If you dont think Money can give you happiness by, having the security to pay your bills, go on nice vacations, not worry about your junker of a car breaking down on the highway, not worrying if you should get a new pair of shoes or live with the old ones, not worry about going to the Dr, Dentist, Optometrist, feeling you can give your kids a good college education, or just not freaking out that you will have to live on SS for the remainder of your older years, then go ahead and try Poverty. See how happy that makes you.
Money....
by The Rebel 35 Replies latest jw friends
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Alive!
I came from a frugal upbringing, but we always seemed to have what we needed and simple treats meant so much...the sense of thrill from a simple treat registers the same as the thrill from an extraordinary material privilege, when you know no better.
I have enjoyed the rush of real, serious wealth through hard work in our business and success, I also noted that with the "wealth' came an uncomfortable fear of losing it somehow....it's horrible and not proud of that feeling.
Money is a tricky old thing. I have loved the freedom it apparently gives, but am more than aware that it can create a sticky web-like prison of escalated expectation if one doesn't watch oneself.
I'm very happy when I'm picking my own vegetables, reinventing an old piece of furniture and being creative, rather than a consumer of goods.
I have to watch myself - as I'm a magpie, always 'seeing" stuff I like in the shops....but it's usually an bottomless bucket of want to be honest....it's good to feel that one can live and sustain life without being too dependent on huge wads of cash. But it's also highly worrying to not have enough to pay the bills...as we all know, it's a balance, right?
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James Mixon
Time magazine..Melissa Chan, "Here's how winning the lottery makes you miserable".
So many of them wind up unhappy or wind up broke. About 70% of people who suddenly
receive a windfall of cash will lose it within a fews years, according to the National
Endowment for Financial Education.
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zeb
from "Fiddler on the Roof".
The university student is telling the mikman all his high bred ideas about money and how.."money is the problem" the milkman replies
"Oh so money is the problem; may god smite me with it and may I never recover.."
Money is energy stored, a tool for moving things improving things creating things. There is a scriptural wisdom that "the love of money (=bling) is at the root of all evil." I have seen that. Poverty is not good either. I have been so broke and out of work I had no money for a newspaper.
Interesting subject.
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talesin
zeb, you summed up my thoughts very well. It's hard to be happy when the belly is empty. Sure, happiness is still a choice, but it's easier when you're not worried about basic needs.
And someone mentioned Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs....... yes! This is all we need to be truly 'happy'.
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Alive!
Money is energy stored, a tool for moving things improving things creating things. There is a scriptural wisdom that "the love of money (=bling) is at the root of all evil." I have seen that. Poverty is not good either. I have been so broke and out of work I had no money for a newspaper.
Like this - 'money is energy stored, a tool ......... -
The Rebel
What is money?
Possibly money is dots on a computer screen?
What do I mean by that?
I mean I have money, and I like to spend money, but if I want to make money I have always believed I need to have it invested in something that will make the money while I do nothing. This is an interesting concept. For myself I have always chosen property. I feel this is a safe investment, and the purchase price will double every ten years. Being fortunate to receive a rental return on the investment can be another bonus. I also think to transfer money between countries is a fairy safe way of making money. The way the English £ has fluctiorated in recent years in the region of 40% between other currencies is amazing.
Anyway that's why I define money as dots on a computer screen. The privalige of having money in the pocket to purchase materialistic possessions is great, but in my opinion it should never be a substitute for quality time with family.
i noted recently I had a day out in London with the family and we visited many local attractions and got through a considerable about of money and I do mean a considerable amount of money. But the next day we did what I wanted to do and visited the " Tate" " The National" and " Portrait" gallery, we watched the street theatre, pickneted in St Jamses Park and marveled at the wild life , we also made a lovely movie as we walked around China Town, and Trafalger Square. This cost very little, and we all preferred the day.
But I agree life is more pleasurable when we have money to spend, and although my wife thinks the I money spend with my boy supporting our football team extravagant, I think the money she spends on her beauty treatment and dining out extravegent. Neither would deny each other this extravegence, it's simply nice that we appreciate how lucky we are when so many in the world simply by being born in other lands don't have this opportunity.
I have noted my wife gets a lot of satisfaction with her voluntarily work with the poor on Sunday, and I get a lot of happiness that she is now doing this than attending meetings at the K.H.
Anyway, I hope each poster has adequate money to be a little extravegent, and if you are fortunate to have a lump sum I would always advise investing it on a deposit for a property, or paying off the mortgage. This will allow you to have more spendable money and less stress in the future.
The Rebel.
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ttdtt
Time magazine..Melissa Chan, "Here's how winning the lottery makes you miserable".
FYI on that - generally people who win the lottery are people who were NEVER prepared for dealing with having lots of money, nor are the circle of family and friends part of a group of people who have money and are not looking to benefit from the pot of gold in their reach.
Think of being a guy who is running a local print shop getting promoted to the CEO of Staples. He will not do well. It's not the position that is bad, its the person's lack of ability to handle the responsibility.
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The Rebel
Ttdtt " ....it's the persons lack of responsibility to handle it"
The Rebel, I agree, sadly I believe many who EARN money create money problems for themselves because they don't live within their means.
So to clarify my point, I am rich whilst my family and I have health, ( health is wealth) but money is ....this is where my wife and I disagree, she loves and has earnt the right to spend it. Personally I am happier in my house, with my wife's cooking ( ok not politically correct, but she is a better cook than I ) and playing football in the garden with my boy. Anyway for Easter we are going on a cruise, we are seeing Elton John in concert in November all thanks to my wife, who likes to spend " our" money. But personally my happiness could do without the cruise and certainly with out the Elton John concert...so anyway it's how we are motivated by money, but if you have it, I think my wife's point is spend it, and mine is I'd rather stay at home anyway.
The ( boring) Rebel.
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Sabin
Oh great God in the heavens
Please don't let me so poor that i have to look up to everyone
Nether so wealthy that i look down on others
Then i will be a truly rich man