Life is more than about money

[TMNT]

That doesn't seem happy to me
Just high..
high on drugs
on booze
on ignorance!

a few points id like to raise, I have a cat, she lives day to day, as long as she is fed and gets her corner in the sunlight next to the window she is happy,

ignorance?? or just lack of intelligennce or IQ (being a cat)

If the world ended tomorrow, who would be happier? these boozed up bogans, or investors like myself who have sacrificed heaps in an attempt to get financial freedom??

and if the world didnt end tomorrow in 20 years time for example, I would be sipping cocktails in Ibiza, whilst they will still be on benefits pawning their iphone 27 to cash converters,

then I could categorically say that I would be happier, plus chances are in 20 years they will have a heap more health problems, and possibly could be living in worse accomodation

food for thought

 

[nhg]

I try to keep a balance of fun now and future planning.

Had a mate die at 27 from a heart attack, he was making $$$ and living a good life, always talked about taking time off to give back to the community 'later'.

Then yesterday I heard the husband of a mates work colleague died recently. He was 25, reading a book in next to his wife, suddenly started breathing funny. Turns out his aorta burst and he bled out internally right there and then.

When you start hearing stuff like that, you know you can't get too caught up in living in the future. It's a dangerous game.

 

[willair]

That doesn't seem happy to me
Just high..
high on drugs
on booze
on ignorance!

I don't know some people have made a lot of money off those people..

https://au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7/bogan-hunters/

 

[Frito]

Not what its cracked up to be

Working in human services (But not for much longer), conversations such as this thread pop up all the time- and its easy to wonder if maybe just sacking having any kind of work, plan or purpose would be a leisurely alternative... but it rarely is. The compounding stress effects of living just above disaster, the humiliation of not being able to provide for yourself or loved ones, living on benefits and being in a welfare class often used as a political football, intergenerational poverty, short life expectancy etc etc, its a carppy existence.
Not sure if its been posted before, but this study
http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S37/75/69M50/index.xml?section=topstories
sums up the underlying real stress and drama of what looks like a cruisy existence...

 

[TMNT]

.
Not sure if its been posted before, but this study
http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S37/75/69M50/index.xml?section=topstories
sums up the underlying real stress and drama of what looks like a cruisy existence...

that makes a lot of sense, essentially the article is saying being stressed from being broke all the time makes you not focus on other more important things.

However, it still doesnt explain, why someone who has lots of debt , and is struggling to pay for their next meal will decide to go and buy a new laptop, or ipad or bomb

its almost like the trigger that says "dont buy it, you cant afford it" doesnt function or is missing

 

[Bunlee]

The OP raises some interesting issues that I do think about from time to time. Whilst I do not want to live my life like them I do believe that we can learn something from the way they live. Perhaps not to worry so much about money as well as seeing it all in a greater context.

Having said that, money does give us choices and for those that have young ones it provides them with a choice as to how to live their lives and can open up opportunities for them that may not be available to those that do not instill a work, investing and self respect ethic into their children.

We can learn a lot off others from all walks of life as well as from animals.

As I 'evolve ' (read: get older & older!) I try to balance things more and it is showing in the level of debt that I now tolerate and the type of investments that I choose.

Interesting thread....regards

 

[Frito]

However, it still doesnt explain, why someone who has lots of debt , and is struggling to pay for their next meal will decide to go and buy a new laptop, or ipad or bomb

its almost like the trigger that says "dont buy it, you cant afford it" doesnt function or is missing

Spot on- after working extensively with clients in this kind of situation, I honestly believe abstract, complex thinking around finances and consequences is easily bred out of people- much easier to go for the instant gratification and worry about the results later. Maccas and Mother for a meal rather than buying some proper groceries and cooking, minibikes and Air Max for the kids rather than take them to dentist. Cash sucking commo *****box rather than bike or walk (esp the obese ones), you have the useless raising the hopeless pretty much, and financial skills for most of them are non-existent. The bright side I guess is as long as there are plenty of people like this there will always be plenty of tenants and demand for gateway fastfood and fuel development sites... You can see why I am getting out of this industry ha ha

 

[allsuccess]

Having said that, money does give us choices and for those that have young ones it provides them with a choice as to how to live their lives and can open up opportunities for them that may not be available to those that do not instill a work, investing and self respect ethic into their children.

