Monday, July 2, 2012

Your life in Cash

How much is your life worth?
Have you ever thought of doing some Math?

I was reading some article written by a friend last week. She does the tally of her expenditure every day. I carry a notebook for inspiration she carries a balance sheet.
When I asked why? She said that she does that because she has to know just how much she is spending as compared to what she is earning. It was simple. Then I asked, why is that important?

"Because I want to know what I'm worth, duh?"

Well, let us back up a bit okay?

So here's my life in Math as I did last Friday:

  • Scratch card/ airtime- 20/=
  • Breakfast- (chapati and tea) 30/=
  • Pen/ 32 page exercise book 10/=
  • Wrigley's PK- 7/=
  • Boda boda 20/=
  • Lunch 50/=
  • Roasted Maize 10/=
  • TOTAL: 147/=

So that is something ain't it? I could do without the chapati, pen, boda boda and maize and that'd leave me with 97/=.

I reckon I spend more than a dollar every day- but this data is flawed, because I'm listing just what I spend- not what my uncle and his gracious family spend on my meals and accommodation- so I spend more, but this Math changes with time and the situation.

Like a Cancer patient?

A`single parent?

An orphanage manager?

A president?

A homeless person...see it changes, and it got me thinking with monetization of the vital things we have life has become almost meaningless. Life has been cashified- if I may use that term. So what does this mean?

Essential traits like pride over our achievements has been monetized. The more vehicles you have, most mistresses, most kids, large houses- the better off you are.

So, let's keep my friend's game rolling- how much is your life worth in cash? And to get to that follow these simple steps:

  1. Write down what strengths you have as you kickstart your day.
  2. Write down what you have done during the day.
  3. Then write down how much money you spent during the day and next to each amount write the objective achieved: like 50/= for lunch.
  4. Assign numbers one and two monetary values
  5. Subtract the total realized in number 4 from 3
  6. What you have is the value of your life

Tell me if it's worth living or not.



3 comments:

  1. Something to think about for sure. Will do.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Is my life worth living each day? A monetary sum won't justify the fact. Unless I've missed the point of your post entirely.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You've gotten my point Antony, it sucks that everything has a cash value and now even people value themselves and others in terms of the cash they have and spend- and that's giving people price tags.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for Reading!