Misunderstanding of Wealth

There are plenty of opportunities in America for healthy people to make money. Though many people think that making money is the most difficult thing in the world, being rich consists simply in expending less than we earn, which is an important principle of economy.

True economy is often misapprehended. Many people think that economy is meanness, so they try their best to save money in every trivial thing. However, you should never be mean on really useful affairs, for example, lighting an extra candle at night to read newspapers so that you can get valuable information. Besides, many people spend much more money than they should on things they don’t really need, such as luxuries. One reason why people are prone to buy so many luxuries is that they want to be at least superficially as rich as others so that they won’t be looked down upon. However, they can never deceive others through this way. We are not all born equally rich. If you want to prove you are as good as others, you have only to behave as well as they do.

At first, you may find it hard to live a less extravagant life. But once you adopt an economical habit, you’ll be rewarded soon after. For example, you can use a small sum of money to gain interest by investing it in land, you’ll soon be surprised by the extra money you get from it. You should be more rational on the expenditure, too. Saving old suit of clothes and having less expensive entertainments are good ideas. Take care when you suddenly become rich, don’t let pride and vanity control you and buy any luxuries you don’t really need. Once you buy one piece of luxury which doesn’t match what you’ve owned, you may have to replace all you have to match it in the end.

Good health is the foundation of success and happiness in life, therefore we should study the laws of health, which is another expression for the laws of nature. Our ancestors lived poorer and more uncomfortable lives than we do, but they were easy-content and gratitude for what they got. This because they valued the laws of nature more than material comfort. In addition, intoxicating drinks have many bad effects. They can make our brain muddled, our judgment warped, and our business opportunities passed. So we should never be addicted to them.