Money versus Lifestyle [Archive]

Devils Advocate

15th Nov 2000, 12:44

Ever noticed that it's always 'poor' people who are the ones that say 'money can't buy you happiness' ?!

From my own standpoint, I'd much rather be 'rich' and p!ssed-off, than 'poor' and in the same boat - speaking of which, I've gotta go..... my yacht needs to be sailed !

A and C

15th Nov 2000, 13:20

I,v got something that money cant buy.......poverty.

fifthcolumns

15th Nov 2000, 13:24

Having been rich, well sort of, and poor, £6 left on a monday. I can tell you rich is better.
BUT, having money just changes the focus of your worries. Personal relationships, commitments and your lifestyle become centre stage as does worries about maintaining your lifestyle, ie how to get even more money to secure your future. It doesn't make you happier unless it helps you achieve your ambitions, such as paying for flight training. Once you have achieved your ambition you can find yourself unsatisfied.

A well paid job that takes you away from your family a lot or puts you under more pressure than you want is not preferable to a less well paid job that leaves you with a potentially satisfying personal life.

When you're poor, money becomes the constant object of your attention, nothing else matters. You have to think in the now. When you find yourself with a fiver to last the rest of the week, as I did on numerous occasions you can't afford, literally and figuratively to think of anything but survival. Happiness is not an option.

At the end of the day, your lifestyle is most important if you have sufficent money to maintain it.

Boss Raptor

15th Nov 2000, 15:27

The answer has to be a very personal one...I am in a position with good money but no lifestyle...

I work 6-7 days a week, average 12 hours a day...but I have chosen to take this path, whilst I am still young (33!) for the next 10-15 years for both career progression and to build a nest egg for an easier time and better lifestyle later on

I am single and have no ties whatsoever...so it works for me.

Flypuppy

15th Nov 2000, 15:29

I just have to get a smile from my wee girl and I am the richest man in the world, regardless of what I have in the bank.

Life is what you make it. We only get one shot at it so do what your heart tells you, add a bit of logic and just enjoy. If you have a bucket load of cash you can buy more toys, but even if you are stone broke there is always something of beauty to see in the day, you just have to look for it.

You worry, you die. You dont worry, you die. So why worry?

Chloride

15th Nov 2000, 16:12

Generally people with lots of money got it because they happen to enjoy doing something that generates lots of money.

Personally I think that the following quote from Richard Carlson has a lot of truth in it.

"Not many people on their death bed say I wish I'd spent more time at work"

Secret Squirrel

16th Nov 2000, 03:32

This summer I went to the North of Spain as I usually do. Not much you might think unless you've actually been there in the summer. I also have the added benefit of having a family house and a multitude of friends there. Not a touristy place and very unspoilt.

Anyway, I was there on the beach at about lunch time, beautiful blue sky with a light sea breeze carressing my beer gut when this middle aged spanish woman comes along and lays her stuff down a few yards away. She removes her sash, takes her towel out of her bag and lays it on the sand. Before she lays down she surveys her surroundings and says in a loud voice,

"I'm a millionairess!"

I shall never forget that.

------------------
Very funny, Scotty. Now beam up my clothes!

Slasher

16th Nov 2000, 08:02

Yeh Im the same as Boss R. Still single with no ties. Have a fantastic income but the lifestyle is complete crap. All work and very little time for booze and sex and vacations.
I choose it because I want to put my feet up soon and never have to do another bloodey days work ever again and Im willing to put in the hard sweatey grind to acheive it.

Whispermode

16th Nov 2000, 16:19

People who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to shop!

flufdriver

19th Nov 2000, 00:03

The beauty of this topic is that one can see what other options might be open to him/her. Here is inside info that really assists in making choices in life, so that hopefully as many people as possible can do what the like to do where they like to do it and reap the kind of reward that is most satisfying to them. This is not only the dream of most employees, it should also be the employers aim to have a content and productive workforce.
Naturally this pre-supposes that employers treat their employees fairly, other wise they may end up as a stepping stone for people on their way to a better life!

411A

19th Nov 2000, 09:37

Believe it was Mae West who once said..."money does NOT make you happy, but it keeps you comfortable while you're unhappy."

Crappy_Modem

20th Nov 2000, 00:53

The one thing money can't buy you is time.
Lifestyle can.

Lifestyle wins, everytime.

Solent 01

22nd Nov 2000, 18:26

Its got to be lifestyle, flying for me is tops, not that I fly for a living......yet!

but then again I don't work for a living at all, I made money with property sales, which is funding my flying training (PPL with IMC + Night Rating, hour building for ATPL).

As long as the bills are paid, food is on the table, and I,ve got the love and respect of my family and friends, doing something I love for the short time I have on this planet, regardless of how big it may or may not make my bank account, thats all that matters to me!!!!

willbav8r

23rd Nov 2000, 00:08

A tale from the Mediterranean;

Whilst on holiday in Portugal, an English middle class family happen upon a fisherman sitting by the dock.

