5 Spiritual money management tips for ideal monetary dealings

People work hard day and night to earn wealth without even knowing how to handle money or how to have ideal monetary dealings. But does anyone get an extension to the lifespan? If that was possible, we could earn plenty of money, build grand houses, buy cars, and increase our bank balance. However, in the end, none of it comes with us. One day, we have to leave it all behind. Then, why this blind chase after wealth? Earning without such chasing is, in itself, one of the basic money management tips.

Have you ever seen animals worrying about their livelihood or leaving their village to live in a city? Everything in their life goes on naturally. But humans travel across the oceans to earn money. Is that truly for survival or out of greed?

Wealth is limited, but people’s desires are unlimited! Everyone feels relieved when money gets deposited in the bank and feels sorrow when it goes out. But in this world, there is nothing worth feeling ‘relieved’ about, because everything is ‘temporary’! Even money that exists today may not be there tomorrow; so, it’s not worth carrying its burden.

Just as, by rule, sunrise is always followed by sunset, wealth in life too keeps rising and falling. Bungalows, cars, and comforts may increase and later scatter away. When that scattering happens, maintaining peace of mind is the greatest purusharth (effort that does not require any external evidence)! When one’s own brother takes away our money and top of that hurls insults, here how to live life now is purusharth. When a servant steals something valuable from the office, how one behaves in that moment is effort. Due to lack of right understanding, at such times, people react with anger and spoil their entire human birth!

We think about every possible way to secure our present life, but have we ever thought about securing our next life? Earning money through business or employment is not the main purpose of life; it is only a byproduct! The true purpose is to make this human life meaningful and worthwhile even while earning money. Keeping this in mind, here are some money management tips that would help in handling money wisely.

Conflict-free conduct

When financial difficulties arise, understand that just as night follows day, these circumstances too shall pass. If there’s no job today, a new one will come tomorrow. If there’s a loss in business today, there will be profit tomorrow. If it doesn’t rain for a year, farmers feel ruined and believe their financial condition has collapsed. But when it rains the next year, things improve again. So, when finances are weak, one should remain patient instead of panicking. Reduce expenses, work hard in any way possible, increase efforts but do not worry, which is personal money management advice.

Sometimes, there isn’t even a real financial problem but it’s just greed that makes a person worry. One should check whether there’s enough money for food, shelter, and clothing and not think beyond that.

The standard of a person's entire life should be the same as the level of prosperity at birth. Everything beyond that, is excess and that excess is poison. Nowadays, people worry by comparing themselves to their neighbours. If the neighbour has a car and we don’t, we feel uneasy. At such times, one should reflect, “How much is truly needed for a meaningful life?” One should firmly decide: This much is what I need. This forms the base for all money management tips. For example, there should be enough food at home, a place to live, and sufficient wealth to run the household. Then one will end up receiving the same.

It is comparison that gives rise to misery. When a neighbour deposits ten lakhs in the bank, it pricks us from within, and then, we too start chasing after money. In this way, people invite suffering upon themselves.

Most people want to save money, but why? To leave something behind for the next generation! Then, when the time comes to spend even for their own needs, it burns them from within. Instead, one should set aside a fixed amount for the next generation and stop being miserable today, worrying about the future.

When wealth increases and decreases, accumulates and disperses, one should stay calm and composed. But people, through restlessness and conflict, end up ruining their lives. And yet their bank balance remains unchanged. People often decide that this time they will deposit a certain amount in the bank and never withdraw it, but eventually, the time always comes to withdraw it. Nevertheless, in the end, one has to leave everything behind anyway. So basically everything in life naturally runs its own course, and there’s no need to worry about it. Yet, people lie awake at night thinking, “One mill is built; now, let’s build another factory.” Even when their family tells them to sleep peacefully, they keep making plans under the blanket. Wouldn’t it be better to just sleep peacefully instead?

If someone earns eleven lakh rupees and later loses fifty thousand, they become miserable! But hey! just subtract the fifty thousand from the eleven lakh and count it as a profit of ten and a half lakh. If we think that way, peace of mind will remain, right?!

