Interesting, most people I know live above their means. Thanks to you, I am now living less below my means than I used to, but I very much enjoy the freedom that low expenses gives me. I intensely dislike wearing or owning things that call attention to me, so no McLaren or Patek Phillip, they just look tacky to me. I have even had inexpensive stones set in platinum made to look like a silver setting LOL. I would guess that about 80% of people live above their means and are in constant stress, maybe more. I see them go under and suffer regularly. It does not seem to correlate with income as I remember Siicon Valley executives who were bankrupt within months of losing their jobs. I have lived in high end neighborhoods where people were contantly stressed like Bellevue, WA and West LA.
I no longer fly on cheap airlines unless there is a very good reason to. I travel with my dog and pay all the fees that entails and I do charitable giving. I was just reading story about Charlie Munger and is proportionately cheap homes. There is more than one way to live happily. If I saw the right opportunity I would take on some debt so maybe I am too pessimistic right now, but I don't worry.
I've been a reader and subscriber of yours for years. I understand your point and agree that people should try to live life with a positive attitude and enjoy the fruits of their labor. But...I completely take issue with your assertion that, "What is it (money) for? To make you happy, numbnuts." Having enough money to meet your basic survival needs is of course the base level. But after that level, money does not buy you happiness. The best money can do (again, after basic needs are met) is buy you fun...your flight on a private jet, your watch, your car. But it does not buy happiness. Money buys you time and fun that is often a shallow distraction to ones own pursuit of happiness. Happiness comes from inside. You know this, Jared, from your own battles with depression.
Interesting, most people I know live above their means. Thanks to you, I am now living less below my means than I used to, but I very much enjoy the freedom that low expenses gives me. I intensely dislike wearing or owning things that call attention to me, so no McLaren or Patek Phillip, they just look tacky to me. I have even had inexpensive stones set in platinum made to look like a silver setting LOL. I would guess that about 80% of people live above their means and are in constant stress, maybe more. I see them go under and suffer regularly. It does not seem to correlate with income as I remember Siicon Valley executives who were bankrupt within months of losing their jobs. I have lived in high end neighborhoods where people were contantly stressed like Bellevue, WA and West LA.
I no longer fly on cheap airlines unless there is a very good reason to. I travel with my dog and pay all the fees that entails and I do charitable giving. I was just reading story about Charlie Munger and is proportionately cheap homes. There is more than one way to live happily. If I saw the right opportunity I would take on some debt so maybe I am too pessimistic right now, but I don't worry.
Jared,
I've been a reader and subscriber of yours for years. I understand your point and agree that people should try to live life with a positive attitude and enjoy the fruits of their labor. But...I completely take issue with your assertion that, "What is it (money) for? To make you happy, numbnuts." Having enough money to meet your basic survival needs is of course the base level. But after that level, money does not buy you happiness. The best money can do (again, after basic needs are met) is buy you fun...your flight on a private jet, your watch, your car. But it does not buy happiness. Money buys you time and fun that is often a shallow distraction to ones own pursuit of happiness. Happiness comes from inside. You know this, Jared, from your own battles with depression.
I'm happy when I'm having fun 🤷
you can have zero debt and still take a lot of risks with your life, which can be seen as sign of positivism