I love money

Author: Cao Qitai
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Bestselling author in the Taiwanese entertainment industry, the "big brother" of the Chinese hosting world! New work! The top non-fiction bestseller in Taiwan in 2004! Recommended by close friend and mentor, David Chou, with heartfelt endorsements from Liu Yiwei and Jin Xing! A life lesson that schools don’t teach and parents don’t discuss! Are you truly in love with money, or just obsessed with it? What does it really mean to be rich? Do you possess the "Five Perspectives" for making money? How can you create good fortune? The title "I Love Money" might give the impression of "money," but Cao Qitai says it’s just a gimmick. "Although 'I Love Money' may seem full of greed, I knew some people would dismiss it, but that’s not the book’s true message. If you read it carefully, you’ll find it actually discusses three aspects: 'Me,' 'Love,' and 'Money.'"
When it comes to money, a topic as cliché as this can easily turn into something vulgar or contrived. But Cao Qitai chose to write about it, and he did so brilliantly, without falling into clichés. Cao Qitai loves money, but he despises those who are obsessed with it. He lists ten characteristics of such people: deceitful, shameless, dishonorable, vulgar, disgusting, and repulsive. He bluntly states that anyone with a hint of this "greed" should be avoided. In his view, money is fragrant. With optimism and confidence, one can keep it that way. "I don’t have time, and I don’t have money—money chases me." Cao Qitai claims to love money because he loves life, loves overcoming its challenges, and loves his family and friends. During his studies, his parents divorced, forcing him to live with relatives. To earn living expenses and tuition, he sold goods on the street, drew posters for restaurants, and helped a shoe store attract customers. Yet he never complained or resented his family; instead, he seemed to enjoy it. For example, when he was deeply in debt, he borrowed more from the bank before the New Year, adding an extra 50,000 to give to employees, his parents, and his family for a vacation. He celebrated the holiday happily.
What Cao Qitai discusses is indeed money—how to master it, make it work for you, and bring joy to your life and others. This is a book about controlling money. To become wealthy, one must first have the right perspective on money, understand one’s own "financial appearance," "financial character," and "financial quality," and then earn and spend money with ease. The "Cucumber Theory," "Zigzag Thinking," "Golden Egg Story," and "Three Methods for Borrowing Money in Emergencies" will help you grasp the right balance with money. The writing style of this book mirrors the author’s hosting style—lively, humorous, yet insightful.
In "I Love Money," Cao Qitai notes that he never hesitates to admit his love for money. What’s more, he always feels wealthy and has a unique way of staying that way. For instance, even when he was already in debt year-round, he would borrow a little more from the bank the day before it closed to ensure his family had a joyful New Year and a good omen to welcome the coming year. Why? Because if he didn’t, his elders would worry about his family, and his wife and children would have to face the harsh reality of being poor. That would make for a miserable year (and probably not next year either). So, Cao Qitai used this method to avoid such hardships, making everyone happy and ensuring a good New Year. His philosophy is: "Make one person suffer, let the whole family laugh." And so, the one who suffered also smiled.
Everyone wants to be rich, but no one teaches us what "money" truly is from the moment we receive our first coins. In "I Love Money," Cao Qitai emphasizes that each person must develop their own understanding of money and proposes the concept of a "Money Perspective," teaching us what money is and how to create our own.
What is a "Money Perspective"? Cao Qitai says, "A Money Perspective is about 'Financial Appearance,' 'Financial Character,' and 'Financial Quality.'" What does "Financial Appearance" mean? It’s about comparing yourself to find a satisfactory "state of money." Everyone’s "Financial Appearance" is different. For example: I just want to live a fulfilling life—money doesn’t matter; I don’t care about quality of life, but I must save; I don’t want to owe anyone money.
What about "Financial Character"? It’s about planning your own spending style. If you and your friend both have a million, your "Financial Character" will be different. You might turn a million into a car or a house, while they might spend it on luxury watches or designer clothes.
And what is "Financial Quality"? Simply put, it’s about distinguishing between "good money" and "bad money." The money you earn from working is good money—used with peace of mind and confidence. But the money from gambling is bad money—winning one day, losing everything the next. Using bad money always leaves a knot in your stomach, feeling uneasy.
In "I Love Money," Cao Qitai also teaches everyone the "Basics of Money." He proposes five methods for making money: "Optimism," "Money Perspective," "People Perspective," "Self-Perspective," and "Future Perspective."
To make money, the first prescription is "Optimism"—to face life with a positive attitude, turning crises into opportunities, seeing hardships as paradises, turning obstacles into aids, and considering misfortunes as miracles. The second is "Money Perspective"—with your own perspective, you’ll earn and spend money wisely, making more and using it better. The third is "People Perspective"—money was invented by people, so to have money, you must first find people, the right people, to earn and use it well. The fourth is "Self-Perspective"—take a serious look at yourself. Are you someone who can earn a lot? Do you have the known skills? The unknown ones? Understand your strengths and weaknesses to know how wealthy you can become. The last is "Future Perspective"—what kind of money can you earn? What kind should you avoid? What will you earn in the future? Is it dead money or living money? Why earn it? What will you do with it afterward? Think about where your money will go, giving it a solid reason to flow toward you.
Cao Qitai jokingly compares "I Love Money" to a child with a troubled past. During the writing process, Cao Qitai suffered greatly when his computer crashed, losing 80,000 words of his new book to the void, leaving only the ideas in his mind. Yet this setback only fueled his determination, inspiring him to write a new chapter for "I Love Money."