Opinion: Financial Independence has nothing to do with being a millionare

[NW-Bound]

Self-esteem is overrated. It makes the bearer puff up his/her chest, but does nothing for society.

I suspect that Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, Hitler, Stalin, Chairman Mao, Uncle Ho, Ceaușescu, Mussolini, etc..., and in fact most (all?) politicians had very high self-esteem.

When does self-esteem cross the line and become egotism and narcissism?

 

[AaronGoodman]

Not necessarily so

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/f...ing-to-do-with-being-a-millionaire-2019-05-20

I find this quote from the article to be really offensive....

For example, people say you should spend your money on experiences, not things. There is some spiritual component to this that I don’t get. I like spending money on experiences (particularly travel), but I like spending money on things more. Clothes, in particular.

You feel (and act) differently when you are wearing an expensive suit and an expensive pair of shoes. People who make $150,000 a year and still get all their clothes at Target do this not out of frugality, but low self-esteem. It is good and right to spend money on yourself now and then.

I added the bold.

I believe that if you purchased some clothing at Target, it would effect your self-esteem; however, to intimate that if a person buys an article of clothing at a discount retailer the only possible conclusion is that they must have low self-esteem is unbelievably ignorant. It only means that you have a value system that differs from some others; that is all.

 

[AaronGoodman]

I agree. Well said.

 

[steveark]

I have to wear suits for my hobby, one day a week job. But I get three or four hundred dollar ones that few can tell from three thousand dollar ones. I stay fit and slim by running and playing tennis and a cheap suit that fits, on an athletic body, beats a three thousand dollar suit on a couch potato every time. But if I'm not consulting I'm in ten dollar jeans or shorts and a tee shirt. And my wife wears Walmart and Target all the time.

 

[Rambler]

Good grief...seems like an imbecile must have written that article. Just because clothing makes him or her happy doesn’t mean that’s what makes others happy. I don’t even buy Target clothes, usually they are TJ Max, Ross, or whatever is low cost and high value that fits me well. After wearing suits that cost an arm and a leg for business for many years, I’m just no longer interested in spending money on what is to me a monkey suit. OTOH, I make more than the author’s arbitrary number, and spend more as well, but I spend on what makes me and DW happy. We travel a lot. We go to Disneyland once a month for a couple of days (annual pass, but 400 miles away). We have an RV that cost more than the US median home price, and we use it (10.5mpg, and fuel adds up quickly). We are getting ready to buy a second RV, a small travel trailer for trips to state parks and hiking areas that the RV is too big to fit in. Nope...my self esteem is just fine, thank you. I can afford to buy what I want whenever I want it, but expensive clothing doesn’t even hit the top ten. Further, if you MUST have expensive clothing in order to prove your self esteem, I’d argue that you had no (or little) self esteem to begin with.

 

[JJpop]

Insecure

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/f...ing-to-do-with-being-a-millionaire-2019-05-20

I find this quote from the article to be really offensive....

For example, people say you should spend your money on experiences, not things. There is some spiritual component to this that I don’t get. I like spending money on experiences (particularly travel), but I like spending money on things more. Clothes, in particular.

You feel (and act) differently when you are wearing an expensive suit and an expensive pair of shoes. People who make $150,000 a year and still get all their clothes at Target do this not out of frugality, but low self-esteem. It is good and right to spend money on yourself now and then.

I added the bold.

The guy is obviously insecure and I also hope he has not procreated.

 

[Gumby]

I just checked - you can buy a six pack of Hanes premium white cotton V-neck T-shirts at Target for $24.98 or $4.16 per shirt. Or you can buy ONE Hanron white cotton V-neck T-shirt at Barneys New York for $70.00

Do you suffer from low self esteem if you pay $4.16 for your white cotton T-shirts instead of $70.00? Or could it be you simply have an IQ above room temperature?

 

[RobbieB]

I get most of my clothes at Target, it was the wife that insisted I get the "wedding suit" at Nordstrom.
Maybe she has low self esteem?

 

[W2R]

I buy whatever clothes I want, but let's get real, I'm retired!

Therefore I wear the usual "retiree casual" for warm climates, which consists of shorts, sandals, and t-shirt. I buy everything from Amazon or LandsEnd because it's so easy to shop online, and besides I kind of dislike malls and clothing stores.

So far I have averaged $365/year ($30/month) on clothing since my 2009 retirement. This includes shoes, socks, winter outerwear, and so on. Since I honestly pay no attention to prices at all, and buy far more than I really need, I conclude that it's pretty hard to spend a whole lot buying retiree clothes online.

My self esteem must be abysmal!

 

[Mdlerth]

Once seen, it can't be unseen

I just now surfed the Web and found that parading someone buck naked through the streets was still being used today for punishment.

The unfortunate doctors and nurses who see me starkers are the ones being punished.

I admit it: I'm not pretty.