How to Enjoy Your Money

God wants you to have some fun with the money He has given you. Here are five meaningful ways to do that.

You’ve paid your bills, given some money away, saved for the future and still have some money leftover at the end of the month. Congratulations! So, what should you be doing with that cash? Start learning how to enjoy your money in meaningful ways.

There are limitless opportunities to spend your extra money. You probably won’t have any trouble finding ways to spend your money. But have you ether considered whether you’re enjoying your money in worthwhile ways?

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying your money. In fact, having a little bit of fun is part of God’s Master Plan for your finances. After you’ve taken care of priorities like providing for your family, practicing generosity and preparing for the future, enjoying yourself is a perfectly acceptable way to use your wealth. But if you’re trying to live with financial wisdom, shouldn’t you enjoying yourself in wise ways?

I think you should. So, here are five meaningful ways to enjoy your money.

1) A great place to live

Most of us spend more time at home than any other place. And while it’s certainly possible to have a fulfilled life in a modest home, many people find that upgrading their living quarters brings a lot of peace and enjoyment.

If you have more money than you need, there’s nothing wrong with moving up in apartments or houses. If this helps you do something like get a bedroom for each child or get some space so that your family can spread out, go for it. Maybe you’ll really enjoy a bigger yard or a garage where you can work on your hobbies.

That’s all great. The key, though, is to make sure that you add these luxury elements to your life after you’ve met all of your other financial obligations. Too many people chose a big house over important things such as saving and giving. Don’t be one of those people.

2) Healthy lifestyle

Unfortunately, pinching pennies can lead to unhealthy lifestyles. The most affordable food in the grocery store tends to be frozen, canned, processed and full of calories. Fresh produce and healthy food, on the other hand, cost a lot more money.

If you’re tight on your basic budget, you may have to eat cheap food for a while. Once your income grows and you have some money to spare, though, upgrading to more expensive, healthier food is a great choice for you and your family.

The same goes for other elements of healthy living. Things like gym memberships and fitness classes cost some money, but if they help you stay healthy, they’re a great way to spend your extra cash.

While we’re on the subject, let’s talk about restaurants. Eating out is perhaps the most popular way people enjoy their money today. But it’s worth asking yourself this: Am I getting good, fresh, wholesome food at the restaurants I frequent? Or am I simply loading up on McCalories? Because spending money on food that isn’t good for you probably isn’t a wise habit.

3) Worthwhile entertainment

One of the great blessings of our modern world is that we have more time available for entertainment than previous generations did. Entertainment can be a great way to enjoy your money and spend time with your family. But it’s only a good investment if that entertainment is worthwhile.

Have you ever walked away from an awful movie and thought “There’s two hours and $10 I’ll never get back…”?  When you have that feeling of regret, that’s your realization that you’ve spent your money on entertainment that wasn’t worthwhile.

Unfortunately, there is way too much crappy entertainment out there, from reality TV to sleazy movies and mindless video games. So if you’re going to spend your valuable discretionary money (and even more valuable time) on something, ask yourself if this book, movie, or show is going to enrich your life in some way. If not, it’s probably not worth paying for.

4) Making memories

The older you get, the more you realize that time really flies by, and the more you cherish special memories from the past.

If you’re a parent, you probably want to create as many memories with your children as you can. If you’re single or married without kids, you probably have a small window of time to create some fantastic memories in this stage of life before moving on to the next one.

Whatever your life situation, making great memories with the people you care about is a wise and valuable way to spend your extra money.

The way you do this will depend a lot on the kind of things you enjoy. I’m a big proponent of travel (maybe because I’ve spent 15 years as an editor of travel magazines). But if travel isn’t your thing, or if it’s a little too expensive for right now, look for other ways to create memories. Going to sports events, concerts or amusement parks can be really special occasions for your family. You’ll find that those memories are much more valuable than the money you spent in making them.

5) Blessing others

It may sound counter-intuitive, but one of the best ways to enjoy your money is to bless other people.

God made us to be givers and promises we’ll find more fulfillment in giving  than receiving. You’ve probably seen this in your own life. If your parents or friends enjoy taking you out to eat,it’s probably not because they feel obligated to buy your dinner. It’s because they genuinely enjoy doing something for you that blesses you and makes you happy.

I have found that using my extra money to bless people is one of the most rewarding things I do on a regular basis.  Whether it’s taking someone out for a meal, having them over for dinner or simply giving gifts to people to celebrate special occasions, I never regret blessing other people.

After all, God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others. What better way is there to enjoy our money than to do what God created us to do?