Have you ever thought about how gratitude could be a key part of your financial strategy? Ken Honda calls it “arigato money”, which we could call “thank you” money.

When we are children, the very first lessons we learn about social etiquette revolve around two simple phrases: “please” and “thank you.” We are taught that gratitude is the baseline for healthy relationships.

Yet, as we grow older and our financial lives become more complex, that fundamental attitude of gratitude can quietly slip away from the places it truly matters. We start viewing our wealth through a lens of stress, scarcity, or endless accumulation. We focus so heavily on what we don't have, or what we might lose, that we forget to be thankful for what is actually in our hands.

But behavioural finance—and ancient wisdom—tells us that gratitude is not just good manners. It is a vital strategy for maintaining our financial peace of mind.

It’s about holding wealth with an open hand.

There is a profound difference between being an owner of your wealth and being a steward of it.

When we view ourselves as the ultimate owners, we tend to grip our money tightly. We live in fear of losing it, and we find our identity wrapped up in our net worth. But when we view ourselves as managers of the resources we have been given, we can learn to hold our wealth with an open hand.

An open hand allows money to flow in, but it also allows it to flow out. It recognises that money is not the ultimate provider of our security; it is simply the provision we have been given for this specific season.

The simplest way to practice this is to pause when money flows into your life. Whether it is your regular salary, a return on an investment, or an unexpected windfall, our instinct is often to immediately allocate it or quietly wish it were more.

Instead, perhaps we could take a moment to acknowledge the provision. You do not need to thank the money itself—money is just the tool. But an active, quiet gratitude for the fact that you have what you need, right when you need it, instantly shifts your mindset from scarcity to abundance.

Perhaps the most powerful shift, however, happens on the outflow.

Most of us feel a slight pinch of resentment when paying bills, settling school fees, or buying groceries. It feels like a loss. Even if we’re buying something we really want, we could be hoping for a discount. But what if we applied gratitude to our spending?

When you pay for a basket of groceries, you can be thankful that you have the resources to feed your family. When you pay a mortgage or rent, you can be grateful for the shelter it provides. When you pay for a dinner out, you can recognise the privilege of sharing a meal with people you love.

Releasing money with gratitude helps remove the sting of the transaction. It reminds us that wealth is meant to be circulated, used, and enjoyed—not simply hoarded for the future.

When we hold our finances with an open hand, we break the anxiety of the tight grip. We realise that true financial peace doesn't come from having the most; it comes from being the most grateful for what we have been given.