Money As A Problem Solver...

After working for the past 4 years, I still have mixed feelings when it comes to managing my money. I like to think that I strike a good balance in managing my finances so that I save enough of my monthly salary and still have sufficient funds for my monthly expenditure. My initial thoughts were money's most important role was to ensure a good future for me and my family.

Lately however, I am beginning to feel money's most important role is to be a problem solver. Yesterday, when I was driving my Dad's car, I somehow hit a railing at the side of the road causing a dent at the side of the car. My dad hasn't commented on it yet as I guess he wants to see the extent of the damage before unleashing his wrath on me.

It is pointless arguing whether the fault is totally mine or partly due to the heavy rain or the tight space that the car was wedged in. This situation is the best example I can think of that best describes the role of money as a problem solver.

By informing him that I will bear the full extent of the repairs on the car, I will be spared a long lecture about careless driving and just might get off with a stern reminder to be more careful in the future. In this case, the money spent would be well worth it and justified anyway considering I was indeed in the drivers seat when the accident happened.

No doubt there is some pain in having to fork out a few hundred ringgit all of a sudden but I guess like the saying goes, "Shit Happens..." and you just have roll with the punches and get on with your life. It would seem there is no point to feel regret anymore at this juncture.

But this was not the only incident, I remember the many arguments over money where both parties involved were squabbling over who was responsible to pay for a certain invoice and the arguments would get bigger and bigger resulting in many unpleasant experiences normally only ending with me agreeing to bear whatever financial costs necessary to maintain the peace.

Perhaps this is the best motivation I can use to as encouragement to earn more money, so that I have the capability to defuse any problems that occur simply by using money instead of having to put up with the sad, unhappy, disgruntled or dissatisfied situations.