Sunday, July 30, 2006
MMMB- Other thoughts
1- Americans like to fantasize about wealth and the toys it can bring them. But few really want to achieve wealth, because it's too hard and humans are naturally lazy. Now if they could just win the lottery..........
2- Being wealthy means you HAVE money. Not that you MAKE money, or that your stuff COST you a lot of money (most of it borrowed from a credit card company or bank and not yours anyway, until the interest comes due). Being serious about having money means you are reluctant to spend it, or at least that you take the movement of money OUT of your bank account very seriously, and consider each transaction on a case-by-case basis against your values (ie how much is this big-screen TV or pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes costing me in time working as a slave for The Man?).
Example: shopping with a friend who gravitates toward tasteful but very expensive stores, pulling designer clothes off the rack and truly contemplating a purchase that I wouldn't dream of making myself. If I can't afford that shirt in terms of the hours worked at my job (which pays me more than I know she earns at her job), then how in the world does she think SHE can afford it? Well, her thinking might go like this, and she pats herself on the back for it: I used to spend money I didn't have (credit card debt), but my hubby taught me to only spend the money we DO have, so now I just look at the checking account and spend ONLY what's in there!
2- Being wealthy means you HAVE money. Not that you MAKE money, or that your stuff COST you a lot of money (most of it borrowed from a credit card company or bank and not yours anyway, until the interest comes due). Being serious about having money means you are reluctant to spend it, or at least that you take the movement of money OUT of your bank account very seriously, and consider each transaction on a case-by-case basis against your values (ie how much is this big-screen TV or pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes costing me in time working as a slave for The Man?).
Example: shopping with a friend who gravitates toward tasteful but very expensive stores, pulling designer clothes off the rack and truly contemplating a purchase that I wouldn't dream of making myself. If I can't afford that shirt in terms of the hours worked at my job (which pays me more than I know she earns at her job), then how in the world does she think SHE can afford it? Well, her thinking might go like this, and she pats herself on the back for it: I used to spend money I didn't have (credit card debt), but my hubby taught me to only spend the money we DO have, so now I just look at the checking account and spend ONLY what's in there!
# posted by Moopy and Mopey @ 1:07 PM 
