Investments and Jobs

Working in the health care industry for nearly sixteen years a friend came to me and said she wanted to quit. She told me about the horrible feelings she had at the end of each work day. She felt her life slipping away not meaning anything to anyone, least of all the company who had brought in people from other nations to under pay the staff.

She felt competent in her ability to perform her job. But was racked with fear of making any mistakes. The companies stance was clear: she was independently licensed. Companies are known for using employees who have licenses to get out of major litigation. 

As her fears of retribution grew she had no support lines available to help her find a way out of the career she had chosen. Threats loomed over her, she felt desperate and so she began looking for other jobs. She was horrified every time she read a nursing ad. She felt she had no course left and finally took her life.

Another friend who worked in mortgages felt so sick by the business practices to lie to the public he could no longer handle the stress. He knew lying was wrong for him spiritually. As he locked others into these tainted loans they could never repay he knew millions would be made at the expense of the unknowledgable borrower. He sunk himself into alcohol and kept repeating this process until he had not one but now two large issues to deal with. As he surpassed from social drinking into alcoholism he saw his own home lost through a series of mishaps in his financial kingdom.

The health care industry and unscrupulous bank loan officers is one example. There are many others out there who are horribly unhappy with their working careers. We lock ourselves into a certain level of money then we believe we can not live without this level of income. We begin to conjure in our heads that life would stop and our worlds collapse if any less were to be gained.

Money is only as good as we make it. Here are some basic things we forget and are not taught. Money is used for goods. It is used to trade for some thing we want or need. Did you know if you have a back yard you can grow your own food and stop buying many of the groceries you have now. Even living in an apartment you can grow a small herb garden. Tomato plants can be utilized in small spaces.

Buying a manufactured house is not a sound investment. Even though the price may be in your budget. They do not appreciate (grow in value over time). Housing is to important a decision to just jump at the first one you think you will retire in. Housing prices do not reflect the true value of the property. Often over priced properties will sink you into untold repairs. Houses are not made of gold, they will decay over time even with the best of care.

Reality check, for more than half of us we will never have a home. We may end up in a nursing home or hospital at the end of our days. And those of you who are fortunate enough to have a home. Look at what happens later in life. Reverse mortgages. These give you money and allow you to live in your house. Now you are making payments again at the end of your life span. If you default you loose your home, and still have the debt. Perhaps your intention was for your children to divide the value of your home upon your death. Now they have nothing but your debt.

Jobs give many of us a sense of purpose. Companies are out sourcing to other nations. They reap the profits by seeking out these cheaper labor markets. Workers here over 30 are being replaced with younger more imaginative individuals. In some cases these individuals are not imaginative just young. Money is a system we use. We need to be taught its power and how it can help or hurt. One friends decision to die over a job is not normal. But what is normal in a society that values money over any thing else?

written by: Derrick A Jasper Freelance writer