Just as dirt naturally gathers on one’s hands, wealth too comes to everyone according to their destiny. But when a person becomes blinded by greed, all paths close off; that person can see nothing else. Those whose minds are entirely absorbed in business and earning money often find their children straying down the wrong path instead of going to college. On one hand, they keep making money, but on the other, their home is falling apart. What is the use of such wealth?

Wealth is merely an attachment. If that wealth is guided by righteousness, there’s no harm in it. But if not, it becomes a burden. Whom to give it to? Where to keep it? The pain of such worries keeps increasing! Instead it’s better, then, to earn a little less and live in peace.

When financial difficulties arise, one should turn their mind toward faith and devotion during that surplus time, one of the most practical money management tips. Because favourable times are nourishment for the body, while adversity is a vitamin for the Soul. It is during tough situations that most people turn toward religion and spirituality. That reduces inner conflicts and helps them find peace in life.

Ethics and Integrity

These two are the fundamental money management tips when it comes to how to handle money. If there is an essence to conduct, it is ethics. If one lives with ethics, then even with limited wealth, there will be inner peace. But if ethics are missing, even immense wealth will bring only restlessness. Even if one possesses millions of rupees, it may feel like living inside a burning furnace. What is the use of such constant restlessness and unease?

Honesty is the greatest virtue of all. Among all, giving what is yours to others is divine virtue, and not taking what rightfully belongs to others is human virtue. But today, ‘Dishonesty is the best foolishness!’

Saint Kabir has said:

“Sahaj mila so dudh barabar, maang liya so paani,
Khinch liya so rakt barabar, ehi Kabira baani.”

That means whatever we receive through natural and honest effort is as nourishing as milk. What we obtain by asking is as ordinary as water. But what we snatch or take forcefully from others is like drinking blood. This principle should be followed when it comes to matters of wealth.

As traders, if we say, “This is pure quality,” while selling adulterated goods and feel pleased about it, we will eventually have to face the consequences of that deceit. If we decide firmly never to engage in such dishonesty, and keep a 100% sincere intention to provide good quality, then even if the goods are defective, we should honestly inform the buyer and sell them at a lower price. This way, our risks are reduced.

While earning money by deceiving someone, one should always remember that either the money will go away or we will but the sins of causing suffering to others with such deceitful earning will surely stay with us. And when the time comes to face the consequences of those sins, what will our condition be then? How can one ever be truly happy by making others unhappy? On the other hand, wealth earned through honesty brings inner peace. Where there is honesty, there is no fear!

When black money enters the home, it binds one to sinful deeds that ultimately lead to a lower life-form, which one may have to fulfil in even an animal’s life form. Misusing wealth is a great sin. Just like when a river floods and water fills the house, once it recedes, mud is left behind, and cleaning it drains one’s strength; so too, black money is like floodwater that, when it leaves, takes away peace from every pore of one’s being. Hence, one must read carefully. Those who deceive others ultimately deceive themselves! And when they themselves get deceived, they gain experience and become refined.

To earn money through deceit means losing all the virtues of humanity that one was born with and becoming spiritually bankrupt. If today, despite working honestly and diligently, one does not receive wealth, it should be understood that this is the result of past wrongdoings, past actions where one compromised one’s human virtues. Therefore, it is time to reform oneself anew.

You should sincerely repent from the heart for any thefts, deceptions, or wrongful appropriations related to wealth that you have committed so far, and resolve never to repeat them. This will remove the belief that it is okay to steal! Whenever you remember your fault, repent repeatedly; doing so will wash the wrongdoing away.

Humane conduct

One should wrongfully, not take even a single penny from anyone, one of the ethical money management tips. Humanity lies in feeling that if someone did the same to me, how would I feel? In this world, when we give happiness, we receive happiness; when we give sorrow, we receive sorrow. If we walk the right path, we may not have much wealth outwardly, but within, there will be peace and joy. Money earned through dishonest means never lasts, it only brings terrible misery.

We should hold only one intention to not cause even the slightest harm to any living being, and that no one else’s wealth remains with us. Because wealth is considered the eleventh life force. A human being has ten vital life forces, and wealth is called the eleventh. It does not matter if our wealth goes to someone else, but our constant aim should be that no one else’s wealth remains with us.

