What is true wealth

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What is true wealth? What should you expect if you reach the end of the gold paved road to financial freedom?

If you have a million dollars, will you be satisfied? What about 10 million? Is true wealth a numbers game or do other factors enter into the equation?

Ebenizer Scrooge of Dicken’s The Christmas Carol was very wealthy for his time, but before meeting the three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future,
he lived a miserable life, too cheap to even heat his own apartment.

Meanwhile his clerk, with his many children, was portrayed as happy and loving - a great father.

Of course this is fiction, but is there any truth to the story?

Many people will work incessantly trying to accumulate more and more wealth, but a trite joke is that their last words are never: “I wished I spent more time at
work.”

For some people the only answer to the question; “What is true wealth?", is money pure and simple - the more money the better.

Others would be content to say that true wealth is having the peace of mind of being free of debt.

Another will say he is truly wealthy if he can lead the lifestyle he chooses regardless of cost.

Others might say true wealth is being healthy and surrounded by loving family and caring friends.

There are probably as many answers to this question as they are people to answer it.

You could live in a big house on the hill, have two Mercedes in the garage and a million in the bank and not enjoy life as much as the guy who works in the gas station and lives in a two room furnished apartment.

True wealth is what one perceives it to be. And if it were not so, we wouldn’t have policemen, firemen and soldiers who risk their lives protecting us rather than trying to work on Wall Street, making big bucks.

We wouldn’t have doctors who travel to third world countries, just to try to make some difference, rather than to stay at home with a thriving practice and a comfortable life.

We wouldn’t have all the volunteers this country has, who are ready and willing to help the sick, infirm or destitute – or who suddenly turn up at disaster scenes willing to do anything to help.

This country wouldn’t have the millions of people who donate billions of dollars annually to the charities of their choice.

So even thought we concentrate on financial matters, it’s good to step back and realize there is more to true wealth than money.

I believe that having enough wealth to live a comfortable life makes lots of other things possible.

I also believe that being in debt is merely transferring your wealth to your creditors. While it may make them, or their shareholders rich, it really contributes little to your true wealth.

So my answer will be adopted from Mr. Spock’s famous Vulcan greeting: “Live Debt Free and Prosper.”

An overview of the direct deposit system

Direct deposit is an excellent feature offered by many banks all around your area. Banking is supposed to be convenient and easy, it has been made that much easier and more convenient with the offering of direct deposits. When thinking about direct deposit, consider many of the things that could apply to you. Have you found yourself hurrying off to make the cutoff point for bank deposits? Do you travel to your banking institution on a weekly basis to deposit a paycheck? Have you found yourself losing a check you intend to take to the bank to deposit or cash? If you have answered any of these questions with a yes, it may be time to consider direct deposit.

Direct deposits are the action of your employer depositing your paycheck directly into your bank account by electronic means. This is extremely safe and easy for you to do, all you simply have to do is first, ensure that your employer offers direct deposits (many employers now days ONLY offer direct deposits to their employees). The next thing you will have to do is fill out a form that supplies your employer with your bank routing number, account number, and bank information.

By choosing direct deposits, you are ensuring easy and safe transfer of your funds to your bank account. It is reliable and your paycheck is deposited into your bank account on time, you no longer have to keep track of the banking hours or hurry to meet the deposit deadline. You also decrease the risk of losing your paycheck by using direct deposits. There are other benefits to direct deposits including, when your funds are deposited directly the funds are available to you immediately upon completion of the transfer. Occasionally, some banks require you to wait a specified number of days before the funds will become available, to wait for check clearance.

Another excellent benefit, is if you are away from your home on business or on a vacation, you will not have to worry about your paycheck coming in the mail or being stolen, your money will be in your account safely. They are also extremely secure, stolen, misplaced, or lost checks will become a thing of the past. Direct deposits leave such a trail behind it that tracking these are much easier than tracking a paper check.

As you can see direct deposits can make your life much easier and reduce the number of trips you will need to make to your banking institution.