Why the obsession with money?

Hello everyone! I decided it was time for another more personal article to talk about why I started the Frugal Zoomer (beyond being bored this summer).

As a child my life felt out of control because my family didn't have money. I was frustrated that I couldn't contribute or protect us financially.

I was furious that the rich could afford to keep their money in risky, high-paying investments. I was furious that the rich could pass their wealth from generation to generation without ever knowing poverty. I was furious that the rich got discounts on mortgages, loans, and insurances simply because they had more money. Meanwhile everyone else is stuck paying monthly fees because of their low bank balance, paying exorbitant interest rates if they want to go to school or own a house, and getting buried further and further every day they can't pay their credit card bill or contribute to a retirement account.

My pre-college years taught me that a lack of money results in a lack of time, energy, control, and opportunities. Money is a means to an end that lets us be generous, reliable, patient, and live a richer (metaphorically, of course) life.

Somewhere along the line in college, I got less angry and more productive. College taught me that there is another way to live. I decided to learn about finance, and to prioritize making and saving money for a few years to see what is possible.

It's not about greed -- it's about survival, independence, rejecting the paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle, and putting on your oxygen mask before helping others. While certainly not impossible, it's much more difficult to help others when you need help yourself. I'm prioritizing money so that the hunk of my brain that has only worried about money the last 22 years can think about something else. I'm making sure I can take care of myself so that I can help take care of my friends, family, and others who need it.

Welcome on my journey to becoming less angry and stingy!

Why do you prioritize saving money?