When a person borrows money with a firm determination to definitely repay it, their conduct reflects on an entirely different level! When someone comes to collect money from us, and if we don’t have it at that moment, we should speak humbly and politely, in a way that does not hurt the other person. We should always maintain the virtue of repaying every amount owed to anyone, as recorded in our accounts.

If we lend money to someone at a high interest rate and that person is unable to repay, it hurts that person. Param Pujya Dadashri says that those who earn interest become as merciless as a butcher, therefore one should never take interest.

Poor labourers work hard all day just to arrange two simple meals. If we send them back empty-handed saying, “I don’t have change,” we should think, “What will they eat that night?” We must never add to anyone’s suffering.

If a well-fed beggar asks for alms, it’s alright not to give but one should never taunt or speak harshly in a way that causes them pain. Anyone’s circumstances can turn unfavourable; how is that the person’s fault? Similarly, one should not argue or bargain harshly with vegetable vendors. Even if it means paying a little extra, it’s better to do so than to hurt them with unkind words, one of the most considerate money management tips. If a servant breaks a cup, or if we argue over money with a rickshaw driver or a porter, it only creates more conflict. Also, if some loss occurs at work and we scold or mistreat the workers under us, it causes them pain too. Whenever our actions cause someone sorrow, we should sincerely repent for it.

If one is not intoxicated by wealth, there’s no harm in earning more. But the intoxication of wealth is like the intoxication of alcohol. Under its influence, a person loses awareness and starts despising others.

No matter how much we have earned, at the time of death, the account of our deeds will be presented, so we must live with awareness!

The mathematics of investment

One should not invest the entire capital in a single place; it should be distributed between movable and immovable assets. This one is the most practical of all money management tips when it comes to making investments. Param Pujya Dadashri says that the businessmen of two hundred years ago invested their capital in such a balanced way that their trade never faced bankruptcy. Suppose they had one lakh rupees, they would invest twenty-five thousand in immovable property, twenty-five thousand in gold and goods, twenty-five thousand as interest-bearing deposits with a money lender, and the remaining twenty-five thousand in their business. If the business required more funds, they would borrow five thousand on interest. By following such a method of investment, they could avoid bankruptcy even in times of loss.

Lakshmiji (wealth) is considered movable property. Movable property refers to cash, which has a fickle nature and never remains constant. One-fourth of the capital should be kept as movable, that is, in cash or bank deposits to meet daily expenses. Gold is considered semi-movable property; it lasts for forty to fifty years. If one-fourth of the capital is invested in gold, it can be converted into cash whenever needed. But people tend to think that if we invest in gold, it won’t earn interest, so they deposit it as cash in the bank instead. Then, one-fourth of the capital should be invested in immovable property, and one-fourth in business. Immovable property means investment in a house, which lasts for about a hundred years.

Param Pujya Dadashri also strongly says that one should never get involved in the stock market, an uncommon personal money management advice. Because in that game, only five to seven players win, while the ones caught in between get crushed! Yet everyone finds some advisor who says, “Right now the stock prices are good, invest!” And when one falls for that kind of greed, consider that they’ve started their downfall.

In the end, a small portion of one’s income should be given to charity. One should try ways to use money for a good cause, for the benefit of others. It should be given to those in trouble or in sorrow. Or it can be used for Gnan daan (the gift of knowledge), such as printing and distributing good books that are beneficial to people. If, in the past, one has given to others, then today, wealth will naturally come their way.

There should be no business in religion

Param Pujya Dadashri says that in business, religion may be practised, but in religion, business must never enter! This money management advice is for all of us, not just for the businessmen. If business enters into religion, it leads to destruction. One may have to be reborn as a stone on a mountain, remaining there motionless for millions of years.

People turn to religion seeking peace. But when business operates in the name of religion, when gurus extract money and jewelry from devotees, it instead only increases their suffering. If religion demands high fees, how will the poor ever attain it? A true guru must be pure in character. Wherever wealth and sensual indulgence enter, true spirituality cannot exist.

If one has taken ill-gotten money in the name of religion, engaged in immoral acts, or has looked at someone with an impure intent, one should sincerely repent for all of it from the heart and firmly resolve never to repeat such faults again, this sincere repentance can lessen those wrongdoings.