Using Money Responsibly

Which one is your money supporting?

For me 'using money responsibly' means making financial decisions based on need, not greed. It means being aware of how your financial choices affect you, your family, your community, and the world. It is about making spending and investment decisions that are socially and environmentally responsible, and therefore sustainable.

It is easy to appeal to 'lack of time' as an excuse for maintaining ignorance of how our use of money may be contributing to personal and global harm. Ignorance may be bliss, but it is also what causes us to lose control with devastating results.

When I use money I take the time to consider the consequences of how I channel my cash:

• Are my dollars supporting waste by adding to the profits of wasteful people and/or businesses? 
• Does the use of my money cause undue harm to the environment? 
• Is my money financing inequality and the exploitation of workers? 
• Are my financial actions doing the least amount of damage possible?
• How am I being manipulated by those who want my money?

It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor - using money more responsibly will make your life, and the lives of others, better. It does not help to foist the responsibility on to someone else; it is yours, and abrogating it creates more problems than it solves.

By giving up control of your finances you end up being susceptible to people who will take advantage of your situation. You may lose your money, or it may be used in destructive ways without your knowledge. Once you accept responsibility for how you use money, you are able to simplify, and take control of, your financial decision making.

Armed with the understanding of how money can either create, or destroy, we can make choices that support the environment and each other, in a sustainable manner. At the same time, this understanding will improve our financial situation by eliminating harmful habits.

Using money responsibly leads to a healthier life, and a healthier planet.