Well said.

 

[John_]

You can have all the property in the world and equity in the world.......and if you plan to save it all for this so called retirement might as well neck yourself.

 

[LoneWolf]

Money is about creating options, not happiness.

One can be happy, independent of their financial circumstances. Those monks sitting in caves in the dark and eating only mush all year are happy as f**k.

I agree with this statement.

They may seem to be happy in their way of life, but their life options are very limited in many aspects.

Happiness is definitely not linked to financial measures.
But financial measures provide options / life choices.
And I and many of us here do enjoy these life choices made available due to financial measures, hence we are all here on this forum learning and mastering the art of how ones life can provide more options for all of us?

 

[TMNT]

Spot on- after working extensively with clients in this kind of situation, I honestly believe abstract, complex thinking around finances and consequences is easily bred out of people- much easier to go for the instant gratification and worry about the results later. Maccas and Mother for a meal rather than buying some proper groceries and cooking, minibikes and Air Max for the kids rather than take them to dentist. Cash sucking commo *****box rather than bike or walk (esp the obese ones), you have the useless raising the hopeless pretty much, and financial skills for most of them are non-existent. The bright side I guess is as long as there are plenty of people like this there will always be plenty of tenants and demand for gateway fastfood and fuel development sites... You can see why I am getting out of this industry ha ha

I wasnt poor when I was growing up, just very normal, but I simply dont understand the people who dont understand, that if you dont have any money, or cant afford your next meal, that you simply cannot afford to buy a new pair of nike shoes at $200 a pair

is it because of credit options such as, credit cards, pay day loans, centrelink advances. or loans from friends that allows them to think "hey, I cant afford it but if I can pay it off over 5 years, then its not a problem"

or is it more of a "yay, im so excited, I need those shoes, ill buy them and worry about it later"

 

[LoneWolf]

On another note, don't you just hate those people who always say some things like eg: "money is not everything etc..." trying to state a fact that they are higher and above materiel things in life, but in fact, most of them are hypocrites

 

[TMNT]

I love this story, puts things into perspective

'The businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The businessman complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied only a little while.

The businessman then asked why he didn't stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The businessman then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time? The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos; I have a full and busy life, se?or."





The businessman scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and I could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor and eventually open your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City where you would run your expanding enterprise."




The Mexican fisherman asked, "But se?or, how long will this all take?" To which the businessman replied, "15-20 years." "But what then, se?or?" The businessman laughed and said, "That's the best part! When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions." "Millions, se?or? Then what?" The businessman said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, "Isn't that what I'm doing right now?"

 

[MTR]

This may be a little "food for thought".... more about our perceptions and how we can get it so wrong.

How I viewed disabled people completely changed when I met and got involved with people who lived with a disability, I used to always feel pity/sorry for them and felt they did not have quality of life. Perhaps this is the same kind of thinking when it comes to people with no money, how can they possibly have a great life?? This way of thinking is flawed because its our personal goal we become focused on this and believe that everyone else needs this to fulfil their lives.


http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27554754

 

[boeman]

My girlfriends parents are both 50. Renting, with $100k savings.

So yes, they are in a better situation financially (just barely really, considering age, wages and opportunities given. One is a professional frequently offered a 100% payrise for FIFO. The Mum is healthy but not willing to work).

They spend every waking hour worrying about how they will ever retire/own a home.

Their issue is pride. They rent for $500 a week inner city. Refuse to buy in outer suburbs, take the offer of FIFO work and pay it off. The Mum refuses to work since she has so much on at home (one daughter, 19, remains at home).