This fisherman was happily whittling away at a chunk of wood, seemingly without a care in the world.

Well the English couple felt uneasy, and had to butt in.

"Senor, why is it you are here, when all the other fisherman are out catching fish?"

To which he replies; "I enjoy carving, and it is such a beautiful day"

Of course the couple react to this with disbelief; "But Senor, is that not your boat all ready to go"

"Sim".

"And if you went out and caught many fish, could you not have many boats to catch many more fish?"

"Sim, this is true".

"Then why do you not fish?"

"Hmmmmm" he pondered "well, if I was to fish and have many boats, I suppose I could do whatever I wanted".

"But of course you could" replied the Brits.

"Sim, but that is what I do now".

Captain Mainwaring

24th Nov 2000, 22:18

English Couple: 'What will you feed your family for supper?'
Portuguese Fisherman:'Boiled wood chippings'

crazy_max

7th Dec 2000, 17:29

My father always said;"Money is not everything in life"........Of course I thought he was joking, then one day I came to Saudi Arabia to work and make lots of money, geeeezzzz......what a wise guy my dad is....
Lifestyle and family should always be first, of course no one is perfect, and we all have our ways of finding this kind of stuff as we get older and hopefully wiser.
I agree money is great, and you need it to take care of your family, but at what prize?

[This message has been edited by crazy_max (edited 07 December 2000).]

excrewingbod

8th Dec 2000, 23:36

Lifestyle definitely.

Money cannot buy you time nor happiness, but it did pay for a load of flying for me. The only problem was trying to fit the flying in around the very little spare time I had.

Still came to my senses and went back to a nice cosy office job 9-5, taking a several thousand pounds pay drop. Yes I admit I miss the money, but I'm much happier with a load of free time to do with as I please.

I find that 'rich' people are the ones that are always unhappy. Since they've bought everything they ever wanted, they still have something missing, which they can never pinpoint nor can they buy.

Mr Moustache

9th Dec 2000, 21:16

Life is a balance, a compromise and is rarely black or white. I could not live the lifestyle I aspire to without an adequate income. Therefore I make choices to reach a balance between these two.
I guess the real trick is to maximise both and be really happy. I'm still working on that one! However the question to really ask yourself is that -- Am I really happy?

FasterFaster

6th Mar 2001, 01:06

In my previous career I earned about £100,000 for a four day week at a job that bored me.

I jumped at the chance to take an 80% pay cut to fly turboprops.

Regrets? Not one. I love my life.

That said, I'll be working my way up.....

EESDL

6th Mar 2001, 14:37

Good Luck to those Chaps and Chappettes saving for their nestegg....
However, make damn sure you spend it all because you can't take it with you!
Finally, make sure that you are not too old to do the things you wanted to do whilst building your nestegg!
Or is that "sucking eggs??"

fireflybob

7th Mar 2001, 19:55

Most of our attitudes towards money were imprinted on us by "significant" people in the early part of our lives, i.e. parents, teachers, etc.
Sad to say but many of these attitudes were quite wrong and account for much of the misery which some people find themselves in.
Money does not solve all your problems but at least you can arrive at your problems in style!
If you want money AND time then you have to get "leverage". John Paul Getty (once the richest man in the world) said "I'd rather have 1% of one hundred's people efforts than 100% of my own!".
An example of "leverage" is having a considerable sum of money and investing it and living off the interest. Unfortunately, most people don't have the money to invest!
However, businesses do exist which work via "leverage".
I came to the conclusion a long time ago that I would never be rich working for someone else!

------------------

seymore butts

11th Mar 2001, 01:34

I know a guy who is absolutely loaded. When asked how he made so much money he tells tjhis tale:

When I was younger and pennyless I managed to get enough wood to build a shed, once built I sold it and with the money purchased enough wood for 2 sheds, built them, sold them and you guessed it had enough for 4 sheds.

This continued for quite some time, I employed friends to help with the building and sellng until one day I won the lottery and said **** the sheds, Im off on the piss.

Good Luck

Ceppo

13th Mar 2001, 14:31

I wouldn't totally agree with the statement..rich people are always unhappy. If they're unhappy, it's entirely their fault because they're not trying to be happy. (in my opinion)

People who have little or no money I would say are usually less happy with life. They can't afford to pay the bills...stress. They can't go on holiday...stress. They can't move out of the neighborhood where their car keeps getting vandalised...stress. They can't afford petrol.

Even the most optimistic people in the world would hate that. .

Personally, I'd choose lifestyle..but for my ideal, I'd need lots of money.

I agree money doesn't buy you happiness BUT is sure as hell doesn't buy misery.