Time AND Money

Money can be such a sensitive subject, especially between those of different income levels. I’ve been broke, and I’ve been flush, and I see both sides quite clearly; but I’ve always been a little puzzled by the prickly pride that some people develop when they’re down. I’ve also seen friendships–some of them mine–ruined over misunderstandings about how the respective parties see money, so let me wade right in and offer a couple alternative views.

You’ve heard the expression “Time is money”, right? Well, turn that around: money is time. If I am accustomed to receiving ten dollars an hour for my labor, then ten dollars is literally representative of an hour of my time. And while money is generally a poor substitute for time–I personally much prefer to offer labor, such as volunteering to wash dishes at a convention, or my expertise, such as running a writing group, or even my heart, as when I donate reiki treatments–sometimes it’s all I have to give. To me, money is no more and no less special than my time and labor; it’s simply an alternate measure of those things.

There’s also the theory of “paying forward”: during my down times, other people with more stepped forward, unasked, to help with donations; from groceries (“Oh, it was on sale, I figured I’d grab you a couple extra”) to cash (“take yourself out to dinner, you deserve a break”) to time (“I’d be happy to stop by and let your dogs out while you’re at work”). So if I buy a friend a meal or pay my stepdaughter’s electric bill, I’m repaying the folks who were kind to me in the past as much as I’m thanking my friend for being so awesome or expressing love for my stepdaughter.

Being down, being broke, is not necessarily a permanent state–and neither is being flush. I believe in giving what I have, when I have it, knowing that tomorrow I might not have it to give–so I may as well do it today!

What’s your giving philosophy? I’d love to hear other views!