I have just reached a profound, and probably long overdue, understanding about saving money. It's not just frugal, moral, modest, or putting something aside for the rainy day. It's financially savvy.

The rich don't keep getting richer because they are screwing the poor. They keep getting richer because

MONEY ATTRACTS MORE MONEY.

And I'm not talking about just buying silver at an opportune moment or the like, this goes for grocery store runs just as well as investments.

An example from my very own life. Year or so ago I was going through the grocery store ads, because when you're poor, bargain hunting is a must. Noticed that pork butt was on sale. A very good sale. My brain started calculating; I can buy a lot, eat some, freeze the rest, and accumulate savings for several week into the future. Except. Checking my bank account I realized that I couldn't afford to buy even one piece, let alone several. So I ended up buying something that was relatively much more expensive and loosing money in the future as well.

Us Finns say "Köyhällä ei ole varaa ostaa halpaa" rouhgly translating to "The poor can't afford to buy cheap". Cheaper items tend to be of poorer quality, give less value for you money and break more often, forcing you to buy another "cheap" version, eventually spending more money in total than someone who could afford to buy quality to begin with.

I guess to many these things are obvious, but I felt the need to write this "epiphany" out. Money doesn't just get you more and better things, it gets you more money. You can afford:

• bulk purchases
• long-term efficiency
  -delayed gratification
• investment
• risk-taking
• opportunity capture

And another thing. The less money you have the more energy you expend. Bargain searching, counting, stressing, worrying. You could use that time and energy to possibly create more money, and time, and energy.

So the next time I save that 40 cents at the store or pick up that empty soda can (15 cent deposit) someone discarded on the street, I am not just being frugal. I am preparing for opportunity.

Please do share your thoughts and experiences on the subject 🙏