I think about money a lot. I think about not having enough and having too much. I worry about not making enough money next month to pay all my bills. I worry what will happen to my finances if I make too much and have to pay more taxes. I think about paying my bills, my monthly budget, and how to invest money. I think about what I would buy if I made a little extra. I am sure I’m not alone in thinking about money everyday.
It’s time for a money thought experiment.
What if you knew all your needs and desires in life were possible to obtain. What if you didn’t have to think about how you were going to get those things? What if you never thought about money again.
Not to be confused with the cliche “What if you had a million dollars”question that guidance counselors ask students when they think they’re being clever. Also not to be confused with if money didn’t exist or if it posed no obstacles in your like.
Most people accept that money is the gatekeeper to everything they need or want in life. This assumption is rarely examined and is just accepted as a truth of life. Despite centuries of human history where people didn’t have as many money options as we have today.
But how would your life be different if you never obsessed about money. Poor people obsess with not having it. Comfortable people obsess with their finances becoming more complicated (taxes and investments). And rich people obsess about losing their money.
But what if there was no need to think about it at all?
“What if you knew all your needs and desires in life were possible to obtain. What if you didn’t have to think about how you were going to get those things? ”
That would mean all those things were being supplied by someone else – and that ‘person’ would have all the power. And then you would be obsessed about ‘doing the right thing’ to please that power.
Man is wired to work, to provide, to protect. Take that away and you have taken away any reason to be.
The Ghetto Life already represents your ‘thought experiment’. These people don’t think about money. It comes to them from various programs / entitlements / benefits. You see what kind of character they have.
You don’t have to think about it. Mold yourself into good wife material, find a man that’s really good at dealing with money, have some babies and enjoy your life. You think you are thinking about money. You’re not, really. You’re trying to figure out how to get the stuff to move on to the next phase of your life. Ain’t gonna happen alone. Present yourself as a woman who can hold up her end of the bargain. That’s what good men want
Dutchman- You’ve never had a coincidence regarding money happen to you? I’ve had many times when I needed money and I just happen to acquire money at the exact moment I needed in. One time in college I was short $40 dollars on my rent. The day my rent was due and I was stressed over that $40 I had a friend notice a ink painting on my wall I’d painted in class. He offered me $20 for the painting and later that day I found $20 on the ground. Rent was paid on time.
Another time I was two days away from payday when my kitchen was bare. Right when I was looking through the cabinets a friend just showed up with a pizza. I didn’t even know they were coming over and it had been weeks since I saw em’.
I had things I needed or wanted come into my life without money.
Sounds like the South Pacific tribal people. Good fishing, a natural garden around you. Not too bad.
Stephanie, I was married to a man for 5 years, 6 months (I realized it was a big mistake two weeks in but decided I’d give it five years. He was deployed to Desert Storm at the 5 year point and the Soldier’s Sailors’ Act prevented my divorcing him in a war zone.) I obsessed over how I would manage without that second paycheck, without the 10 grand startup money I’d brought into the marriage, without the car, without the house, without the dogs.
Then, one day, he pissed me off so bad on the phone when he was getting ready to return that I sat down and made a list: Lawyer, Apartment, pack clothes, car dealer for new vehicle, kennel the dogs, new bank account.
I cleaned that house, bought myself a pickup truck, loaded it up with everything that I considered important to me and took two Boston terriers to the kennel and told them g’bye. In the end, I didn’t need 10 grand and the lawyer was astounded that I didn’t even want to claim 5 years equity in the house. I didn’t want any ties that bind. I was the same rank in the USAF as he, made the same money though for 5 years he’d convinced me he was better able to manage it while he bought Ping Golf clubs and Ralph Lauren ties at high scale shops just to rub elbows with the upper crustypants.
So, what’s my point? Money is a concept that someone came up with to represent labor. And whenever you find yourself concerned about it, ask yourself if you are able to work and produce labor to care for yourself or someone else. If the answer if “yes” money is not a problem and never will be.
My son’s first job was mucking a snooty lady’s stables whose Dressage Trained horses bowed to me when she was riding them (which is weird.) He was only 14, so I had to take him and pick him up in the early days, and many trips home were filled with him raging about how Fannie must have a digestive tract problem because he cleaned her stable while she was in the exercise yard, then he put her back in with her oats and hay and when he came to check on her again, she’d filled up the stall with poop and he’d had to do it over again. She paid him $8 and hour and griped nonstop about his lack of attention to detail. His senior year, she broke her hip riding in a Dressage contest or whatever they call those little horse fancy prancy things… my son was all she had. He went morning and afternoon and took care of those horses. Not for her and not for the money. For the horses.
One day, he was so tired, he said he just didn’t know if he could do it. I told him to not go then… who would know? He looked at me and said “I would know. Those horses only have me now. I’m all they’ve got.” I was so proud of him I almost exploded right then.
But, I promised him ONE THING that day. Once she got better and could get around herself, he could give notice if he wanted. Since he didn’t think he was too good to clean up horse shit for a living for a snot-nosed bitch who didn’t appreciate his efforts, I was pretty sure he would be able to do a lot better for himself in the world at large. And if not, well, there if a whole lot of horse shit to clean up and he is a pro.
