How do you feel about money?

[lifewithoutanet 0]

Sitting on my couch, multi-tasking between work, DZ.com and a Chris Rock special. He just did a routine on how America worships money.

"The only reason banks are closed on Sunday is so people will go to church!"

That killed me, but got me thinking. How do YOU feel about money?

I've known irresponsibility and debt up to my eyeballs, even when I made too much ("too much" being relative). I've known scrooge-like saving habits. I've learned to find a proper balance (for me). And then there's the past few months... People ask me why I started skydiving and I tell them, "Because I hate money."

So, how do you feel about money?

-C.

[jumper03 0]

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How do YOU feel about money?

Like it's fucked me over with a rough stick...

Scars remind us that the past is real

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

I do hate money.
More accurately, I guess I hate the abstract idea of wealth, and what goes on in the world because of money, and wealth.

People desire it so much that they will be EVIL to one another over it, just to have more of it. They will lie, cheat, steal and kill just to have money to spend on their own pleasure.

I hate the idea that money is even necessary for human civilization to sustain itself, but this seems to be the case. As a result, we have to dedicate such a huge percentage of our time alive just to accumulate the financial means to keep ourselves alive! Imagine a world in which money was not a factor, and you could spend all your time doing the things that make living enjoyable and pleasant! You could picnic in the mountains all week long, go skydiving on the weekend, sail around the world. If you do these things now, you have to have a mind for "when do I have to be back to work?" And why? Because you need that money!

Money sucks. It's at best a necessary EVIL.

I spend it like I might not have a tomorrow in which to do so -- because I might not. Live well while you live.

-

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[champu 1]

how ever much I'm able to make doing honest work is enough for me. I'm sure that'll go up and down as time goes on, but so do frills in life.

/edited to add:

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Money sucks. It's at best a necessary EVIL.

last time I checked, money was just a number. There's nothing evil about numbers. If people didn't have money to step over others to get to they'd find something else.

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

It's EVIL! Really...
I look back on my W2s and when I made the MOST money (sick amount!) I was the most miserable! and when I was making the least, I was stressed, but happier. Weird phenomena, but oh so true. Don't envy or love money, it will most certainly kill you because it redirects your attention from what really makes you happy to material crap..I guarantee you..material crap is only dust collecting clutter far from happiness. My new goal is to live life as a "minimalist"...simple, debt free and freakin happy happy joy joy! Name brand everything and bunches of shit means nuttin' to me anymore. Days o' glutany is over!

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[Gawain 0]

I'm not a big fan of money. I can't hold on to it. The more I make, the more I spend (with less responsibility). The less I make, the less I spend (with more responsibility).

I'm eager to get out of the rat race...

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[nael 0]

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Name brand everything and bunches of shit means nuttin' to me anymore. Days o' glutany is over!

The days of glutany have to be over - you're skydiving now!
Money has never been much of an issue for me. I dont hate it, I dont love it, it is just what makes the world go round, and I was completely comfortable in my world.
Now that I am skydiving money means a whole lot more to me. I make do with what I can earn by myself, and actually enjoy the challenge of working so hard for the money for my next jump (it makes me see how much I really want to skydive). When things are easy I end up questioning if its something I really want or something I do simply because I can do it. One of my closest friends is a prostitute, she easily earns my weekly wage in 1 day, even though I would be able to jump LOTS more often with that sort of money, I could never do it.
So, money to me is a means to an end, and its not important enough to make me forget what really matters. I'm here for the experiences in life, and basically to enjoy myself, money is just something which helps me be what I want to be.
Having said that......... I could always use more!

www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

[zulu 0]

I find that money in my case has never been a motivator to what I do. We are in this business because we enjoy what we do. Although money is a neccessity, for obvious reasons, it seems to possess a more negative flaw than a positive one. I have seen money destroy friendships, marriages, and hinder people from making the right decisions.

What I have learned is that if you love what you do, and you have a level of satisfaction in it, then money loses its level of control of our personal satisfaction.

Just my 2 Euros worth. Wait a minute the market has changed 3 Euros worth yipeee!!!

[Tonto 1]

I don't give a fuck about money -
but right now a Skyflier 3 would be nice, so if you give me money, I promise not to keep it!

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[weegegirl 2]

Hate it. Want enough of it to get by and have fun... other than that... I'm good at making it, bad at managing it, and can't stand talking about it.

[cocheese 0]

Money is no object.... to those who have none.
Throw your money out da plane like confetti for best results.
Money.... it's a crime. Share it, fare it, but don't take a slice of my pie. ( Pink Floyd)
I can hear the cash register now. Base guitar kicks in. Think i'll play it now. Love the sax in that song.

[Sabre2th 0]

I hate money...I just want to make enough to do the things I Love. I don't even want to be rich.

IMHO Money turns people into assholes in most cases.

Nick.

Those who dance, are cosidered insane by those who can't hear the music.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Money is a necessary evil. But it doesn't/shouldn't rule your life. Having money has allowed me to jump a lot these last couple of years. But I am just milking my well paid corporate America job while I can. Because sooner or later it will end and who knows maybe I'll cutaway for a while thanks to have a little money saved up (not enough to retire, but enough to have one bad ass year or more of jumping).

Oh but I do agree with much of what many of your say about the topic.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[sunshine 2]

Money is nice to have, but it's not the most important thing in the world. When i lived with my ex i had tons of money, a beautiful house, brand new truck. Gave it all up cause i didn't love him. Now i'm poor, live in a tiny apartment and i'm happier than i was when i was with him.

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meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[DrunkMonkey 0]

I love those little stacks of green rectangles. They allow you to do so much and go so many places.

However, they're not as important as friends, self-respect/esteem, being able to look ones' self in the mirror, and love.

