No Money Week: What Money Costs

“As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?” (Ecclesiastes 5:11)

Solomon the economist spells out more traps that come with having money.

nomoney_350First, the more stuff you get, the more money or people you need to take care of it. Everyone learns this lesson the hard way when they get their first car—if they have to pay for any of it themselves.

It’s not enough to come up with the cash (or the loan) for the car. Next, you need to pay the taxes, then the insurance, and then you’ve got to put gas in it. Finally, you’ll need to pay someone to change the oil and fix the thing when it breaks.

Part of the reason an economy suffers is that fewer people can afford to buy new stuff—and all those people who make a living on those “extra” costs (gas, insurance, repairs, batteries, accessories, etc.) don’t have as much to “consume.”

Think: Do you ever look at your stuff and wonder what the point of having some of it is? Do you sometimes feel torn between wanting more new stuff and not wanting as much stuff, at all?

Pray: Thank God for this wise teaching. Ask him to give you wisdom about what new stuff is worth the time and money you’ll need to keep owning it.

Do: If you haven’t before, add up the annual cost for owning and operating your car (or ask friend to estimate what it costs him or her per year if you don’t have one).