How to spend money in business
Everyone I know, including me, has money relationship issues. It is a life long relationship, and like any relationship of worth, requires care, consideration, attention, focus, love, interest, clean communication, deep inner work to remove old stories….and more…
Ignore this relationship at your peril.
Abuse this relationship at your peril.
Most people write about how to save money. Which is important. However, spending money is the other side of the coin. If we do not spend then we are stopping the flow. And money, in order to work, needs to flow. The timeless tale of Scrooge tells this story better than I.
Here is how I am learning to spend money
When you make the purchase, are you absolutely in love with the idea of what you have purchased?
Does this purchase make you feel richer? More connected? Happy?
And if not, why not?
Some examples.
The $4 coffee at my favourite coffee shop, ESPL Coffee Brewers, Surfers Paradise, this morning. For my $4, I got to sit in a wonderful spot looking out over the morning sun coming across the Pacific Ocean. I spent about 30 minutes working on my day, planning, journaling, and contemplating. The coffee itself is the most incredible coffee, made with exquisite love. The staff are attentive, and the business is owned by a young entrepreneur who is doing business as UNusual. I LOVE spending $4 here several mornings a week. This spend makes me feel amazing. I could sit around the corner at McDonald’s with the same view…but…I think you get my point.
Paying Tax. Some may find this one a little harder to love. Here is what I do. My Tax payment is listed as my “I love Australia” account. I love living in Australia. I am so lucky to do so. Many people would give everything for this right. So when I need to pay my taxes, I remember this. I may not agree with how my tax dollars are distributed, but I am not keen on becoming a political activist at this time, so I either get in the fray and work to change things, or I accept that this is the deal with living in such a wonderful country. This doesn’t mean I cannot be smart about my “I love Australia” account, work with a great and loved accountant, and be sure I am paying what is required, no more or less.
Groceries. We need food and supplies to maintain our lifestyle. What exactly is going into your grocery bags? Is every purchase increasing the quality of your life? My personal pleasure is the farmers’ markets every Sunday. I love buying from the farmer. I could think of no higher delight than to give the farmer my money for my food. When this is not always possible, I do the best I can to buy food that is real, fresh and made with care.
Toilet Paper. Well, we all need it. But can we love buying it? Certainly, we can when we choose to buy it from the wonderful Aussie company, “Who Gives a Crap“. Check out their irreverent video here. 50% of their profits go to helping people who do not have access to sanitation get sanitation. YES! This is a love purchase. Given the choice of this purchase for my toilet paper, or the big brand names, the choice is easy.
Apple products. I have been an Apple person from day one. I love the art of Apple. The misfit stands they take. However, as with any large corporation, we need not only to love products, but also to take a considered view of the whole company. This includes the good and the bad. The working conditions in China? The potential patent manipulation. The use of rare earth materials. That is not to say we do not purchase these products, but we can no longer afford the luxury of being ignorant consumers. I love Apple for its design, but I have some concerns about some of its business practices. And if you want to protest, don’t purchase.
Professional Services. Do you love the relationship? Love the service? If not, speak up, ask for what you want, or find someone else. Similarly, if you offer professional service, does your customer love you? LOVE you? So much so that they are delighted to pay their bill? If not, get that one sorted ASAP. Or struggle.
Syntropic World is about businesses that are hell-bent on doing good for the planet and the people, while being good for business. When we work with companies that are part of this tribe, we can love the spend.
And when we love spending our money on things that make us feel whiplash awesome, and do this consistently, our relationship with money becomes healthier.
Spending money with zero relationship to the purchase is a form of addiction and trance. In this age of mass production, buying from artists and businesses that are invested in you and your purchase beyond the transaction is an act of love.
Buying a crappy mass-produced hamburger suddenly becomes an act of self-sabotage.
I know my choices are clear. How about you?
Photo credit:Â Linh Nguyen via Compfight
