We as humans have always been fascinated with the prospect of easy money. That is why places like Las Vegas and Atlantic City are such booming metropolises making billions of dollars per year on gambling earnings. People also religiously buy lotto tickets hoping to hit the big jackpot and instantly become wealthy enough to never have to work again. Back 150 years ago it was the gold rush which had the similar lure of “striking it rich.” Only then it was gold instead of greenbacks. So the question remains, “is there such a thing as legitimate easy money?”

The fast answer is that there certainly is! I mean there are countless examples of instant winners of the numerous lotteries, and sweepstakes, and raffles, and slot machine jackpots right? There are also scores of athletes who were fortunate enough to have been borne 7 feet tall with blazing speed that can play which ever sport on the professional level that they want to. Theirs is easy money, isn't it? There are also examples of people who came up with, or maybe even more correct, stumbled upon the right thing at the right time and made millions off it. It wasn't hard for them was it?

Well yes and no (just like every answer in the entire world)! Yes on the front end this money was easy but shouldn't we consider the back end as well. What I am referring to is the indirect “costs” of becoming an instant millionaire with easy money. You see if you look at the lives of the people used in my examples you might find (it is my contention that you will find) that this money didn't come so easily afterall. No they paid for it dearly with broken relationships, annoying public scrutiny, poor decisions and stewardship, and the realization the money isn't what makes a satisfactory life. It is sad but true that many of these people end up committing suicide because they can't deal with these costs.

So might I suggest that money doesn't come as “easy money” like it might seem. Either way you look at it, with money comes risk in equal measure. You can cite those who have sacrificed much including family and friends to “earn” it on the front end or you can look at those who sacrificed much including family and friends to “have” it on the back end. I don't care—if that's easy, I want mine to come the good old fashioned way with hard work and proper perspective.