Any sufficiently momentous and consequential deliberate decision in life, is an investment. One can invest in one's health, by dieting, working out and so on. Invest in one's education (college, grad school, even a trip to the principal cultural centers of Europe...). A good spouse is literally a good investment, in the sense of increasing happiness, stability and other intangibles, not to mention pooled earning power.Said with the appropriate amount of tongue in cheek, my rejoinder:I've never ignored the market value of our house. That doesn't mean I consider it an investment.
I've always been well aware of the value of my spouse's salary, an important aspect of our finances and planning. That doesn't mean I consider my spouse as an investment.
- your spouse may or may not be a great investment - for example what's the dollar value of children? - however your marriage can be a great (or lousy) investment ...
Returning to real-estate... a house is highly illiquid, but that doesn't mean that it's not an investment. Anything of high value, with potential for higher value, is an investment. A classic sports car is an investment, even if it's driven daily and used as consumable-good. Might not be a great investment, if the chassis rusts or the engine grenades, or tastes change and formerly prized classics collapse in value.
The point is, that big decisions are tautologically consequential. And consequential <==> an investment. One supposes, with some justification, that we'd make better decisions if we used an investment-mindset. Will my education pay off? Will my going to the gym be merely a vanity project, or will it enhance my life in some enduring way, producing other advantages? So too, with a spouse.
Statistics: Posted by unwitting_gulag — Mon Dec 15, 2025 2:09 am — Replies 54 — Views 5725