Why The Person Who Buys Everyone A Round At The Bar Is The Happiest

Money is one of those things that everyone views differently.

For some, money is best when it’s being spent. These types of people are usually the ones who throw caution to the wind when it comes to fiscal prudence.

For other people, money is something to be saved -- and earned interest upon -- rather than something that gets tossed around willy nilly.

But regardless of your specific stance on how money should be spent, it’s pretty universally accepted that money can be controlling -- one way or the other.

Whether you habitually chase money just to blow it on a whim or you’re constantly cutting fiscal corners with hopes of saving a few dollars, neither is necessarily better than the other.

While the man who appears to be the most frugal could be viewed as the one with the most self-control, I believe that a lot of what goes into self-control requires moderation -- and perpetually looking to tighten one’s own belt is equally as extreme as the one who’s addicted to spending.

It’s best to keep a level-headed mindset about money. It’s good to save. In fact, it’s necessary to save. Your bankroll is the result of your own hard work, and it’s important to value the things you earn.

But, at the same time, it’s also critical to live your life and reward yourself for the grind along the way. Otherwise, you’ll lose sight of why you’re striving toward a paycheck in the first place.

I know a lot of people who preach the whole “penny-pinching” spiel when it comes to money. I respect them. Yet I question whether or not they’re truly happy with the lifestyle they hold to such a high regard.

Understand, almost everything in life comes with a tradeoff. If you’re pinching pennies, you’re likely doing so at the expense -- pun intended -- of everything you could’ve been enjoying had you spent those same pennies.

The difference is money is constantly circulating; you’ll always have a chance to get money back, if you remain determined, that is.

The memories and things that you bypass with hopes of saving money, on the other hand, you won’t be able to bring back once their window of opportunity shuts.

So, while the guy who’s throwing down his credit card at the bar, buying drinks for everyone in the proximity, might regret doing so the following morning (after seeing that his mobile bank account app has taken quite the hit), I’m sure when he thinks back, he’ll realize this money wasn’t wasted.

That memory of throwing a couple back with all of his friends, on his own dime, is one with a value that will not diminish with the purchasing power of the USD. Like I said, money comes and goes, but good memories will always be good investments. And that’s true worth.

And certain times call for you to turn off your “responsibility filter” temporarily to ensure you’re not restricting yourself from certain pleasures.

Why beat around the bush? It’s fun to spend money -- and you should enjoy opening up your wallet, from time to time, to treat people. That’s part of maturity and class.

Life is experience. Money is dormant. It’s not affecting your life. Although it’s nice to watch the number in your bank account grow, if you have no intentions of ever spending it or any dreams that you plan on using it to chase -- it’s worthless, regardless of how sexy the number looks.

Money is most valuable when it’s being used as a means of providing you with new experiences.

Whether it be a night out at the bar where you might meet some new people or a trip somewhere, where you can open your eyes to an entirely new culture, money can never buy happiness directly, but it can lead to the experiences that bring to pass happiness.

And that’s not to say that you shouldn’t be mindful of your expenses. That’s not what I’m trying to say at all.

I’m simply trying to illustrate that falling victim to the idea of saving is equally as controlling and limiting as falling victim to the concept of spending. Strive for balance, as balance is what will lead to true growth -- from both a personal and financial outlook.

For every large amount that you tuck away, spend a little. Remind yourself what it feels like to be rewarded -- keep yourself hungry.

It’s easy to become distracted when your vision becomes tunneled to one specific viewpoint. Remember, everything in moderation -- even moderation.