There is a non Stucky question of the day every day, so I guess this would be another non-Stucky question of the day then.
Maggie- Good stories. To be clear, I have no reason to worry about money right now. I’ve just come to notice how often I think about money on a daily basis. It kinda shocked me to realize the extent I think it. I also realized when I don’t have a reason to worry about money my mind will create a reason to worry with the “could of, would of, should of” scenario. It’s really difficult to never think about money or to rarely think about because our lives have become so financialized around money.
Most of the time when I think I want money I really want is what I can buy with money. Not the money itself.
Mike- It is usually a Stucky question, and sometime a Mike question. But specifically today it was a non-stucky question that could of been thought up by Stucky.
Well, Stephanie, I can tell you are a practical young lady and am still thinking you and my son should meet one day, karma willing. Although, he might not agree with me, any more than he thinks the Mennonite carpenter’s 15 year old daughter is as an attractive prospect as I do.
But, while money doesn’t grow on trees and it doesn’t grow in the bank any more, it really does behoove you to make yourself as skilled in as many areas as possible while you are young. This is something I did as a matter of necessity (grew up on farm, worked in butcher shop, worked in Chem Lab at oil refinery, worked on a sod farm, worked in a crap restaurant, Air Force, editor, writer, contractor, data analyst… and so on, but I’m multi-talented and skilled in many areas. I no longer worry about money, even though Nick and I no longer “earn” money. We know that if we had to, we have skills that many people would pay for… and if not, well, we know how to put them to profitable use.
All you need is enough.
Don’t worry about the money, just focus on what you want to do -to be- in life.
What do you suppose, say, Mother Teresa would have accomplished with her life if she had spent her time worrying about how to get the money to do it instead of just doing it?
The people that print the money from thin air are rich and corrupt beyond our comprehension and want us only as servants or corpses. If society gets another restart, the new Constitution needs to make the elimination of that system and class the number one item for “checks and balance”. Then upgrade parts that guarantee freedom of speech, Christianity, personal firearms; recreate a very tough test for voting, immigration and jobs; outlaw corporations, lawyers and welfare for the able bodied. Then the New Republic should last thousands of years instead of only 200.
Maggie– Skills are really the golden ticket these days. I didn’t improve my financial life until I thought about how I could work without a job. When I left working for somebody else I realized how jobs create limitations in one’s life. They tell you how often you can work. How much money you can make. I wanted to make money at anytime using any of my skills. And if I acquired a new skill I wanted to instantly start making money from it (this never happens with a job).
Thank you for noticing that I post one every day and Stuck about once every 2 weeks.
Your sarcasm is noticed. I just noticed question of the day is now a thing. Do I get partial credit?
Sure, it’s ok, we’ve only been dong them since early June. 🙂
I always read these posts when I’m rushing out the door to set up jobs.
I have eight guys working this weekend and three new jobs to start Monday, so I have to get equipment set up, materials ordered and picked up, security badges, calls to make, people to see.
My day starts at 6:00am and I get home around 6:00pm, six days a week.
Nothing I do is really all that important, we pretty much protect and beautify, if I went away tomorrow the world would forget me in less than a month.
I ask myself a lot lately why I run myself so hard, for legacy, for happiness, for retirement, for paper?
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There is a quote from I don’t know who that sums it all up:
“The problem with money is that it makes you do things you don’t want to do.”
My answer to your question is that each person would behave according to their character. Some would have adventures, some would take care of family and/or personal matters, some
would waste time dissipating themselves. It would be similar to the lives we lead in our free time, magnified exponentially. Most people try do what they want to do up to the limit of their means. Beyond that point, the quote above applies.
Steph…your calling awaits…
She Kills People From 7,800 Miles Away
by Kevin Maurer
Her name is ‘Sparkle.’ She operates a drone. She is sick of whiny boys.
And she is perfectly OK with dealing out death.
“A pilot made cards and every time you saw something in your screen, a donkey, or a car, you got a bingo point,” Sparkle said.
The crews say they’ve watched fighters shit in the woods countless times or have sex, sometimes with animals. One sensor said he watched an Afghan target fight a goat for an hour. They’ll often zoom in tight so the intelligence analysts can watch too…
“I remember thinking, I’m about to drop this weapon on this dude,” Sparkle said. “After you do five, six, 10, it is another day at work. You put your hard hat on.”
…
Sparkle and Spade didn’t have time to worry about not getting the shot. They had to be ready to follow up if the first shot failed. Sparkle kept her track on the motorcycle.
“You’re almost hoping the other guy screws up his timing so we can shoot,” she said.
…
“When you hit a truck full of people, there are limbs and legs everywhere,” Sparkle said. “I watched a guy crawl away from the wreckage after one shot with no lower body. He slowly died. You have to watch that. You don’t get to turn away. You can’t be that soft girly traditional feminine and do the job. Those are the people who are going to have the nightmares.”
…
At the end of the shift, Spade and Sparkle debriefed the mission. They watched the video of the strike again. Any mistakes were talked about and rectified. Spade was happy about everything that happened except that he didn’t get to shoot.
