Sorry I haven’t posted in a few days. I was really sick for a while.
A reader asks what about the lottery? If I have the money to play the lottery what’s the difference between me spending a few bucks on lottery tickets instead of going golfing?
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Well the biggest difference is at least you get something for your money if you spend it on golfing (of course that may be up for debate depending on who you’re talking to).
For me, and I realize this is highly opinionated, it’s a mindset about what you personally will promote and passively approve of by your example thereby having some sort of influence on others as well. The lottery is an absolute and utter waste of money and a drain on the economy. It primarily tempts money from the poor and from those who have the poor victim class envy mentality, or otherwise smart people who have been duped by the marketing and the display of winners..
There’s a myth that a lot of people believe even if you can’t get them to admit it:
Someday I’ll hit the lottery and strike it rich.
Folks, let’s just cut right to the chase about lotteries and similar get-rich-quick fantasies. The lottery is a tax on the poor and the stupid. You have virtually zero chance of getting rich from the lottery, and yet a growing and alarming percentage of people think that at some point in their life, they will hit the lottery jackpot. Again, you have virtually no chance of becoming wealthy from the lottery.
The lottery is a tax on the poor, greedy or stupid. Other than that, I have no opinion about it.
Rather than stupidly throwing away your money on a no-win proposition, take the same money that you use to buy lottery tickets and instead of gambling it, invest it. Over the years, the money that you would have flushed down the toilet playing the lottery will pay off in earnings – every single time without fail. Rather than being a for sure loser, be an absolute and certain financial winner by investing that money.
That’s just looking at the lottery issue strictly from a financial standpoint. From a personal growth and spiritual standpoint all sorts of arguments could be made for avoiding the lottery. It’s a bad example. It shows passive agreement if you engage in it. You’re teaching your children, your family and all those who have influence over that is okay to throw away your money on lottery and to rob the economy of revenue that could have been put to good use. It demonstrates a poor use of God’s resources that could have been put to good use in the kingdom.[TIPJAR]
If you compare the compiled benefits of every winner and what it has done for their life and subtract the negative to society and the economy, we are clear losers for falling to the greed and temptation of the lottery.
It’s a mindset about money. It’s a spiritual maturity about finances. It’s the entire way you view money and the reason God blesses us with it. Forget the lottery and go golfing instead. And while you’re out on the course, teach two or three of your buddies about why the lottery is stupid.
For more on these topics check out my book Life without Debt.
What are your questions about the lottery or money?