Buy experiences, not possessions

[Poonani Maker]

I love the library. Why waste paper and money buying more books?

Because I have a bookshelf and if I didn't I'd stack em on the floor. I intend to re-read the books I have (yes, they are THAT good or require thinking) at a later date. A few of the authors I've followed since eh around 2009, re-read the books they've read since childhood like 4-5 times. I'm talkin 1000 page books. You re-read to catch things you didn't catch before due to mind-wandering or more experience with older age. I'm currently reading "War Through the Ages" 1000 page, and it's gonna take me a fvck-long time to read because it's not a "novel" or "story" or "fiction" but kinda tedious or specific and non-fiction, thus hard to read swiftly trying to understand certain battle formations with included diagrams of where the calvary, infantry/phalanx, archers were placed. Why the much more numerous Persian army would lose to half the size Greek army. Flanking (like a hammer) would throw confusion into the center of armies much larger.

 

[bigdave17]

Nice houses
Nice cars
etc...

all very very overrated. I bought a $70,000 Lexus when I was 25. After owning it for about 2 months, it just became a normal car to me. The excitement went away very quickly.

Nowadays, I believe in living way way below my means so I can go on vacations whenever I want, go to concerts and sports events and festivals whenever I want and be able to do anything I want with zero concerns for budgeting. Truth be told, I make a monster income considering the cost of living here but I still live way below my means


edit: I still balance it out though. I live in a nice 2500 square foot house and my Lexus only has 80K miles on it. I'll probably keep it until 120 and get a 2 year old GS 350 again

 

[Spaz]

I'm a Millionaire Next Door kind of guy. If you're unfamiliar, it's a philosophy that hinges upon NOT buying a new sedan every 3-4 years. It also means you have to be comfortable enough with yourself to ignore what other people think.

I'll be able to retire by the time I'm 40, but please, tell me more about these risks I need to take.

97% of the world population is in sync with ur mindset.

Congratulations on being one of the 97%...

 

[user43770]

@samspade yeah, there are a handful of books that I insist on having a hard copy of, but even that is mostly unnecessary in the age of kindle.

 

[raider87]

You should've made this thread before i bought 50 pairs of shoes.

 

[user43770]

97% of the world population is in sync with ur mindset.

Congratulations on being one of the 97%...

My mind can't comprehend vapid consumerism.

You sound like a woman.

 

[Spaz]

My mind can't comprehend vapid consumerism.

You sound like a woman.

Ask both genders and you'll get ur validation and affirmation from 97% of the world's population - don't waste money on a car when obviously the value will drop the moment you purchase it !

Then you'll notice that those 97% are actually fighting/jostling for places at the social constructed hierarchy - these is where females gravitate towards being herd animals.

What's your excuse as a man?

Do I seriously need 2 spell it out for you 2 see what I see?

Open you mind to the possibilities...

 

[user43770]

Ask both genders and you'll get ur validation and affirmation from 97% of the world's population - don't waste money on a car when obviously the value will drop the moment you purchase it !

Then you'll notice that those 97% are actually fighting/jostling for places at the social constructed hierarchy - these is where females gravitate towards being herd animals.

What's your excuse as a man?

Do I seriously need 2 spell it out for you 2 see what I see?

Open you mind to the possibilities...

You made my argument for me.

The majority of the world are basically sheep. They do what they're supposed to do. They don't question anything, they just put their sights on making and spending money, not saving money.

You buy a new sedan every 3-4 years? I put that money in the bank.

Money means freedom to me, that's it. I have 2 years worth of living expenses in the bank right now. You could call that being cheap, but I call that 2 years worth of freedom. If my job gives me sh1t I don't like, I walk.

Same as women. If they give me sh1t, I walk.

That's what you call freedom. The ability to walk. Nobody owns me. I'm not a slave to debt or women. I do what I want, when I want.

 

[user43770]

only poor people go to the library

Keep telling yourself that. I'm cheap, and I have more money than I know what to do with. Because money doesn't mean anything to me, other than a buy out. A buy out from the treadmill that you dunces are all too content to keep walking on.

 

[bigdave17]

You made my argument for me.

The majority of the world are basically sheep. They do what they're supposed to do. They don't question anything, they just put their sights on making and spending money, not saving money.

You buy a new sedan every 3-4 years? I put that money in the bank.

Money means freedom to me, that's it. I have 2 years worth of living expenses in the bank right now. You could call that being cheap, but I call that 2 years worth of freedom. If my job gives me sh1t I don't like, I walk.

