There’s a saying online:

“Early to rise, late to bed, still living paycheck to paycheck; work hard, work long, still struggling; sighing about the sky and the earth, still lacking money. Family looks down on you, friends keep their distance, loved ones abandon you. Wondering why, it’s better to just save money.”

This phrase may sound like a rhyme, but it captures the hardships of life.

“Money can move mountains, without money, even an inch is hard to tread.”

Money isn’t everything, but not having money is a major problem.

Everyone wants to have money. Those who say, “Why do you need so much money? Just enough is fine,” are usually those who aren’t earning much.

Most people believe the more money, the better. Money that never runs out is even more desirable.

My cousin earns six thousand a month, but apart from my mom, no one else knows. He never tells anyone around him about it.

During Chinese New Year this year, my cousin said:

“I earn six thousand a month, but I dare not tell anyone.”

I never understood why. Taking my mom to talk to my cousin about this, I realized he had his reasons. It’s good that others don’t know about it. Everyone assumes he only earns six thousand a year.

Some relatives teased him:

“Graduated from a prestigious university, so what? My child earns more.”

My cousin just brushed it off.

Always Leave Yourself a Way Out

An emotional expert once said:

“Always leave yourself a way out. Don’t burn your bridges. Doing so is like ruining your own future.”

Though said to a male guest, this statement holds a lot of wisdom. In life, always leave yourself an escape route. If you burn your bridges, you may find yourself at a dead end one day.

Why doesn’t my cousin tell others about his six-thousand-dollar salary? Imagine this—if he shared it and his income dropped one day, people would just laugh at him.

Life is unpredictable. You never know what tomorrow brings. So when you receive benefits from the world, it’s wise not to boast immediately.

In life, many people are waiting to see you fail, hoping you stumble and never recover.

Therefore, don’t share this information. Even if your income decreases one day, no one will know. You won’t let others’ gossip worsen your situation.

Be Cautious in Dealing with People and Matters

In dealing with people and matters, always be cautious. Some people disclose their exact earnings, which, though honest, can sometimes harm them.

My grandfather was like that. Whenever we had some money, he would tell others. This led to more conflicts with others. Many people came to borrow money from us because Grandpa had already disclosed our savings.

A person earning six thousand a month also has to manage their life. Imagine this—my cousin is a young man who will eventually marry. If he shares his wealth, many will surely start asking to borrow money from him.

Many relatives act in this manner:

Once they see someone has money, they immediately run to borrow. If the person refuses, they get angry, feeling owed, and cut ties.

Although lending money is a gesture of kindness, not lending shouldn’t be seen as wrong.

When dealing with people and matters, always be cautious. Not everything spoken brings benefits, some bring troubles instead of good.

Those Who Have Suffered Hardship Tend to Be Cautious

People who have experienced hardship tend to be cautious, just like my cousin.

My cousin is extremely cautious, all due to his past hardships. Even though he excelled in university and later obtained a master’s degree, people see him as privileged.

But only my cousin knows the suffering and pain he endured. He left his parents at a young age to take care of my mom.

Even though my mom treated him well, being her younger sister’s son, my cousin always felt uncomfortable living with us. Sometimes, when we had nice things, he’d give them to me and my brother first. In his eyes, he was always an outsider and thus held back on many things.

Although our family treated him exceptionally well, he still maintained boundaries, always reserved.

Perhaps this is common among children fostered by others. Even if treated well, they still hold back, fearing they might upset their hosts and end up with nowhere to go.

Hence, my cousin developed this habit from a young age and remained cautious in adulthood. Despite his high salary, he never tells anyone, afraid of causing trouble for himself and others.

Childhood experiences have a significant impact on a person. My cousin is a cautious person from childhood and has retained this habit in adulthood.

When Others Think You’re Wealthy, Borrowing Becomes Expected

If people think you earn six thousand a month, they’re likely to ask to borrow money. Whether it’s relatives or friends, seeing your wealth, they’ll be eager to get a share.

Many people in this world want to reap where they did not sow. They wait for you to have money, ask to borrow, and when they do, they may not repay. When you ask for it back, they ignore you.

To others, someone earning six thousand a month may seem wealthy, as that adds up to hundreds of thousands per year.

So, many around you will likely ask for loans. If you refuse, you might offend them. If you lend, the money you saved for a house or car might be misunderstood.

Hence, it’s better to say you have no money. This way, people will not expect you to lend them money.

In life, we must learn to be careful in our dealings. Some things are better left unsaid, as sharing them could bring trouble to both yourself and others. So, even if you earn a lot, it’s wise not to share it. It’s better to avoid unnecessary complications.