Author: Ken Honda

Ken Honda, author of Happy Money:The Japanese Art of Making Peace with Your Money has managed and owned many businesses and these experiences have shaped his ability to write about money and finance. (2019, inside back cover).

His interests range from self-help to generating personal wealth and happiness. He also speaks fluent English and Japanese and has lived in Tokyo and Boston, MA. Ken is a best-selling international author and has sales in excess of 7M in Japan alone.

In the Preface Kens asks whether or not your money is smiling? (2019, p.ix) To which he adds an aside. “…A woman whom I had just met at a party asked if she could take a look at my wallet.” Ken finds her question perplexing but agrees. She rifled through his wallet stating “This one’s okay. This one’s good too.” As she continued in this vein he watched. Finally, she pronounced his money looked good. He said, “That’s great news.” Then continued with, “…what were you looking for?” She then proceeded to explain how money can be happy or sad. This was a life changing experience for Ken.

In Chapter 1 Ken asks what money means to us. He adds that there are many replies that can be correct. Then he says, “what if I told you, money is a game?” (2019, p.13). Ken states that he learned this adage from a friend who likened money to baseball stating that you could be ahead in the game and in the end lose. (paraphrase, 2019, p.15).

There are an array of reasons why some people have more money than others. Some are spendthrifts. Some are savers. Some are investors. On page 37 Ken says “each of us is stuck in a unique money dilemma.”

Chapter 2 asks us to trust the flow of money, enjoy money, to spend and protect money. Ken dissects the money mindset into what he calls the Money EQ Types. (2019, p.62) “Knowing your own pattern is a means by which to understand the motivation behind actions you take. The first step is creating a healthier relationship with money is to take an honest look at the map and acknowledge where you are standing right now.” What is your money EQ?

“Do you use money or does money use you?” (2019, p.101) “…our parents and grandparents were responsible for most of the beliefs about money we have absorbed.” (p.107) This Ken calls our Money Blueprint. He asks what emotions surface when we think about money. Differing situations can produce differing emotions about money. I.e. divorce may connote bad money feelings and winning the lottery can produce euphoric emotions about money. Ken outlines some positive emotions about money as being a means of support, bringing you happiness, helping you to follow your dreams, binding you to other people, etc.. (p.126-7).

If you want to learn more about being happy with your money this is the book for you! I enjoyed reading his unique perspective and do not disagree that emotional situations can shape our perspective on money.