I don’t love money.

Why should I?

Loving money does not make sense.

Do you love your pen? Your hairdryer? Your hammer? No. You love what it does for you.

Money is a tool.

It’s something you use, not something you should attach yourself to. I love the healthcare my money provides. I love the financial freedom it gives me. I love the things it buys me and the time it saves me.

Having the correct mindset about money is important. Simply holding on to your money isn’t the way to become rich or build up your savings. Money is supposed to be used, not kept inside a safe as a valuable souvenir.

Do banks save all their money? Do businesses save all their money? Do the rich save all their money?

No. They spend their money on actual things of value, many of which can generate more money in return.

Banks loan out their money. Businesses use so much of their money to the point that they often go into heavy debt just to pay for their operations. The rich spend their money on valuable financial assets.

Budgets are stupid.

It’s true that impulse buying and spending all your money is dangerous, and budgets and saving plans are the best tools to keep you in check. But saving and using money is largely misinterpreted.

People from the low to middle class are desperately clinging on to their money. They refuse to spend it, to use it, and at most, they put a few thousand dollars into the stock market towards retirement.

While self-regulation is important, financial success lies in one’s ability to use their money. You must be willing to let go of your money to generate cash flow and allow it to circulate in the economy.

Eventually, more money will end up back in your pocket. It works just like a cycle.

I see budgets and saving plans as limitations. When I set a budget, I’m telling myself what I can afford, what I can and cannot do. Immediately I close my mind and accept the reality of how things are.

Without a budget, I’m not limiting myself. I’m not telling myself anything. Instead, I spend that money freely. When I come across something expensive, I don’t say: “Nope. That’s out of my budget.”

Instead, I start asking myself how. I want this. I need this. How can I get there?

Here is another key moment. People might think: to achieve financial goals, you must establish saving plans and budgets to save money. Budgets aren’t just for saving, they can be used to reach new goals.

This is another big difference. If I use a savings plan to save up my money to a certain point, how am I improving myself? Am I making more money in the end?

When I want to reach a financial goal, I don’t save my money to get there. I think of new ways to make more money, to generate cash flow, to the point that I can afford it with my income, not my savings.

In the end, I walk away with completely new income streams that allow me to consistently be able to afford those expensive things.

Whereas if I just use a budget, I’d need to save for months if not years every time I want to buy something expensive. I’ve made no improvements to my financial health, diminished my lifestyle, and walked away as the same person I was when I started budgeting.

Open up.

Unless you have impulse buying issues, budgets are useless to you. The concept that a budget is a way to become rich or achieve financial success is innately stupid.

Just like people talk about being open to new ideas, you need to have an open mind regarding your money and what you can do with it.

This is why it’s important to not love money and love what it can do for you. Don’t limit yourself to the money you have. When you’re so in love with your money, all you’re thinking about is: I don’t want to lose my money. I can’t afford it. I have to keep all of it.

You’re restraining yourself to the amount of money you have. Meanwhile, you’re overlooking the larger possibilities out there. You’re not thinking about larger sums of money or how you can afford something.

Open up your mind to spending. Learn to be able to let go of your money. Understand that what you should love is what money can do for you.

The secret to financial literacy and success lies in your mindset. Understanding fundamental concepts about money is part of the essential first step to making more.

Don’t blame things on the government, on tax, or on the rich. The solution isn’t to change others. It’s to change yourself.

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