Discussing money

[Amby 490]

Hey guys I have like $.75 in my purse and $0 in my wallet. I'm poor too.

[morocco4ever 63]

if you don't HAVE any money, you aren't going to build #######. You aren't going to invest #######.

Come on Platy, who needs a roof over your head and food on the table when you could be putting it to good use investing?

You're right. I'm so STUPID!

Dude... that is sooooooooooooooooo like obvious....

not so, he married mags.

Some people get soooo lucky!

[Ban Hammer 13,575]

if you don't HAVE any money, you aren't going to build #######. You aren't going to invest #######.

Come on Platy, who needs a roof over your head and food on the table when you could be putting it to good use investing?

You're right. I'm so STUPID!

Dude... that is sooooooooooooooooo like obvious....

not so, he married mags.

Some people get soooo lucky!

yeah, no one else gets the privilege of being told they are suspended in a cute british accent

[rebeccajo 14]

if you don't HAVE any money, you aren't going to build #######. You aren't going to invest #######.

Come on Platy, who needs a roof over your head and food on the table when you could be putting it to good use investing?

That is exactly the conventional wisdom I was talking about. People say all the time "I wish I could contribute to a 401(k), can't you see we need that money NOW? And you want me to put money into an account and not touch it until I am 59 1/2? What a scam! - You are not helping me, you don't understand how things are". Thanks for making my point Platy and morocco4ever. As long as a person believes that there is a better use for their money than what the advisor tells them, no amount of reading up or self motivating will help. And Platy is spot on.... some folks just don't have it to spend. Not a lack of desire or discipline, but lack of funds to get started. Chicken or egg, I guess.

Well, when you've got your back against the wall, there might be times you really can't save. Circumstances usually do have a way of turning around though, and eventually you can discipline yourself out of debt and into savings. You can start paying things off (the smallest balances first) then when those are done, take that money and start working on the bigger stuff. When you've got yourself down to your house/rent payment, a car payment, and ONE credit card (if any), then take the money you were applying to those payments and start saving it.

Maybe that sounds like rainbows & kittens, or pie in the sky, but I've been through times of unemployment (one time was quite extended) and under-employment. It's something you don't die from and in time come out of on the upswing - it sucks while it's going on but you have to be patient, focused, and tighten your belt while the chips are down.

For youngsters entering the workforce, the best way to save is start with your first paycheck. Sign up for the 401K right away - if you never start receiving the money you won't miss it. The habit will transfer over to your next job.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I don't think its classy to discuss money with people other than those who are close to you. Posting here on VJ discussing how big your trust fund is is quite tacky imo and is really just bragging even if you think you aren't.

I'm sure it is very cultural to some extent (and we have a wide variety here on VJ) but of the upper class and upper middle class people I've known over my lifetime of various ethnic backgrounds we've never gone around throwing out how much our houses cost, what our salaries were, and what investments and trust funds we hold.

Oh well. Carry on and brag away.

Spot on, I have never had any money, so not sure what it would feel like, but I am willing to give it a shot. Most likely I would keep it on the low down, don't want people asking for favors, all of a sudden I will find long lost friends and relatives. Not cool

Saying 'no' is just part of the fun.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Aficionado, was any of this any help? I didn't see anyone bragging, but the perception of it is real. The taboo allows one to be resigned to having little or no money, to be judgemental and cyncial toward those who do, but doesn't allow for those who have plenty to express happiness or comfort about it. You have to wonder who this dicotomy serves.

[Jenn! 918]

I'm sure it is very cultural to some extent (and we have a wide variety here on VJ) but of the upper class and upper middle class people I've known over my lifetime of various ethnic backgrounds we've never gone around throwing out how much our houses cost, what our salaries were, and what investments and trust funds we hold.

[Marilyn. 340]

what is this thing called money you all are talking about?? ...lol

[Y's_habibitk 2]

Aficionado, was any of this any help? I didn't see anyone bragging, but the perception of it is real. The taboo allows one to be resigned to having little or no money, to be judgemental and cyncial toward those who do, but doesn't allow for those who have plenty to express happiness or comfort about it. You have to wonder who this dicotomy serves.

I dont have ANY problems with someone being happy or content in having plenty of money.

I also would appreciate hearing some advise on how they pulled themselves from "just making it" to "rolling in the dough".

What I dont appreciate is someone having said they have a family trust fund telling people that they dont have money because they choose not to. Maybe you didnt mean to come across that way, but it sounded snobby.

Everyone has a choice to improve their financial situation..I agree. This could mean building a business for some and for others it could mean just saving enough for emergencies.

Lisa

editted-- THIS is why people dont talk openly about money LOL

Edited November 27, 2008 by Y_habibitk

[Marilyn. 340]

I don't ever want to be rolling in cash..

yes if I won the lottery or something I wouldn't throw the money away but I would probably use it to go on vacations etc.. not for buying stuff... you can't take stuff with you

i just want enough money to live comfortably and not have to worry about having money for bills etc....

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Aficionado, was any of this any help? I didn't see anyone bragging, but the perception of it is real. The taboo allows one to be resigned to having little or no money, to be judgemental and cyncial toward those who do, but doesn't allow for those who have plenty to express happiness or comfort about it. You have to wonder who this dicotomy serves.

I dont have ANY problems with someone being happy or content in having plenty of money.

I also would appreciate hearing some advise on how they pulled themselves from "just making it" to "rolling in the dough".

What I dont appreciate is someone having said they have a family trust fund telling people that they dont have money because they choose not to. Maybe you didnt mean to come across that way, but it sounded snobby.

Everyone has a choice to improve their financial situation..I agree. This could mean building a business for some and for others it could mean just saving enough for emergencies.

Lisa

editted-- THIS is why people dont talk openly about money LOL

I see a contradiction in the two bolded statements. I believe that unless you have some sort of involuntary impediment, retardation, addiction, mental issues, it is very possible to gain financial freedom in this country. It is a choice, the same kind of choice that one makes about any priority they set in life. There is nothing snobby about being positive about anyone's ability to do well in life.

[sereia 0]

I didn't see anyone bragging, but the perception of it is real. The taboo allows one to be resigned to having little or no money, to be judgemental and cyncial toward those who do, but doesn't allow for those who have plenty to express happiness or comfort about it. You have to wonder who this dicotomy serves.

That is so far from the truth. As much as I respect your opinions around here usually I just have to disagree with you on this one. Although that may be the case for some, my judgements about it not being classy to flaunt your money (especially on a board like VJ) have nothing to do with the amount of money I've got!

Edited November 27, 2008 by Sheherazade

[PlatyPius 5]

I didn't see anyone bragging, but the perception of it is real. The taboo allows one to be resigned to having little or no money, to be judgemental and cyncial toward those who do, but doesn't allow for those who have plenty to express happiness or comfort about it. You have to wonder who this dicotomy serves.

That is so far from the truth. As much as I respect your opinions around here usually I just have to disagree with you on this one.

What I have seen from certain people on this board is the money equivalent of Eric posting/spamming continuously about his huge #######. He's just expressing happiness and comfort about it, right? So it's perfectly okay for him to post daily about how huge his ####### is. It doesn't get annoying at all. Nope. Not at all.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

and at the end of the day and we all go to bed does it really matter to anyone how much money someone on here has or about erics (friend) noooooooo didnt think so im number 2468 and im poor

[sereia 0]

Right. And do any of us REALLY know how big his ####### is? Or how much money those who have been "bragging" about it have? Its all just so silly to even discuss on VJ.