Your money, your fault

It was two weeks to the date when I was involved in what was a very stimulating conversation about money (and at times, the lack of it). Money is one of the last things I want to discuss with anyone since it’s a potential landmine, it’s such a touchy topic and so prickly. Some discuss it freely and with ease while others bristle upon a raw nerve being touched, but against all logic I decided to dive in head-first this time and discuss things candidly.

Talk veered from how money was so invigorating in our twenties to how it is a cause for worry now, and inevitably we talked about our financial state now as opposed to those times. Personally, I’m making less (much less) than I was back then as a corporate suit that smiled and shook everyone’s hands through gritted teeth but conversely I am also much happier for the changes I have made. One of my friends interestingly carped about not making nearly enough when I know for a fact he’s making a hell of a lot more than me. Clearly, he shouldn’t be complaining, so why exactly is he unhappy?

Well, for starters, he’s got a bigger house (and mortgage payment while I rent my place), a car that costs twice as much as mine (and he’s paying monthly installments while I settled mine in cash). To wit, he also goes out a whole lot more, parties a whole more and indulges in little (that’s a relative term, really) vices such as smoking and drinking regularly. Mystifyingly, none of this hits him while I, sitting on the sidelines, can see clear as day exactly why he never seems to have enough money on hand. His lifestyle is something entirely of his own choice and he is neither happy with his job nor making nearly as much money as he likes. Conversely, I am happy with my lot in life and cannot have any sympathy for his plight. Bravely, I sought to point out to him why exactly he was unfulfilled.

For starters, his lunch is a daily meal to be had at his favorite restaurant. And yes, I do mean daily. By his own claims, not a day has gone by without him having lunch at a restaurant. “Oh, but that’s not that much!!” he insists. Is it now? If you consider the price of a meal to be at least $10 a day (I’m being conservative here) that’s $50 a week or $2,500 of post-tax income flushed down the toilet. I’m amazed this hadn’t struck him since most people cut back on this straight away to tighten their budget.

In addition, he loves his cigarettes unabashedly and loves to party…a lot. Smokers in general don’t like to add up the numbers and see just how much money they’re setting fire to, and so it was with my buddy. And it’s money that’s being funneled towards cancer sticks! At $5 a day or close to $2000 a year, this is a ridiculously expensive habit that’s hard to break. Plus you have to factor in his partying ways, bar hopping on Fridays and Saturdays, plus during Happy hours (only the bar owners are truly happy) on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Tot up the costs of a few beers and cocktails and see how that takes a huge bite out of your salary. Maybe you’ get it, but my buddy didn’t. It took some time to get my point across, but the idea is this; there’s not making nearly enough money and there’s spending it foolishly every day. Your behavior perpetuates your own happiness, and similarly your money (and its absence from your account) is down entirely to you. The buck stops with you, and the sooner you realize that, the better it is.