Do You Really Know Where Your Money Goes?

First off - I forgot to post this after I wrote it earlier. To those who were sitting at their computers waiting on edge for it at 7pm... my sincere apologies.

A lot of people have no idea how their money is being spent. This is clear from the ridiculous levels of personal debt being seen in the western culture, and if you ask the average person, they don't bother keeping track of their income and expenses. It's a dangerous habit to get into,and part of what landed our economy in the toilet. Now, I know that somewhere, someone reading this is going "Ha. I have a tightly recorded monthly budget - I know where everything I spend is going".

Good. That's a start.

Now, of all you smug individuals, how many are paying attention to where your tax dollars are being spent? And how many of you donate to charity? Do you know how that donation money is being spent? I'm often shocked at how nonchalant people who are careful with their money can be once they've parted with it. Do you really want your income tax spent to ensure that your local MLA flies first class, and has his or her drycleaning done? What about the fact that the Vancouver Sun reported an estimated $30,000 per homeless person is donated to the various charities throughout the lower mainland? With those kinds of numbers, how can there by any homeless?

I find that people always look for the quick fix on items, and often that solution is "more money". Africa is one of the worst-case examples - how can there be such a destitute level of poverty through an entire continent with the amount of money being thrown at it? I'll tell you why - because the money that's going there is, at best, getting caught up in a bureaucratic nightmare and dwindles down to almost nothing by the time it reaches the people who need it (the corruption that exists within charitable organizations and government agencies is another issue entirely). No, the solution isn't simply spending more money - it starts with us figuring out where the money's going, and seeing to it that it's spent properly.

If you're one of the people who spends without thinking - then start paying attention. You can't help others if you can't help yourself. Then start paying attention to how others are spending your money - let's begin to demand a greater degree of transparency and accountability on those we trust with our hard earned dollar.

Otherwise, continue leaving it to blind faith... after all, it seems to have worked out well for Nicolas Cage, right?

~Guy