The Best Things In Life Are Free

[Elbata]

This young man started a business that he sold to Jeff Bezos. Here's one of his quotes in this wonderful article he wrote that is linked below:

The best things in life are free. The second best things are very, very expensive — Coco Chanel

While the quote above rings true, I’d add that the difference between the best things and the second best things is far, far greater than the difference between the second best things and the twentieth best things. It’s not a linear scale.

https://m.signalvnoise.com/the-day-i-became-a-millionaire-55d7dc4d8293

 

[FIREmenow]

This young man started a business that he sold to Jeff Bezos. Here's one of his quotes in this wonderful article he wrote that is linked below:

The best things in life are free. The second best things are very, very expensive — Coco Chanel

While the quote above rings true, I’d add that the difference between the best things and the second best things is far, far greater than the difference between the second best things and the twentieth best things. It’s not a linear scale.

https://m.signalvnoise.com/the-day-i-became-a-millionaire-55d7dc4d8293

Thanks. That was good read. Should be something similar in middle school required reading...

 

[Nature Lover]

This young man started a business that he sold to Jeff Bezos. Here's one of his quotes in this wonderful article he wrote that is linked below:

The best things in life are free. The second best things are very, very expensive — Coco Chanel

While the quote above rings true, I’d add that the difference between the best things and the second best things is far, far greater than the difference between the second best things and the twentieth best things. It’s not a linear scale.

https://m.signalvnoise.com/the-day-i-became-a-millionaire-55d7dc4d8293

Thanks for posting this. Good story, and great reminder.

 

[W2R]

This young man started a business that he sold to Jeff Bezos. Here's one of his quotes in this wonderful article he wrote that is linked below:

The best things in life are free. The second best things are very, very expensive — Coco Chanel

While the quote above rings true, I’d add that the difference between the best things and the second best things is far, far greater than the difference between the second best things and the twentieth best things. It’s not a linear scale.

https://m.signalvnoise.com/the-day-i-became-a-millionaire-55d7dc4d8293

What nice attitudes he professes to have. Just a minute - - I am late! All ER Forum millionaires need to rush right out and buy a yellow Lamborghini like he did less than a year after selling his company, making him a millionaire for the first time. That shouldn't cost us much more than half a million dollars each. Well, maybe $587K or so according to edmunds dot com.

We all NEED a brand new Lamborghini just as much as he did. Once I have that that necessity taken care of, then I'll have a better grasp on what he is saying.

 

[kcowan]

If it takes a Lamborghini to give a young man purpose, so be it. I was cheaper. Mine was a new Pontiac Bonneville hunter green with tan leather interior. Shortly after that I made a number of life changing decisions that improved my course to where I am today. 25 years ago now.

 

[candrew]

From the article:

"Now don’t get me wrong, there is an enduring and very real satisfaction and comfort in never having to look at the price of a meal in a restaurant again (even though you still do). It’s just that like a good movie that’s been hyped to the hills, it’s almost impossible not to be let down when you finally see it. Expectations, not outcomes, govern the happiness of your perceived reality."


Expanding on that thought, can we agree that is important to be open to outcomes rather than attached to them?

 

[Walt34]

Expanding on that thought, can we agree that is important to be open to outcomes rather than attached to them?

I think so. About ten years ago one of FIL's neighbors down the street did in fact win the lottery, I think it was ~$5 million. They kept the same house and at least from the outside their lifestyle stayed the same.

Not everyone goes crazy when life hands them a windfall.

 

[Lcountz]

The chase is almost ALWAYS better than the acquisition....!

 

[Helen]

After I received a windfall I went out and bought two pairs of binoculars.

While it's nice to be able to spend winter in Australia, it's also nice to come home to hike, backpack and mushroom hunt with friends - which costs almost nothing.

IMO, the best part of being wealthy is having control of my time. I could skip the expensive trips and still be extremely happy.

