Some Wealth is Good for Your Health
Published / Last Updated on 18/01/2023
A recent article that Ashley Roberts-Clark (Director) read argued that wealth is bad for your health.
The arguments offered were that people can make themselves ill by trying to make more money either by working too hard or stressing over market volatility and by working too hard you have little time for leisure activities, rest and recuperation.
We would agree with some of that but when you look at the reverse where having little or no money is bad for your health and having wealth is good for your health, the benefits seem to outweigh potential negatives.
No Wealth is Bad for Health - Having Little or No Money
- Automatically creates stress as people constantly worry about affording the mortgage, rent, food, bills etc.
- May have a poorer diet.
- May live in poorer, lower quality housing or deprived areas.
- Deprived areas can affect education, how our children develop etc.
- No holidays or leisure time.
- Can be stressful trying to make or save money.
- May work too hard or too many hours to try and make ‘ends meet’.
Wealth is Good for Health – Having A Lot or Even Some Money Saved
- Takes some but not all stress away for day to day living.
- The choice to eat better quality food.
- The choice to live in better quality housing.
- Unlikely to live in deprived areas which may be better for children although not always.
- Able to afford holidays and leisure activities.
- That said having too much money can also lead to stress by working too hard or worrying about investments.
Treat Your Money Like Your Body
We all know that our bodies do not react well to stress, a poor diet, drinking and smoking habits, a lack of exercise, and a sedentary lifestyle. If you treat your body well by working in a controlled manner, eating well, taking exercise, having rest periods and cutting down on alcohol and/or smoking can only be better for our health.
Kaizen
Bad habits, be that exercise, smoking or heavy drinking are hard to break out of. The principle of Kaizen means small, continued daily improvements in personal life, home life, social life, and working/business life can make dramatic changes over a longer period. Some simple examples such as the “Couch to 5k” jogging principle or cutting back say by 1 cigarette per day or half a pint of beer per day, each month will gradually get you to a position where you are able to run, you are fitter, you smoke less or even stop smoking and/or drink less alcohol will change significantly over a 6- or 12-month period. Small daily changes help and are easier to stick to rather than trying to run or swim a few miles from day 1 or quitting smoking overnight as these are difficult to achieve as the habit has not been ingrained in your normal daily routine.
Kaizen Your Wealth
You should try and use the Kaizen principle with your money. Small daily changes will help you save and build wealth.
- If you buy 3 coffees and a muffin each day from your favourite high street barista, buy two and put that £4 saved in a savings account.
- Smoking 1 less cigarette a day means less packets each month. Put that £20 saved each month into a savings account.
- Drinking half a pint of beer a day means 3.5 less pints a week, possibly saving you £15 to £20 per week. Put this money into a savings account.
- Turn the heating down and put a jumper on will save on fuel bills.
- Where you can, walk or use a bicycle rather than driving or public transport. You will save on travel costs, saving you money again.
By making small, daily, or weekly changes will help not just your health but also your wealth.
Creating Habits
By doing things like this, we are not saying it will solve all of life’s problems, but it may help with some. In addition, small, gradual changes eventually become habits and as a bonus, you may have improved both your health and your wealth.
Remember, even just a small amount of wealth can be good for your financial wellbeing, mental wellbeing, and your health in general. We are not talking about trying to be a multi-millionaire just being more in control.
