This is what I like spending money on, in no particular order:

Tools to help my talent. It could be a computer, new software, or a book. As long as it helps refine my talent and apply it in more powerful ways, then I enjoy the investment.

Causes that change the world. This is my favorite way to spend money. I’m not just saying this to make me sound heroic, but it’s the hard truth. There’s no greater reward than know that you are making the world a better place. What good is paper money? It’s proof of your dedication and labor, but what is that good for? Use that for something great.

The people I love. If I am going to spend money, it might as well be on the lives of people that I love. I could spend $50 on something stylish from Target, but I’d rather spend that $50 on an evening with my girlfriend. Some people would argue that at least buying something at Target means I have something to show for my money. But the last thing I want is another “thing”. Yuck! I hate it. I don’t want another object in my house. Give me soft furniture, clean walls, and beautiful music. No more!

My house. I have no desire to equip my home so that it will impress shallow people, or get me featured on MTV’s “Cribs”. But this shack can become a castle if I work hard enough and stay focused. The money and work I put into my home is worth it, because this is where I rest and spend time with the people that I love. This labor is a form or rest for me, because it helps me balance my work days, where I spend most of my time clicking at a computers.

Experiences. The most boring people in life have lovely homes and lovely cars. They have no other experiences in life other than the mundane ritual of acquiring items of success. If I can bungee jump in Africa, then I should. If I can sleep in a battleship, then I should. If I can ride in a monster truck, I should.

Anything that will give my money back. It could be real estate, an IRA, or stock in a good company. It’s the ultimate deal: you give them money, and they’ll give you back twice as much in a few years.

I savor all my decisions. It’s one of the greatest gifts, to live in a country where you can face the consequences of your decisions, for better or for worse. I’m 26 years old now, and I’ve been around enough to start to see decisions pay off. It could be decisions in any area of life, but it’s the decisions I make about money that are the easiest to understand.

I avoid vices like drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. I stay away from flashy investments: clothes, cars, shoes, jewelery, electronics. I know I just took myself out of a rap video, and to many people, I am thoroughly uncool. They all make you look cool, but they drain your wallet.

For example, let’s say you put $10,000 into building a rap video around you: lease a car, get the jewelry, booze, the nightlife. Enjoy the moment, because that’s all you are going to get. Soon your lease will be up and your car will be gone, your jewelry will tarnish, and you’ll piss out your booze.

Let’s say you put that same $10,000 and into something boring, like a remodeled kitchen. You get to enjoy a nicer home, and that satisfaction doubles when you realize that your house is worth more. You could sell it for $20,000 more. What a deal!

That’s all the financial advise I’m willing to write about today.