Money Breeds Freaks!

Money doesn’t make you “weird”.

You are weird to begin with, having money just makes the consequences of your “weirdness”,

“Manageable”.

A jerk in a $5,000 suit is still a jerk.

While an angel in rags is no less an angel.

Money just enhances whatever screwed up personality someone already has...

The other issue is that most people tend to compare themselves to their social circles. If you are worth say $20 million, you may be rich compared to most people, but if all your friends are worth $500 million then you will still feel poor because they are doing things that you can't afford on $20 million.

It all boils down to what is important to you in life. I'm comfortable in my skin. I definitely enjoy the finer things in life, but not to the point of over the top materialism. I could probably cash out and enjoy every material wish I have at this point - watches, cars, houses, etc on less than say $5 million. The bulk of that $5 million would be the real estate.

My bucket list of cars is an Icon 4x4 Bronco, FJ Company Toyota FJ Cruiser, Singer Porsche 911. I get those in the garage, I can drive my Jeep the rest of the week.

Lotto winners have higher than average bankruptcies (same with athletes) because when you don't have any money and you come into a lot of money, you tend spend a lot of it on depreciating assets instead of making investments that continue to grow your wealth. You also don't realize that Uncle Sam wants his cut.

Earning your first million is always the hardest. Once you have money to play with, it becomes easier to make money hence the saying "It takes money to make money..."

originally posted by: DAVID64
Day 1 as a billionaire : Buy 100 acres in the middle of nowhere surround by a electric fence, build a nice house, shooting range and workshop. Buy new truck, new guns.
Tell the world to go to hell.

We are on the same wave length....

originally posted by: DAVID64
Day 1 as a billionaire : Buy 100 acres in the middle of nowhere surround by a electric fence, build a nice house, shooting range and workshop. Buy new truck, new guns.
Tell the world to go to hell.

You must be a city person, 100 acres is really not that much.

Most rich (really rich) people own small islands or tens of thousand of acres.
Collecting real estate is their favorite past time.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: AnakinWayneII

The point of the OP was to illustrate that too much money can be a bad thing.

A few hundred million is not "too much".

There are Forbes Listers with tens of billions of dollars. Mr Bezos, prior to his divorce, is still worth North of $140 BILLION dollars. Bill Gates reached the magic hundred billion hall of fame some time ago.

Many "regular" folks think the lottery jackpots are huge amazing sums with which you can do *anything*, but they quickly realise "that actually it's not as much as I thought", when a guy with more properties, a bigger yacht and more wealth etc pulls up beside you - and when there's the larger extended family to think of etc etc...

Don’t forget the fact that just because you won millions, doesn’t mean you’ll have friends in that new gated millionaires community, they will still look down upon you knowing you didn’t really earn that money, and take bets on how long before you blow your wad.

Day 1..buy Greenland!

originally posted by: vonclod
Day 1..buy Greenland!

"NOT FOR SALE" no matter the price.

originally posted by: InTheLight

originally posted by: vonclod
Day 1..buy Greenland!

"NOT FOR SALE" no matter the price.

Oh ya, I know..lol

It's funny hearing some posters debating it.."he wants it, to keep it out of China's hands" all the while ignoring it is not for sale to begin with, and nobody asked. They just assume it's all for the taking!

As for the billionaire deal, big piece of land, houses for all my friends and family.

A good chunk to charitible causes.

Some investments.

The most kick ass stereo..couple mill there

originally posted by: vonclod

originally posted by: InTheLight

originally posted by: vonclod
Day 1..buy Greenland!

"NOT FOR SALE" no matter the price.

Oh ya, I know..lol

It's funny hearing some posters debating it.."he wants it, to keep it out of China's hands" all the while ignoring it is not for sale to begin with, and nobody asked. They just assume it's all for the taking!

As for the billionaire deal, big piece of land, houses for all my friends and family.

A good chunk to charitible causes.

Some investments.

The most kick ass stereo..couple mill there

Yeah, those with money and power assume everything can be bought or can be taken, some how...

Couple mill for a stereo...is that for record playing?

a reply to: InTheLight

Couple mill for a stereo...is that for record playing?

That would be part of the setup, I have a nice system for that now. Music and audio gear my passion.

