Second Negative

Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous

It seems that many of the people I know that are “well off” are also ridiculously tight with their money. We had an out of town guest this past weekend who is self-employed and makes a very nice living that doesn’t involve going to any sort of workplace. He has almost limitless free time, and could do just about anything he wanted. But instead of spending money on even the smallest of things, he guards his wallet with a vulture eye and an economy sized rubber band. The man insists on eating lunch from the .99 cent menu at McDonalds, because paying $5 for a sandwich from an actual restaurant “just isn’t right”. He considers going out to dinner to be a yearly extravagance that involves scrutinizing the menu down to the finest detail, and then ordering two side items, instead of an entrée. His grocery store regiment includes buying ground meat (of some sort) at a pre-determined time when they sell it by the truckload for .02 cents per pound.

All of this would be just fine, since I make it a policy not to judge others (yeah right), but like other fanatics, he insists on spreading his way of life to those around him. It’s not enough that he’s figured out a system that works for him, but he has to tell you how you’re living wrong and how he can lead you down the path to wealth.

I don’t think it ever occurred to our visitor (or people like him) that other people might not want to live like he does. It’s not a lack of knowledge, or poor planning, but simply a matter of choice. Maybe some of us are okay spending the money required to eat out several times a week, because we enjoy eating out. Maybe we don’t care if we pay $3.89 a pound for ground beef, if the grocery store is convenient and we want to get home in time to watch Scrubs. Maybe we are choosing happiness over the type of wealth only maintained by an excruciating routine that saps all the joy out of life.

Money doesn’t have much intrinsic value. It’s made to be spent. If everyone in the world dropped dead except me, those two tens in my pocket wouldn’t be good for much. I agree that saving money is the responsible thing to do, but everything in moderation. If it all ends tomorrow, at least be able to say that you lived a little. Don’t spend those long hours at work and then tuck it ALL away for some point in the future that might never come. The world isn’t all ant vs. grasshopper. Like everything else, it’s mostly the grey area in between.