Same as women. If they give me sh1t, I walk.

That's what you call freedom. The ability to walk. Nobody owns me. I'm not a slave to debt or women. I do what I want, when I want.

having 70-80K in the bank is kinda silly. You're better off putting that in a mutual fund, maxing out your 401K or paying off the house


I have like 12K liquid, that's it. The rest of the money goes towards paying off my house ASAP, stock market, etc... I'm probably worth around 500K at 29. I'm hoping to be a multi millionaire by 45-50

I'm a happy medium between you and vapid consumerism. I drive a beautiful Lexus but I've already had it for 4 years and my house is way below my means also (although it's super nice). I do spend a lot of money on upscale fashion.

 

[Spaz]

You made my argument for me.

Still don't get the hint do you ?

You buy a new sedan every 3-4 years? I put that money in the bank.

Bought my 1st E class 240 Mercedes when I was a novice engineer with Agilent. More then 3/4 of my then salary when to serviced the loan. This was in Singapore where I was an expatriate. 1997 the year of the Asian financial crisis too.

Be reminded, while others such as urself think it's abt investing in a car I'm actually investing in Spaz/me.

My boss and his boss and his boss boss don't own or never owned a Mercedes. Soon everyone notices it. A young new engineer that could hardly afford to buy a car much less a Mercedes.

Care to speculate what happened after ?

Care to speculate how I profit from that ?

Money means freedom to me, that's it. I have 2 years worth of living expenses in the bank right now. You could call that being cheap, but I call that 2 years worth of freedom. If my job gives me sh1t I don't like, I walk.

Same as women. If they give me sh1t, I walk.

That's what you call freedom. The ability to walk. Nobody owns me. I'm not a slave to debt or women. I do what I want, when I want.

I suspect many here will agree with ur statement here. That's the herd mentality. And I do not call it being cheap. I call it being unable to think out of the box to maximise profit.

That sense of freedom is fleeting and false dichotomy.

 

[user43770]

Still don't get the hint do you ?



Bought my 1st E class 240 Mercedes when I was a novice engineer with Agilent. More then 3/4 of my then salary when to serviced the loan. This was in Singapore where I was an expatriate. 1997 the year of the Asian financial crisis too.

Be reminded, while others such as urself think it's abt investing in a car I'm actually investing in Spaz/me.

My boss and his boss and his boss boss don't own or never owned a Mercedes. Soon everyone notices it. A young new engineer that could hardly afford to buy a car much less a Mercedes.

Care to speculate what happened after ?

Care to speculate how I profit from that ?



I suspect many here will agree with ur statement here. That's the herd mentality. And I do not call it being cheap. I call it being unable to think out of the box to maximise profit.

That sense of freedom is fleeting and false dichotomy.

The herd mentality is to be frugal? You have it wrong.

The herd mentality is to spend money on stupid sh1t to impress other people.

You would impress me more if you busted skulls in your home country.

 

[user43770]

having 70-80K in the bank is kinda silly. You're better off putting that in a mutual fund, maxing out your 401K or paying off the house


I have like 12K liquid, that's it. The rest of the money goes towards paying off my house ASAP, stock market, etc... I'm probably worth around 500K at 29. I'm hoping to be a multi millionaire by 45-50

I'm a happy medium between you and vapid consumerism. I drive a beautiful Lexus but I've already had it for 4 years and my house is way below my means also (although it's super nice). I do spend a lot of money on upscale fashion.

Governments confiscate 401ks. Look at Venezuela, Argentina and Cyprus.

Do you think the US won't do the same?

 

[Spaz]

The point of my above post (Mercedes story) is that your perspective influences your behavior = results in real life.

Meaning, if you feel you cannot change a situation, such as the majority of people here feel that buying a new car is a waste of money, you act one way.

On the other hand, if you see the world as a place full of opportunities, you act differently as I did with my Mercedes and it opened doors for me irl both personally and professionally. Before the end of the 2nd year I was earning 4 x the salary as opposed to those that were in the same batch.

To make it simpler 4 you and others to understand, I'll share an oft told story of 2 shoe salesman in africa;

A famous sports shoe manufacturer is keen on expanding their profits, decided 2 send 2 of their best salesman to Africa to survey the market there and report back their findings.

The 1st one reported back; no one wears shoes in Africa ! There's no market for us there !

But the 2nd salesman reported back with excitement; No one wears shoes in Africa, huge sales potential ! Send stocks ASAP!!

Different perspectives = Different behaviours = outcome irl.