Speakers would be around 2-300k up to a mill, we are talking 1 pair..lol
Amps and preamps about the same 2-300k
Turntable of dreams could go as high.
Digital to anlalog converter, could be in 50-60k region
CD player, 20-50k
Cables/speaker wires..a guy could go off the deep end and spend a 100k easy.

originally posted by: vonclod
a reply to: InTheLight

Couple mill for a stereo...is that for record playing?

That would be part of the setup, I have a nice system for that now. Music and audio gear my passion.

Speakers would be around 2-300k +, we are talking 1 pair..lol
Amps and preamps about the same 2-300k
Turntable of dreams could go as high.
Digital to anlalog converter, could be in 50-60k region
CD player, 20-50k
Cables/speaker wires..a guy could go off the deep end and spend a 100k easy.

Think bigger. You could build your own recording studio to make your own records...hob nob with famous singers and bands.

a reply to: InTheLight

That would be part of the investments, not sure it would make money, but paying for itself would be nice.

originally posted by: AnakinWayneII

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: AnakinWayneII

The point of the OP was to illustrate that too much money can be a bad thing.

A few hundred million is not "too much".

There are Forbes Listers with tens of billions of dollars. Mr Bezos, prior to his divorce, is still worth North of $140 BILLION dollars. Bill Gates reached the magic hundred billion hall of fame some time ago.

Many "regular" folks think the lottery jackpots are huge amazing sums with which you can do *anything*, but they quickly realise "that actually it's not as much as I thought", when a guy with more properties, a bigger yacht and more wealth etc pulls up beside you - and when there's the larger extended family to think of etc etc...

I find that people really don't understand the difference between wealth and income (you see this often debating leftist). They also don't know what real wealth is....meaning they don't know how much it actually cost to truly have the mega-rich lifestyle - private planes, drivers, multiple homes, etc.

This disconnect is why you will see politicians hold up pictures of billionaires and then write tax policy that affects people making say $250k/yr as if they have anything in common with billionaires or even people who might be worth $10 million.

A doctor making $500k/yr is a 1%er, but so is Mark Zuckerberg. However, that guy making $500k has way more in common with someone making $100k/yr or even $60k/yr than they do Mark Zuckerberg. MZ will never be broke. One divorce or health crisis and that guy making $500k is broke. However, someone making $60k/yr thinks if they made $500k, they'd be on top of the world....

B.I.G. "Mo' money, mo' problems..."

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
I was trying to use an example that people could identify with.

The guy that's related to Jimmy Buffet, Warren What's-His-Name, isn't so bad.

I'm mean how bad could you possibly be when your name is synonymous with a never-ending food delivery mechanism.

originally posted by: vonclod
a reply to: InTheLight

That would be part of the investments, not sure it would make money, but paying for itself would be nice.

The right investments could pay for all the other stuff.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
I was trying to use an example that people could identify with.

The guy that's related to Jimmy Buffet, Warren What's-His-Name, isn't so bad.

I'm mean how bad could you possibly be when your name is synonymous with a never-ending food delivery mechanism.

You mean this dude?

I'm not sure he's related to Warren, bud...

I worked for more than twenty years to retire with a secure pension and a really good health insurance policy.

Bought my house at the bottom of the crash with, really good credit, so got a nice place for a very nice 30 year rate.

I’m not “rich”, but I am comfortable enough.

I have relatives who actually Are millionaires. I spent last weekend at the hilltop home of one relative lounging by the infinity pool, drinking champagne and Eastern European gin (a brand not available outside its homeland), while my handmade pizza baked off in their specialty oven.

I have been invited to cruise Lake Tahoe on their new 30 foot sailboat, and spend a week or two or three at their place in the mountains of an island in the Caribbean.

Once I get a passport!

Another close relative has made a standing invitation to take me sightseeing in their private plane, and the whole family enjoys BBQ’s on the deck of their multi-story manse in the foothills as we comment on the snow we can still see up in the Sierras.

It’s a wonderful life, especially since I am not responsible for paying for it!

I can enjoy it. But it’s not mine. And if all went away (or never existed), I would be none the worst off.

originally posted by: 38181
Day one as a billionaire, buy a restored 1957 Chevy Bel Air 2 door. Have you seen the price on those lately!!

The 55 is more desirable.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

In a way, I won the lottery. Double-edged sword, that is.

In your hypothetical, you did not explore an obvious thing that many people do when they don't need wages: immerse themselves in artistic endeavors. I did. Double-edged sword, that is.