why do you want to be rich???

[setab]

But we have better haircuts, and I'll bet not one of us married the woman who was the project leader on one of the worst software products ever...

Maybe he married her so she wouldn't head up any more software projects. Just a thought.

setab

 

[setab]

This is one of the most intelligent paragraphs I've read. Kudos setab.

sc,

Thank you for your kind words.

setab

 

[LRS]

"I think being "rich" is an illusion. If you have $5 million than you think rich is $50 million. If you have $1 million then you probably think $5 or $10 million is rich."

I think I heard this on NPR--people were interviewed and asked if they thought they were rich. The interviewer started with people who made $100,000 a year. Those people felt they were making just enough to get by. Then people making $250,000 were interviewed. They were making barely enough to survive. The final interview was someone making $500,000 a year. Guess what? They were barely making ends meet. None of the interviewees described themselves as "rich."

Maybe that's another reason why I liked JG, even though he was often a pain in the ass--he kept saying you didn't need $1,000,000 or any large sum to retire and feel independent and free. You just need enough, and the wisdom to know when you have enough.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

And a wife that works and pays all the bills that you dont mention until people force your hand.

 

[Spanky]

I think I heard this on NPR--people were interviewed and asked if they thought they were rich. The interviewer started with people who made $100,000 a year. Those people felt they were making just enough to get by. Then people making $250,000 were interviewed. They were making barely enough to survive. The final interview was someone making $500,000 a year. Guess what? They were barely making ends meet. None of the interviewees described themselves as "rich."

The problem is that people spend more as they earn more and continue to raise the bar (or threshold) of comfort or wealth. It's never enough for them.

 

[retire@40]

Over 40% of people have a harder time planning for retirement than raising children.

And over 70% of people would rather have a financial advisor to provide financial planning services than doing it themselves.

When it comes to finances, there are a lot of clueless people out there.

 

[Retire Soon]

Capitalism thrives on the premise that we can never be satisfied.  We always want more and what we have is simply not enough.   Our economy depends upon mindless consumerism.  An insatiable appetite for consumer goods and a need for the next best  product will always leave us frustrated. We're constantly chasing an illusion  that by merely purchasing the latest gadgetry  will somehow make us happy. Unfortunately, we will never attain true happiness until we learn to be content with what we currently possess.

Retire Soon

 

[mikew]

I want to pimp my ride!


Edit The more I think about this phrase the less I understand it. If I said I wanted to pimp my ho, that would mean something totally different. What if said I wanted to pimp my dog. What does that mean?

 

[Martha]

It really should be "primp my ride" but pimp my ride sounds cooler.

 

[rs0460a]

Unfortunately, we will never attain true happiness until we learn to be content with what we currently possess.

Retire Soon

Well said. I keep a saying taped to my desk, which I clipped out of the newspaper many years ago. It is attributed to Ghandi, which in part says, "Do not pray for what you desire; pray to loose the desire".

- Ron

 

[tryan]

Also like this one -

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things only hoped for."

 

[Nords]

Unfortunately, we will never attain true happiness until we learn to be content with what we currently possess.

I achieve true happiness whenever we empty out a closet.

Our kid is threatening to empty our house when she sets up her first place after college, and she can't believe how easily we agree to her "threat". She thinks she's getting the better part of the deal!

Anyone out there looking for gently-used dressage tack? I'll make you a great deal...

 

[audreyh1]

I achieve true happiness whenever we empty out a closet.

Oh man! We spent a year getting rid of all the excess stuff we really didn't need. It was great! I never imagined I would be so happy to see all the "stuff" go!

Audrey

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I cant do it anymore. We have way too much crap after colliding a 4500+ square feet of two homes into under 2000. But every time I throw something out that I havent used for 5 years, I almost immediately have a need for it and have to go rebuy it.

Realllly pisses me off.

 

[Nords]

Realllly pisses me off.

But it's usually lighter, cheaper, has more features, and runs on an internal battery instead of an electrical cord, right?

Most of my power-tool enhancements depend on this "upgrade" system. Without it I'd still be using Craftsman screwdrivers & a 1950s drill.

 

[rs0460a]

Without it I'd still be using Craftsman screwdrivers & a 1950s drill.

Hey, watch it!  As long as the drill is younger than me (your reference fits  ) I figure I'm still "mod"  8) 8) 8)

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

But it's usually lighter, cheaper, has more features, and runs on an internal battery instead of an electrical cord, right?

Most of my power-tool enhancements depend on this "upgrade" system. Without it I'd still be using Craftsman screwdrivers & a 1950s drill.

No, its usually the same @^$%#$ thing.

Case in point: I had one of those wireless remote senders. Hadnt used it in over 5 years, maybe 7. Sold it at a yard sale for a couple of dollars. Two weeks later, I had a very defined need for a wireless remote sender. Fifty bucks at radio shack and it didnt work as well as the old one did. It was about 10% smaller though...

 

[Nords]

Hey, watch it!  As long as the drill is younger than me (your reference fits  ) I figure I'm still "mod"

I sure hope you don't need to have YOUR brushes sanded or replaced every year... are you variable speed, reversible, & chuckless too?

I think the reason my father gave me that drill was so that he'd have an excuse to buy a new one, too. I never heard him wax maudlin about it.

 

[retire@40]

But every time I throw something out that I havent used for 5 years, I almost immediately have a need for it and have to go rebuy it.

Then as soon as you throw it out, just go get it again and put it back were it was.

 

[HFWR]

are you variable speed, reversible, & chuckless too?

Let's not get personal...

I'll be rich when I can retire on my stash...

 

[Gone4Good]

Well said.  I keep a saying taped to my desk, which I clipped out of the newspaper many years ago.  It is attributed to Ghandi, which in part says, "Do not pray for what you desire; pray to loose the desire".

- Ron

Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what's a heaven for?

Robert Browning

 

[Enuff2Eat]

who cares about being rich money ain't everything. Just that I don't want to be poor.

enuff

 

[Sheryl]

I cant do it anymore.  We have way too much crap after colliding a 4500+ square feet of two homes into under 2000.  But every time I throw something out that I havent used for 5 years, I almost immediately have a need for it and have to go rebuy it.

Realllly pisses me off.

I'm a terrible packrat. And it's now total chaos around here with S. O. officially moving in. There just is no where to put his stuff without me throwing away half of mine.... sigh. The things we do for love.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

But my wife wants me to throw away half of my good stuff to make room for her junk!

 

[Spanky]

But my wife wants me to throw away half of my good stuff to make room for her junk!

Do you mean her junk treasure?