Have you ever thought about what your life would be like if money wasn’t an issue?

I don’t mean “not an issue” in the you’re-so-filthy-rich-you-could-roll-around in-your-money-like-Scrooge-McDuck kind of way. I mean not an issue in the being reasonably financially secure kind of way.

Being financially secure

Being financially would mean…

• having all of your basic needs met
• having an emergency fund with at least a years’ worth of expenses in it, plus additional savings
• being on track for retirement
• being able to afford extras like having a cell phone, eating out, and kids’ -activities
• being able to vacation or indulge in other luxuries a few times a year
• and carrying no debt other than (at most) an easily-affordable mortgage

…all without stressing out about how you were going to pay for it.

Leaving the worry behind

It’s that last bit that’s truly key: living without the stress that comes from worrying about money.

Money affects us in all areas: where we live and work, education, healthcare, and even what we eat. Put simply, the more financially stable you are, the more choices you have — and the better starting point your children start out from.

This is obvious when you compare the opportunities of a child whose only meal might be the free school lunch they get when they go to school with the opportunities a wealthy diplomat’s child might have, but it affects both adults and children in the middle class too.

Let’s take work, for example.

Job choices

How would your life be different if you could work at a job you liked because you liked it — not because you’d be in financial trouble if you didn’t get a paycheck for a while? A job that you could quit if you felt like it, without any lasting repercussions?

Would you work at the same place, or in the same role? Would you put up with the same things? Or would you be more assertive, both in making sure you were treated fairly and in asking for raises and other perks?

When people know (or assume) that you’re struggling to make ends meet and need the job, they’ve got you over a barrel. Change that dynamic, and you often change how people treat you — and what you’re willing to put up with or do. My bet is that you’ll be more successful too.

Why it matters

Aiming for (and reaching!) financial security gets you off the spend-make-spend-stress hamster wheel.

While it takes patience and determination to get off that wheel — especially if you’re switching from a debt-based lifestyle to a debt free one — being able to make positive choices based on your actual wants and needs is awesome.

Live the life you want, not the life you feel forced into by default. That’s why it matters. What would YOUR life be like if money wasn’t an issue?