NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
There's no end to the ways you can make yourself feel cash-poor. Compare the cost of JLo's latest gift from Ben with your salary, live in New York or San Francisco, open your 401(k) statement, you name it.
But if perception is everything -- or even just something -- why not change your perspective a little and look for ways to make yourself feel rich?
Assuming you've taken stock of the real wealth in your life -- health, happiness, family and friends -- here are some suggestions for how to feel more flush with the green you've got.
Step up the quality control in your life. Surround yourself with what makes you feel good. It sounds ridiculously obvious, but if you're forever meaning to get rid of ratty clothes, fix the squeaky hinge on the door or have a dinner party so you can break out the good china, you may not have this point down yet.
"Live life for today. Use your beautiful things. Enjoy them," said Terah Kathryn Collins, author of "Feng Shui for Prosperity."
In other words, don't always wait for company before you wear your beautiful jewelry. And make a conscious effort to get rid of things that are in poor condition and beyond repair. Also, Collins said, get rid of anything you associate with feeling poor or financially unstable.
"Pare down and then build up," she said.
But when you're ready to build up, do so judiciously. For instance, she suggested, rather than buy 10 cheap shirts, why not consolidate your cash and buy one handsome, high-quality shirt that you love?
Indulge your urge to splurge. You can't afford to splurge anytime you want. But that doesn't mean you should never indulge yourself. In fact, doing so occasionally can be good for you.
You might opt for what Dr. James Gottfurcht, a principal of Psychology of Money Consultants in Los Angeles, calls "nurturing treats." By that he means tickets to special performance events such as playoffs or the ballet, a massage, a night at a five-star hotel, a round of golf at a top course, or even fresh flowers every week.
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In other words, decide what you love and set aside money each week for that goal so it's there when you need it, he said.
Or take a vacation. (No, really, take it. It'll go a long way to promote two true wealth traits: health and happiness.) There's nothing saying you can't have a really luxe time at a less-than-luxe price.
Say you've always wanted to be pampered for days on end. Why not go off-season to a resort that has excellent spa services but is best known as a golf or ski resort, suggested Renee Coon, an agent with North Coast Travel in Erie, Pa. "Sometimes value isn't always price," Coon said.
For example, the Wyndham Peaks Resort and Golden Door Spa in Telluride, Colo., offers a package at the beginning of June that includes accommodations, daily breakfast, access to the spa and all fitness classes plus a 50-minute spa service per adult per night for $266 a day, double occupancy. That same package during peak season in December costs a whopping $910 a day.
Satisfy your need for security. Maybe you've already been living high on the hog, too high on the hog. Or maybe you find you're just spending a lot on things that you buy compulsively but that you really don't want. Consequently, you get a sinking feeling every time you check your bank balance. That may mean you're jonesing for a little security.
If feeling rich to you means having more money in the bank, your priority should be to devote more energy to savings. (If you're having trouble getting started, try some of these easy savings tricks. For help losing the debt, click here.)
Appreciate all that you do have. You may grow ashen looking at your 401(k) balance, but sometimes it helps to look at your whole financial picture. Your bottom line may be a bit more cushioned than you assume. The only way to know for sure is to figure out your net worth -- your assets minus your liabilities.
Now, of course, it's possible you may find you've got negative net worth. If so, consider it a first step toward increasing your wealth. After all, you'll start to feel a lot richer once you've assessed where you are and take steps to move the net worth needle into positive territory.
If you really can't quell that sense that you just don't have enough, ask yourself the following: Do you have adequate food, clothes and shelter, even if they're not the best on the block? Well, that puts you way ahead of plenty of people worldwide. According to the World Bank, 1.2 billion people earn less than $1 a day. And there are plenty of folks in the United States who live below the poverty line or who are just getting by.
Sometimes the best way to appreciate all that you've got is to give something of yourself, whether by making a donation to a good cause or volunteering some of your time to help the needy in your area.
Jeanne Sahadi writes about personal finance for CNN/Money. She also appears regularly on CNNfn's "Your Money," which airs weeknights at 5 p.m. For comments on this column or suggestions for future ones, please e-mail her at everydaymoney@cnnmoney.com.
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