We are a society of spenders.  When we get a dollar somehow we manage to spend two. Is it any wonder that the vast majority of us are deep in debt and struggling?  We live for the moment, instant gratification is our motto.  It is this way of thinking that has caused so many to be losing their homes and have no plan for the future.

We spend our time and money wanting more, new, better, bigger, different and exciting things.  We seem to believe that the more things we buy the happier we will be.  Just seeing that written in black and white reinforces how completely ridiculous it is.  The age old saying that money cannot buy happiness is true.  There is no price tag on your state of mind!  You can’t buy emotions, you can’t buy feelings, you can experience these things but you can’t purchase them.   We need to remember that happiness is not a THING it is a FEELING.  It is a way of thinking, it is a way of choosing to feel.   It is not tangible, you can’t pick it up, you can’t sell or buy it, but you certainly can share it.

The economic crisis has forced many of us to see first hand that we can still laugh, we can still feel happy even when we cannot afford to buy the latest gadget or gizmo.  We do not need to spend to be happy.  We simply need to choose to be happy!  Many of us spent way too many years spending as a way to find happiness.  Perhaps hitting this economic crisis will be the catalyst needed to change our views as a society.  No more spending in order to keep up with the neighbors.  Maybe now the focus can be saving to secure the future.  Helping the neighbor instead of trying to out do him could bring the happiness that we used to think money would provide. 

By realizing that happiness is not a thing it can release us from this need to spend and allow us to start saving and planning for our futures.  Money is a tool to keep the necessities of life, a home, food, clothing, basics.  Once we grasp that reality it is much less painful to stop spending.

When we understand that buying that new television will not change how we FEEL, that new television loses some of its appeal.  Suddenly the television we have becomes sufficient.  Perhaps we can even train ourselves to go ahead and take that money we would have spent on the new television and save it.  Plan for the future as a way to satisfy our needs and our security for tomorrow. 

Changing the way we think of spending can change the balance in our bank accounts.  Money is not the path to happiness nor is it the answer to your unhappiness.  The way you perceive money, the way you choose to think about money can directly impact how you spend and save.  Realizing that happiness comes from within makes spending for the sake of spending seem silly while saving for the future becomes a priority.

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