by Ann E. Smith

Created on: October 24, 2009

Financial struggles can be draining, but so can the pressure to keep up with the Joneses. And the platitude that money does not buy you happiness is indeed true.

As long as you have non-materialistic values and enough financial stability to meet your basic needs, you can be happy with very little money.

Below are a few ways you can learn to enjoy life with less money - but with far more inner peace and joy.

* Learn to appreciate the little things

You may think that this sounds trite, but it's not. The more you can learn to appreciate your morning cup of coffee or a really good book, the better off you will be in this lifetime.

After all, many moments in life are comprised of what some may see as mundane. You will not have lots of huge moments. It's not every day, for example, that you experience the thrill of a new car or the excitement of an early romance.

So instead of looking for constant highs from the big things, you can choose to enjoy the more frequent, smaller occurrences in life. And that will take you far.

* Build strong relationships

Love may not make the world go around, but it surely will enrich your life greatly. Build strong and loving relationships with your friends and family. Give of yourself and care for others. If you are lucky enough to surround yourself with people you love, you will be rich indeed.

* Develop a strong spiritual life

Millions of people attest that their relationship with God is the most important thing in their lives. And their actions and words usually reflect that.

For more inner peace, focus on developing a strong spiritual life. Familiarize yourself with Biblical teachings and develop a strong moral code.

Watch out as to what you worship. While many stand at the altar of money, those with real character realize that money is not truly important. Instead, they value being kind and giving to others. They honor integrity and respect. And they strive to be humble.

* Enjoy nature and animals

One of the greatest gifts we are given is nature. It inspires awe in us, and it is not expensive to enjoy nature.

You can also find happiness in caring for animals. They are such precious creatures, and provide us with endless joy.

These are just a few ways that you can be happy without a lot of money. As long as you are safe and healthy, you can find all kinds of happiness in life - without spending much money in the process.

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