Scroggs,
Can I take your argument a stage further?
A mate of yours is a hard-working IT specialist of, say, 30 years old, earning a solid £35K annually. He's a car enthusiast, but he's got wife, kids and mortgage, so his Mondeo is going to have to crack on for a few more years yet. But a Ferrari dealer has a beautiful 355 for sale, for £63,000. The value of the car may go up or it may not, but your friend has desperately wanted one since he was 4. He tells the dealer he can't afford it, but walks past the window of the showroom every day. Then he gets a bonus, and a small pay-rise - not enough to buy the car, but enough to approach the bank and discuss loans. His IT job is safe, so the bank are happy to loan him the money. What do you tell him to do?
It would surely depend on the attitude your friend has. If he is totally convinced that he will buy the car, refurbish the interior, and sell it 2 years later for £100,000, then he is just as foolish as the "friend" in your example who is buying the brand new car he can't afford. But what if he's going to be happy to drive his Ferrari around and enjoy it? He knows that he might be able to sell it on and make a profit after putting a few years hard work in, and if he can do that, it'll be a bonus. But if the market doesn't pick up it doesn't matter, because his IT job is paying enough money to pay off the bank loan, pay the mortgage and feed the wife and kids every month.
For many of us, especially those stuck in boring 9-5 jobs, this is a far more accurate metaphor.
FFF
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