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The art and science of spending money

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131–140 of 140 posts

Re: The art and science of spending money

#131
post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Time is limited. Doing too much detracts from what I do want to do.

Ah yea if you found your purpose in life that doesn't need money that is just nirvana.

I'm sure it'll wear off one day but I'm going to live it now.

Re: The art and science of spending money

#132

> Frugality inertia: a lifetime of good savings habits can’t be transitioned to a spending phase. Coming from a poor family and knowing the hard way the issues of not having money I've been obsessed with saving money since I got my first paycheck 8 years ago and I always thought "at the point I would earn current salary + x I will start enjoying life more and stop worrying about money" but that never happened. 8 year…

hey are you Indian by any chance? I've noticed this with my indian family and friends. They don't think they are any downsides to saving too much and only upsides. There isn't even a realization that there is something wrong with saving too much.

[dead]

Re: The art and science of spending money

#133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in the US, and as I said, this is not my experience at all.

Individuals' personal experiences being to the contrary does not mean that something is not a societal paradigm. From the cover of Forbes to the arguments used in discussions during lawmaking, the situation is as my comment described.

Your comments are also just anecdotes, except that they are second-order, based on your anecdotal impression of what you've read.

From my experiences living within it, I don't think US society is actually the way you have become convinced it is from your experiences reading and watching things about it. Both of our beliefs are just anecdotal experiences.

We could get closer to the truth with a bunch of sociology and anthropology, but financially there is no randomized controlled trial for this kind of question.

Re: The art and science of spending money

#134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Individuals' personal experiences being to the contrary does not mean that something is not a societal paradigm. From the cover of Forbes to the arguments used in discussions during lawmaking, the situation is as my comment described.

Your comments are also just anecdotes, except that they are second-order, based on your anecdotal impression of what you've read. From my experiences living within it, I don't think US society is actually the way you have become convinced it is from your experiences reading and watching things about it. Both of our beliefs are just anecdotal experiences. We could get closer to the truth with a bunch of sociology and…

> Your comments are also just anecdotes, except that they are second-order, based on your anecdotal impression of what you've read

I really doubt that the Randian philosophy that took over the US since Reagan is 'just anecdotes'...

Re: The art and science of spending money

#135
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can buy any meal at any restaurant I want and I never care about the price. It’s a glorious feeling. I eat whatever I want. Unfathomable My budget for food used to be limited by money, now it’s limited by calories.

Apparently you didn't pay attention in economics class. Human wants are infinite.

I did pay attention in physics. I learned that cows are approximately spherical and live in a vacuum.

Re: The art and science of spending money

#136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your comments are also just anecdotes, except that they are second-order, based on your anecdotal impression of what you've read. From my experiences living within it, I don't think US society is actually the way you have become convinced it is from your experiences reading and watching things about it. Both of our beliefs are just anecdotal experiences. We could get closer to the truth with a bunch of sociology and…

> Your comments are also just anecdotes, except that they are second-order, based on your anecdotal impression of what you've read I really doubt that the Randian philosophy that took over the US since Reagan is 'just anecdotes'...

Randian philosophy has not taken over the US since Reagan. You seem to have read or watched things that have convinced you of this false thing; those are the anecdotes I'm talking about. Elsewhere, I have conversations just like this with people who are certain that Marxism has taken over the US. They're in a "look at these examples of Marxism" bubble just like you're in a "look at these examples of Randian philosophy" bubble. The truth is that you're both wrong and the reality is a lot more complex (and a lot more interesting).

Re: The art and science of spending money

#137

Just finished living with a financial and emotional hoarder. When a person groans about spending $1,000 on high quality Michelin AS4 tires for an appropriate car, they are being obstinate. Money is to purchase things for life, not the purpose in life. It doesn't take a lot if one sets expectations and standard of living appropriately. Personally I've learned the corporate rat race is really detrimental to my handicap…

Thanks for sharing, and I wish you shared way more than this.

I am curious about your partner, the hoarder - even the tires example is so weird and specific.

You mention a handicap. Would you mind sharing what type/kind of handicap is it?

Re: The art and science of spending money

#138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Individuals' personal experiences being to the contrary does not mean that something is not a societal paradigm. From the cover of Forbes to the arguments used in discussions during lawmaking, the situation is as my comment described.

Your comments are also just anecdotes, except that they are second-order, based on your anecdotal impression of what you've read. From my experiences living within it, I don't think US society is actually the way you have become convinced it is from your experiences reading and watching things about it. Both of our beliefs are just anecdotal experiences. We could get closer to the truth with a bunch of sociology and…

Just realized I typo'd "financially" instead of "fundamentally", but too late to edit now.

Re: The art and science of spending money

#139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you feel satisfied in that series of decisions? This was something I started doing in my twenties, but am glad it didn't continue, despite having some major financial difficulties now (though I don't have much control over that anyway). Do you feel like your travel experiences offer you more substance than any possessions would, and do you feel like language learning is a fruitful use of time?

Yes. I'm learning Russian, traveling all the time, studying philosophy, working with a small think tank and I've become a black belt in Krav Maga. I hate stuff, don't miss it and learning a language has changed my writing, thinking and it's actually fun.

Thanks for answering, have two follow up questions. How do you differentiate between acquisition of intangible things like Krav Maga and Russian language, and tangible things; is the value you derive from exclusively engaging with them sufficient? Secondly—and this feels like an obvious one—do you feel like the social connections you've made along the way, in what appears to be a black and white intensity of lifestyle, are where you want them to be?

I enjoy travel, and don't have the resources to travel full-time, but at 30 I feel like if I were set up financially for it, my lack of relentless working has let me build a resilient group of relationships that I struggle to think would be around otherwise, and I'd be able to leave for a while without them suffering too much. Those two fulfillments strike me as diametrically opposed, but I always like to hear about other paths.

Re: The art and science of spending money

#140

> Frugality inertia: a lifetime of good savings habits can’t be transitioned to a spending phase. Coming from a poor family and knowing the hard way the issues of not having money I've been obsessed with saving money since I got my first paycheck 8 years ago and I always thought "at the point I would earn current salary + x I will start enjoying life more and stop worrying about money" but that never happened. 8 year…

Similar. I left home at 15 made my own way. I saved 95% of what I made - drank powdered milk, worked 7 days a week for 15 years multiple jobs, side jobs (flip houses, production company). But I set a goal so, unlike my grandmother, who never stopped fearing the return of the Great Depression, I could stop. I retired in my mid-thirties and now I study languages and write and travel, but I don't buy stuff. Maybe if you…

May I ask what did you think was your number or how did you come to a number?
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