Let’s talk about insecurities. You can leave your shirt on and you don’t have to cover up any moles on your face. I have a lot of insecurities about myself. I’ve lost hours worrying about them. Like any normal human being, I’ve avoided situations just because I was insecure about something. Money is no exception. The older I get, the less secure I feel with my financial situation.

And the irony is, I’m better with money than I have ever been before. I have more of it, too. What’s wrong with me? Don’t answer that.

You’ve heard it said before and hopefully not to your face after making an error at work: ignorance is bliss.

It’s true. Dumb people have it so great. The less you know, the less aware you are about how bad things are.

Money worries don’t keep me awake at night right now. I fall asleep pretty easily. The money worries can, however, prevent me from going back to sleep. When something wakes me up in the middle of the night, there are times when a thought may salsa dance into my head and I’m reminded of a major expense due now or in the future. Falling back asleep with this at the front of my mind becomes challenging.

There must be a point where we can get when this isn’t a problem. It’s the top of a mountain many of us are trying to climb. How much money do we need to feel secure?

How much money I think I need to feel secure

$100,000.

That’s my number. I think with $100,000 at my disposal, I could do a lot of things. I can take care of major needs and unforeseen emergencies. It’s not an awful lot. I could spend $100,000 if I needed to. It wouldn’t even take care of my mortgage right now. 

Having $100,000 to spend would be nice but it hardly saves me from ever worrying about money again.

What about $200,000?

Yes. That sounds better. It’s years worth of expenses. I can have a nervous breakdown and buy a new car with it and still have a good chunk of liquid cash left. Would this answer my problems?

Liquid or not, there may not be any one number that can be sitting there and available to me where I feel a sense of financial security. I check my investments regularly and fantasize about how much my retirement fund will grow by the time I get to the age where I can call it quits. That’s practically half a lifetime away. Only one of my ears has a hair growing out of it regularly. 

There are a lot of opportunities to continue making more money. I can get to $100,000 over time. Even $200,000 is obtainable. Are they the answer to feeling financially secure forever?

Some people will just never feel financially secure

I don’t consider myself a rich person nor do I expect to ever have the amount of cash flow where I will get invited to parties with people wearing monocles. It’s not the kind of life I live or the person I am.

In fact, even if you deposited a million dollars into my checking account right now, I’m not so sure money woes would go away forever. That’s because money problems and worries aren’t always about a lack of it. Wanting to get the best deal or feeling cheated when something is bought and isn’t as efficient will remain.

You’ve probably heard about those people that win the lottery and end up bankrupt. Something happens to us when we have a raised standard of living. We get dumb. Maybe the saying should also be bliss is ignorance.

There are no intentions for me to ever drastically change the way I live. Small things satisfy me. One of the best moments of my day is getting to drink a coffee sweetened with off-brand artificial sweetener. The way it hits my tongue makes me forget about problems. One serving is only a few cents. Small joys like this can temporarily make me forget all about any money worries I may have.

Everybody has a number in their head for how much money they believe will make them feel secure financially. I have mine. But I also know once I reach the summit, there will be another to climb or a broken appliance ready to be replaced.

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The book that convinced us to start investing and being more proactive with our money and lives: The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need by Andrew Tobias

The gear we use to make our YouTube videos at the Practically Humans YouTube Channel

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