Thanks for sharing this article, OP.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed the article. Yesterday we took our dog to a free public park with lakes, a garden, fountains and pretty mountain views during the day. At night we went to a local music venue for drinks and to listen to a local jazz band and singer. We had a pretty happy, relaxing day and didn't have to spend a lot, and what we did spent at the club I'm happy to help support a local business and musicians. I also just really like not having to work and getting to spend our days as we please.

 

[Out of Steam]

Even the free things seem to take a few bucks in one's pocket. Food, gas, a reasonably reliable car, decent shoes and warm clothes to spend time outdoors in the winter.

Even though I prefer new cars and been fastened to a steering wheel since I was 16, I won't spend $587K on driving in a lifetime.

 

[rayinpenn]

Thanks for the uplifting story.

If you’ve saved all your life and built that pile a dollar at-a time. You surely feel differently about buying an expensive zoom zoom then an instant millionaire would. I think the author made his purchase, got it out of his system and now has figured it out.

Apologies Coco but I think the best things in life can be obtained with little money. The difficultly most people experience is identifying what is really important.

A full belly, that warm cup of coffee in the morning, a warm house with all safely home, a happy home, that old pooch that swings by for some affection. Sitting on a dock, pole in hand in the Florida sun listening to a oldster telling me about his RV and traveling the country.

Cars rust, boats become a pain and stuff becomes a tripping hazard. I once read Elizabeth Taylor had a very expensive ‘one in a million’ pearl. From the Internet:

“Elizabeth Taylor’s 50.6-carat ‘La Peregrina’ pearl, given to her by Richard Burton, surpassed all predictions when it went for a $11.8 million (£7.6million) at auction - almost $9 million more than expected

It was given to Mary Tudor of England upon her engagement to Spain’s Phillip II in 1554 and belonged to a succession of eight Spanish kings until 1808.

When Richard bought 'La Peregrina' at auction in 1969, it found a home with Hollywood royalty.

Not that his wife, who was used to dazzling love tokens, always looked after it that carefully.”

A visitor to her home saw her dog carrying it around in its mouth. I can’t help but think about the tragedy of losing an appreciation for the little things.

 

[dirt_dobber]

Thanks for the uplifting story.
A full belly, that warm cup of coffee in the morning, a warm house with all safely home, a happy home, that old pooch that swings by for some affection. Sitting on a dock, pole in hand in the Florida sun listening to a oldster telling m about his RV and traveling the country.

I agree - and I think you have the makings of a good country song there.

 

[FIREmenow]

.......boats become a pain.......

WHAT?!?!?!? Nooooo!!!!!!!!

 

[daylatedollarshort]

WHAT?!?!?!? Nooooo!!!!!!!!

If you are really into boats as a life style choice then that is something different. But we all probably know many people who buy RVs or boats and they just sit in the driveway most of the time or worse yet they pay storage for them. Walking around our neighborhood and seeing all the RVs and boats that never moved made us realize we would be just like those boat and RV owners if we bought either one so we didn't.

 

[Walt34]

...boats that never moved made us realize we would be just like those boat and RV owners if we bought either one so we didn't.

I remember spending a very enjoyable day fishing with a guy from work on the Chesapeake Bay in his boat, and since a boat was something I'd always been interested in, and I finally had the money to actually buy one I began to seriously think about it.

Then I realized that with my then rotating shifts and strange days off in the middle of the week, combined with other activities, I'd probably only use it two to four times a year. So I dropped that idea.

 

[imoldernu]

Maybe not "free", but I still have my Commodore 20 (VIC20), Apple IIe, and yes, "Pong" from the 1970's.

Wonderful memories of relatively "free" stuff... boating in Narragansett Bay, climbing and canoeing in the Adirondacks with my kids and Boy Scout Troop, and then later, with the teenage church group in the Boundary Waters. Twenty-five years in Scouts.

Most of the years between marriage in 1958, and today were spent in doing fun and interesting things that didn't cost money beyond the cost of gas and maybe the parties in our Florida community... @ $4-$5 for the two of us.

Our path to happiness didn't include the extra $$$ and adventures that came along the way for DHH, but think that DW and I haven't missed anything that seemed important.

We love our life... just the way it is.