Money cannot buy happiness. However it can create an optimal environment in which happiness can be cultivated.

[Brains 2]

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I look back on my W2s and when I made the MOST money (sick amount!) I was the most miserable! and when I was making the least, I was stressed, but happier. Weird phenomena, but oh so true.

Absolutely! I gave up a job where by now i would be making almost twice what i am now. I hven't been happier. I think i could live a lot cheaper than i am now.

Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.

[FallingILweenie 0]

Is it the money that was making your miserable or the work you were doing to get it?

Would you have been as miserable if you were making that money doing what you are doing now that has you so much happier, or if it were just given to you?

I agree with Champu that money is arbitrary. It's what people do to get it that is evil, or how much people base their lives on getting as much as they can of it without stopping to live that is evil.
The money itself is just an idea to measure worth. Not good, not evil, it just is.

[Paige 0]

Money is nice to have so you can live you life the way you want. It is unfortunately a necessity in society but should not be a driving force in our lives like it is. You have to make enough to cover your expenses. Anything above that makes life easy because you can do the things you would like such as skydiving, retirement, and cover unexpected expenses (as skydivers often have for injuries). If you are in a relationship, money is often an issue for fights, this should not be. If both sides are working and contributing, that should be enough. Work hard, save, and money and rewards should follow or be easier to obtain. These of course are general statements and there are always exceptions.

Tunnel Pink Mafia Delegate
www.TunnelPinkMafia.com

[Darius11 12]

I don’t know if I would say I hate money. I don’t love it. I wish I could do everything I want and it was free but the reality is it is not.

I would never step over my morals because of money, But I wish I had more
To help the people I love and do be able to do the things I love.

I do agree with RkyMtnHigh

My life has been a rollercoaster there has been times that I have had lots of money and times that I didn’t have a dime. I was able to enjoy my life at both times. The friends I had when I was broke are the friends that have stayed around. When I had money and parted all the time there was a lot of pretend friends.

In Iran they call them

The Flies around the sweets.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[GARYC24 3]

This is how I feel about money:
The world is built around money.
It takes money to have children, support a wife, family,girlfriend whatever!
without it you would live on the streets!
it takes money to skydive!

[Hummusx 0]

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Imagine a world in which money was not a factor, and you could spend all your time doing the things that make living enjoyable and pleasant! You could picnic in the mountains all week long, go skydiving on the weekend, sail around the world. If you do these things now, you have to have a mind for "when do I have to be back to work?" And why? Because you need that money!

I hate to rain on the anti-money parade here, but don't you think you are missing something here? If you spent your entire week picnicing in the mountains and your weekends skydiving and sailing, where would you get the food? Where would you get a boat? Where would you get a rig?

The reality of life is that staying alive requires WORK. There are two ways that it can work. Either each family can do all the work themselves (ie hunt/gather, make clothes, build a house), or people can specialize in one particular area and then trade for the others. Turns out money is a great way to normalize trading.

Anyway...focus on wealth has definitly brought about lots of bad things. But the problem isn't money, the problem is greed. The problem is the sense of entitlement that everyone has these days.

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It’s like selling a million grills all at the same time…with extended warranties. -Hank Hill

[mirochristie 0]

I feel that I need it so I can pay my house, my jumps, trips, extras and more. But to be honest, I`m the kind of person who forgets to pick up her check at the end of the week.

So I guess, I need the money because I have things to pay, but if not... I wouldn`t even think about it.

I guess I`m kindda "flower child"

LiquidSky
@(^_^)@

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

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Is it the money that was making your miserable or the work you were doing to get it?

Would you have been as miserable if you were making that money doing what you are doing now that has you so much happier, or if it were just given to you?
_________________
No, in fact I love what I do (did) for work. It is really gratifying calling on physicians and helping patients. The money was nice to have but "it" and the "stuff" I could afford with it didn't make me happy.

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[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

Chances are...if you are doing something which you love and working hard to be the best at it...then you will usually make enough money to make yourself happy. Many times, you will be making a lot of money excelling and working hard at something which you love. If this is the case, then you will find gratification in having done a great job. The money may be secondary. but it can symbolize a just reward for all your hard work and effort. (Of course, it doesn't always work out that way.) Also, if you make enough money to be able to afford some of the finer things in life, there is nothing wrong with that. Work hard, play hard...and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

I find it strange to read that people "hate" money. I think that what they are saying is that they hated what they had to do to get the money. Or...they realized that they couldn't manage their money once they had it. Or...material possessions were trying to be used as substitutes for happiness.

I do not think that there should be shame or unhappiness associated with wealth and material possessions. My family works very hard and can be considered "wealthy", but they also are key (former President, now Treasury) in actively running a non-profit charity organization. They are also putting several people through college and have helped countless people financially, etc. They have been able to help many, many people with their finances. There is nothing evil about that.

Furthermore, my family travels extensively for enjoyment and work. They enjoy experiences that they could not if they did not have the finances. They are happy people...even with money because money is not the end all, be all for them. They have always respected and treated equally people with very little money, such as janitors, maids, etc., as well as people with money, such as fellow doctors. They taught me to be the same way...which is why I have no issues being friends with anyone...money or not. Money is not the problem. (It is only a substitute for a bartering system.) It's how you deal with having it that is the problem.

[champu 1]

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But to be honest, I`m the kind of person who forgets to pick up her check at the end of the week.

At work I have my paychecks direct deposited, all my bills go on my credit card, and pretty much any purchase besides getting some food or a beer or something goes on the card as well. Once I month I look over my summary online to make sure it seems in order and click "pay"

That's pretty much the extent to which I deal with money, it belongs in the background of life.