The Most Important Money Lesson I’ve Ever Learned

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Airports are a strange place. Time feels like it does not exist, massage places occur right next to restaurants, and strangers will talk to anyone within sight. It only seems fitting then that I got one of the best pieces of advice from this place where water is worth its weight in gold. I was waiting at the terminal in one of the eternally sticky polyester chairs, and I set my purse on the floor. Immediately, a woman looked up from her magazine at me and said, “Don’t put your purse on the ground.”

Initially, I thought it was for safety reasons, like making it an easy target for pickpockets. This woman proceeded to tell me that by putting my money on the ground, I am disrespecting the value of the work that went into obtaining it. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

When I put my money on the ground, I showed less pride in it by failing to keep it in a safe place. I was neglecting it, leading to the possibility that it could be stolen or lost.

If we don’t want to leave our money in a state of disarray in our purse or wallet on the floor, then why would we have the same mentality toward the organization of our budgets and business accounts?

Show Your Money Its Worth

Money’s worth may be determined by the markets on any given day, but it’s true value differs for each individual. In your budgets, you want to make sure you have employees that augment your understanding of what your services are worth.

Look for people who will work well with your company by fitting into one of two categories. In business, it is a common error to think one person can do multiple roles and save you more money as a result. Realistically, you cannot get everything out of one person, and it is more cost effective to have two people do more specific jobs for less hours.

Also make sure your employees respect the resources you decide merit your money. If they do not see what a program or campaign costs, there is greater the possibility of misusing or misunderstanding the materials. Showing pricing saves you money, because by attaching a value to a service, there is less likelihood of overspending on a project.

“Measure your wealth not by the things you have, but by the things for which you would not take money.” – Dave Ramsey

Don’t Take Your Money for Granted

Like the purse on the ground scenario, when you let your money out of your hands, you lose control over it. Automatic payment systems are both a blessing and a curse with how easily money can be transferred for services.

If there are non-essential or necessary autopay systems you have set up, monitor it monthly so you are keeping track of where money is going in your budget. Check your accounts to ensure it is not being used for an unnecessary expense that you may be unaware of. Also, contact your vendor to see if there are promotions you may be missing. If you do have to keep an automatic payment system, make sure to set up alerts, so you have a realistic grasp of your finances.

Ask About Your Money

If I had never questioned the woman in the airport, I would have never had that life-changing lesson about managing my budgets in business. This questioning mindset for your finances particularly benefits your assets when negotiating. When bargaining, there are two ideas to keep in mind to save costs.

The first is when working with another party in a deal, know there are more options than just money. The goal is creating an exchange that accommodates both parties’ demands, trading resources like people or time. By substituting these other options in a negotiation, you allow for your money to be spent on other important items in your budget.

When dialoguing with another company, it is important to focus on more than just making an exemplary agreement with them..Oftentimes, we want to offer a bargain, so we cut down the price of our services or product. By doing so, we devalue our company, because we now accept less money for a service and a smaller amount of revenue. When negotiating, we must not lose sight of the goal just for the sake of possibly gaining a sale.

“If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.” – Ben Franklin

If I had never put my purse on the floor of that airport, I would have lost an opportunity to learn one of the most important tips about money I have experienced in my life. Money is portrayed as being most powerful when spent, but there is often more success in saving. By valuing and caring for your money through budgeting with these mindsets, you are creating a legacy for a prosperous business. So as you visualize your life, take today to organize your dollars and, please, learn from my mistake of never putting your money on the ground.

What’s the most important money lesson you’ve ever learned? Share it with us below!