I can’t keep count of all the phone calls informing me I’d won millions of dollars or a brand-new Mercedes-Benz.
All I have to do is send $15,000 to cover the income tax and processing fee, and they will be able to send me my millions or the new Benz.
I grew up in the Pennsylvania Dutch area, and I’d be the last person to fall for that kind of scam. If I won money, why do I have to pay money?
My father was very frugal with money. If you could get money out of him, you were a magician of the top order. His idea of a good tip was 25 cents. However, I learned a lot about finance from him. He never spent a nickel if he didn’t have to. He loved to get his monthly bank statement so he could study it for days.
Money meant a lot to my father, especially in his pocket. He was never out to scam anybody or buy a lottery ticket.
In fact, he thought lottery tickets were the worst scam ever. I lean that way myself.
One of the things I learned was it’s not so much how much money you have as what you do with it. What I do with my money is really important, but I won’t let my money, which I don’t have much of, define me.
There’s nothing wrong with being frugal. I’ve been pretty much frugal all my life because I’ve never made much money. I just tried not to spend money that I don’t have.
Money has a way of influencing people. If someone knows someone has a lot of money, they’re going to approach them to see how much they can get for themselves.
I have no problem giving to charities and to people who really need help. But I’m very careful about that because I want to make sure I help people who actually need it.
That’s often a hard decision. Who really needs my money more than me?
Many years ago, a friend wanted me to invest in some program he was involved with. He had given them in excess of $65,000.
According to the investment, he’d be getting monthly interest. The one thing that sort of tipped me off was the $65,000 had to be in cash. If that isn’t a red flag.
It turned out to be one of those Ponzi schemes. I’m not sure how they work, but I guarantee they will never work with my money.
The only investment I’ve made was to good old Uncle Sam. Now, I get a monthly salary from my Uncle, of which I am thankful.
I couldn’t help but think of a verse of scripture in this instance that’s often misquoted.
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
— 1 Timothy 6: 10
Money is not the root of all evil like so many people think. Rather, it’s the love of money that’s the “root of all evil.”
Dr. Snyder is a former pastor who lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, in Ocala, Fla. His email is [email protected].
