am spending it wisely, I have more freedom. I don't need to worry about finances if it is all in order and running fine.
I make an effort now to write down every little thing I spend my money on. I've been trying to do this every month now in 2014 and I failed every time. Finally, now that it's December, I have made the effort and actually kept track each and every day. Hopefully going away for the holidays to visit family won't spoil the streak I've had. I have to remember to bring that budget book with me!
A final note. I hear a lot of people complain about not making enough money and their plans to make more and more of it. I don't like to think this way. It seems to me that a lot of people put intrinsic value on money, as if it is valuable in and of itself. But that isn't true. Money isn't wealth; it is a measure of wealth. It has instrumental value, in that it is a means to an end (ie. money can buy you things you want). I realized a while back that the things I really want are not things that money can buy. Health, friends, family, love, passion. These are things I need to get for myself. Money can sure help, but it can also be a burden. If we are too focused on purely making money, we can easily lose sight of why we need the money. We need to pay close attention to our goals. To what we really want. I aim to do what I want with my life and only strive to make the money I really need to achieve those goals.
Here is a link to a great article on a minimalist's perspective on finances and budgeting. The Minimalists really influenced my philosophical idea of money and how to better organize my life around it. Check it out here.