Free up some time. Nope. Can't do it. Time isn't free. It may not cost a dollar, but a minute costs a minute. No refunds. No exchanges.

 

That's not right either. There are exchanges. Every choice, or lack of choice, spends a bit of time, exchanges a bit of time for something. Even sitting still spends time and exchanges it for a memory. The memory of watching last night's sunset storm and rainbow is precious.

 

Our civilization is based on the concept of money. Money is just an extension of a barter economy. At its simplest, and without getting into M1 money supply, cash is merely the convenient way to carry whatever you wanted to barter. It became possible to barter time spent brewing coffee with someone else's time spent making a shirt. Time became money.

 

The concept of investing began to disassociate time from money. By investing time, effort, or money it became possible for that investment to create more money. The investment can't create more time or return effort, but the money produced can be effectively bartered for someone else's time or effort, which frees up the investor's time. Money frees up time.

 

The classical concept of luxury is based on acquisition and conspicuous consumption. Fancy hotel rooms, sleek automobiles, sparkling gems and wines, are all luxuries identified by high prices. People look forward to being able to afford those luxuries. Considering the brake job I just had done on my nine year old car, I too look forward to the luxury of a car that doesn't break down.

 

Such luxuries are seductive and can be enjoyable. But they aren't my favorite luxury. My favorite luxury is time.

 

It is luxurious, at least for me, to lead a less scheduled life.

 

Planes, buses, ferries, all run on schedules. If they run frequently enough, I can show up at my convenience and catch the next ride. But, if they require reservations, then I feel the time pressure. Instead of luxury, I feel anxiety.

 

Sleeping in, taking naps, sitting on the porch, are indulgences that can't be delivered. They can, however, be enabled by having a source of income, enough money or wealth, that time doesn't have to be spent making money.

 

The time I spend considering my investments, is time well spent - for me. Not everyone is going to receive the same return on the invested time. For me, investing is interesting, intriguing, and enabling. That won't be the case for the majority of people.

 

Knowing yourself, knowing what you want, or are willing, to spend your time on, is one of the most important aspects of life. I am willing to mow my own lawn and watch my own investments. My lawn is small and I enjoy the workout, or at least appreciate not having to also pay for a gym membership that also involves commute time and gym schedules. I will, however, pay for someone else to fix my car, or make my clothes. Those take more time than I want to spend and require skills that I don't want to develop.

 

The same will be true for others who want to invest. For those people for whom investing is drudgery or intimidating, they should consider hiring a professional. Such investors will be spending more of their money and less of their time on money, which frees them up to spend more time on something else, even if that is sitting on the porch.