Photo: 401K

The following is a guest post from Justin at The Family Finances, the story of one family’s financial journey.

Many people think of their job simply as a means to an end. In other words, it’s just something they have to do in order to pay the bills, put food on the table, and provide for their family. But let’s look at a job from another angle.

I propose that your job can and should be viewed as an investment. I can hear it now, “How in the world is my boring 8 to 5 job an investment?” Before getting into those details let’s look at what exactly an investment is. The basic definition of “investment” is placing money or capital in something that gives a return or appreciates in value. For example, when you invest in a stock you’re putting money into a share of a company in hopes of receiving dividends or that the share price will increase. You invest money in a savings account to earn interest. You invest money in your education to increase your future earning potential. Continue reading →