Cash vs. knowledge

Mark McIlroy

28.04.2026



1. Cash and knowledge are both valuable. However, in my opinion knowledge is more valuable than cash.


2. Cash is valuable. It can buy a large house and a nice car, it can give you a comfortable lifestyle without the need to work, and it can reduce stress on relationships.


3. To state the obvious, a certain amount of cash is needed to avoid death through starvation or homelessness, and a larger amount to thrive and live a good life.


4. However cash can be lost to inflation, poor investments or taxation. It can be stolen, or taken in a divorce. A person with large financial assets can one day find themselves with nothing.


5. If the right type of knowledge is acquired, it can keep you safe for your entire life.


6. Valuable knowledge can be used to earn an income, the more valuable the knowledge the higher the income that can be earned. This can enable a person who has nothing to acquire a comfortable lifestyle.


7. While some types of knowledge can become outdated and less useful, if you have the right kind of knowledge you have a valuable asset that you will have for your entire life. No government, person, partner or ex-partner can take this away from you.


8. At its extreme, knowledge can have almost unlimited value. Let's say for example that a person knew the winning numbers to

next week's lottery draw. This simple fact, of knowing six or eight numbers, would be worth multiple millions of dollars for a $5 investment.

No-one knows this but the principle applies, such as in another example of extensive knowledge of investing or the operations of government.


9. Knowledge directly translates into money. For example, knowing where the free options are rather than the paid options, knowing what

a fault in a car is instead of experimenting with expensive repairs, knowing 10 possible providers instead of 3 and how they compare,

knowing what government benefits are available and how to access them.