They are a mix of the worst of both scenarios. Trying to live a lifestyle they cannot afford, while a lifestyle they can afford sits on kilometres away!

 

[Frito]

I wasnt poor when I was growing up, ...is it because of credit options such as, credit cards, pay day loans, centrelink advances. or loans from friends that allows them to think "hey, I cant afford it but if I can pay it off over 5 years, then its not a problem"

"

These things are definitely enabling, experiments have been done which show people having less loss aversion using card/credit/loans Vs cash/savings, and think about the enormous amount of marketing poured into consumer spending, FMCG etc, pretty much drowns out the voice of any one promoting sensible spending, living in your means or improving your lot through incremental steps. Its just not sexy or exciting like a new Iphone or a houseful of new goodies on finance.

I like you was product of very normal upbringing, but my folks grew up dirt poor, and it was hammered into me that you save/earn/work for what you want, and the family and your kids should never 'go backwards'. It is very difficult to break out of the no money merry go round, now with family of my own thats why I hustle hard and appreciate having been taught these skills- I couldnt handle living in perpetual crisis like a lot of my clients.

 

[TMNT]

My girlfriends parents are both 50. Renting, with $100k savings.

So yes, they are in a better situation financially (just barely really, considering age, wages and opportunities given. One is a professional frequently offered a 100% payrise for FIFO. The Mum is healthy but not willing to work).

They spend every waking hour worrying about how they will ever retire/own a home.

Their issue is pride. They rent for $500 a week inner city. Refuse to buy in outer suburbs, take the offer of FIFO work and pay it off. The Mum refuses to work since she has so much on at home (one daughter, 19, remains at home).

They are a mix of the worst of both scenarios. Trying to live a lifestyle they cannot afford, while a lifestyle they can afford sits on kilometres away!

it looks like there are multiple issues at hand in this one
FifO at 50 might be a bit too much
19 at home, you dont need a full time stay at home parent, its just a bad excuse
50 years old, $100k isnt a bad position, but no fully paid off or almost paid off PPOR isnt a good sign

I like you was product of very normal upbringing, but my folks grew up dirt poor, and it was hammered into me that you save/earn/work for what you want, and the family and your kids should never 'go backwards'. It is very difficult to break out of the no money merry go round, now with family of my own thats why I hustle hard and appreciate having been taught these skills- I couldnt handle living in perpetual crisis like a lot of my clients.

your post just reminded me, my parents never taught us any form of financial management directly, we never talked about it, never commented about it, I assume me and my brother learnt it by watching them. They never did any thing extravangat, just a overseas holiday every couple of years, they have a thing for new european cars, so every car they bought was a new european one but always under $30k, so that rules out BMW and mercedes.
Maybe they didnt even consider teaching us financial management, or maybe they assumed that we would learn by watching them. but its worked for both me and my brother

 

[MTR]

But Boeman
That is really about people who are not being realistic and living within their means, that's not going to make anyone happy because they will always be robbing Peter to pay Paul, this creates enormous stress.

We are really talking about people who are happy with their lot in life and living a modest lifestyle, living within their means.

 

[VYBerlinaV8]

Just because you don't know any better doesn't mean you cant enjoy what you have.

If they think being broke, having few choices, and focusing on their next fix is happiness then they are welcome to it.

 

[boeman]

But Boeman
That is really about people who are not being realistic and living within their means, that's not going to make anyone happy because they will always be robbing Peter to pay Paul, this creates enormous stress.

We are really talking about people who are happy with their lot in life and living a modest lifestyle, living within their means.

I am just throwing into the ring a situation that while on paper and to the outside world, her parents should be happy, they are miserable.

Inner city life, grown up daughters, Dad in a stable job,large savings etc.

Same with OP though. Yeah, they fly by the seat of their pants and seem happy, but if you were a fly on the wall I am sure it would be a different story 99% of the time.