…
She is now married to a fellow sensor.
“It’s better to have someone who understands that you can take lives and not be a monster for being OK with doing something like that,” she said.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/features/2015/she-kills-people-from-7800-miles-away/index.html
I know exactly what I’d do if money weren’t an obstacle. I would travel the world, exploring different cultures and meeting new people, possibly learning new languages and settling in from time to time based on my reception. I would do this tomorrow if my basic needs were guaranteed. The only thing stopping me is that I have a decent career already, and it’s not location independent. I’m apprehensive about jeopardizing my earning ability in order to pursue a dream. However, I’ve built up savings over the years and am considering taking a hiatus from work to pursue the journey. Even though I’m risk averse, I’m sure I could eventually get back to work later, and if I don’t pull the trigger on that dream, I may live to regret it.
I think the problem most people have with all their needs being met is they completely stop doing everything and descend into drug use or alcoholism to pass the time. Men need a sense of accomplishment, and without work they will spiritually atrophy. HSF seems to work his ass off, but his writing exudes more satisfaction than any retiree I’ve met. Even in the bible, I think it was Isiah who wrote that honest work brought him the most joy in life.
By changing your environment from time to time, or pursuing your passion, I think you can avoid the major travails of the safety net.
I would probably end up a fatter , lazier slob .
I see Card’s picture was put up as a thread of it’s own, where my comment was “I hate money.”
You’re right Steph that we tend to think too much about money and just last week I was having many of the thoughts you laid out about the time and energy it consumes. Way too much for most of us.
Also I’ve had hundreds of those times you mentioned about needing money and it somehow shows up. And those times you come into some unexpected money only to have an unplanned expense that you use it for. Whenever that happens, I recall the saying “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.”
flash says:
Steph…your calling awaits…
She Kills People From 7,800 Miles Away
WHY WOULD YOU EVEN POST SUCH A SICK FUCKING ARTICLE YOU DEMENTED PIECE OF INHUMANE FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT
Stephanie Shepard
Great Question Stephanie,
I always seem to get what I need, sometimes at the very last minute. I never stress out about money anymore, I always seem to come through as if I have a guardian angle on my shoulder. How long this blessing will last I do not know.
Skin butt ,because it something you need to know . Soon there will be a drone attacks occurring throughout America. Damn man get a life.
steph do what you love , the money may or may not come . But on your deathbed what will your regrets be? For example I will not regret helping people versus I shoulda done the right thing for that person. When im on my death bed im not going to say I should have spent more time at work . Im going to say to myself did I do good enough for my kids? did I do right for my wife ? ya im a failure there but trying to do better . did that person at work have a complete breakdown from whatever circumstances there where and did I step in and fix what was in my power to fix ?
Are you going to pass into the next life with a clean conscience , , or is your accounting book in the red? Not trying to get too deep on you but im 49 and the last 4 years taught me so much it almost killed me lol . But it doesn’t matter if you are poor in dollars or rich in dollars . I will quote William Wallace …. All Men Die , But Do All Men really live? and that means Women also , I have the utmost respect for YALL. Just go thru the motions or get off your ass and LIVE ! Yes indeed learning this almost actually killed me . Be well Miss Steph .
@Guy “if I don’t pull the trigger on that dream, I may live to regret it.”
Quite likely.
I have all the money I’ll likely ever need and am neither an alcoholic nor a drug addict. I work because I enjoy doing so, but it has next to nothing to do with money. Being paid for what I have been doing for 43 years validates what I do, but it is not an end in itself. I don’t work nearly as hard as HSF, but I’m older and believe I’ve paid my dues. After having traveled the world, learned languages and settled in here and there, I no longer have the urge to continue doing that. I’ve become a contemplative and believe me, it’s not a bad way to age at all, not at all. It was my goal from an early age and having arrived at it, I’m quite content.
I don’t think about money every day: I don’t have to.
When I was in my late 20s my mother died and left me stocks worth about $20,000. The stocks generated a little income. Then, with a stake to manage, I started thinking and reading about what I had, my assets, and finances in general.
For years after that, protecting my assets, adding to them and, then later, providing for my wife and children became a necessary concern. Now, and for a long time, it hasn’t been.
I never made a lot of money working: between $4,000 a year and $114,500 was my 45 year income range.
But I saved money. From salary it was one-third for taxes, one-third for expenses, and one-third for savings. That was my every year’s goal. Actually taxes took less and I saved more than I planned so every year worked out better financially than expected.
Some would say that it can’t be done, especially if you have a family. I disagree. College expenses for two boys did affect the equation – I admit that – but, because of long-term saviings, almost all their college costs came from investment income. So, for my salary, the percentages held mostly true over the years.
Luckily, years ago I had some experiences and read some that led me to believe that life’s best pleasures didn’t come from spending money. Creating my own enjoyments inexpensively and with friends has been much more satisfying than tv cable, expensive cars, spendy vacations, ritzy restaurants, country club memberships, and tailored clothes. I still believe that.
Now, thanks to decades ago acquired habits, I’m a multi-millionaire. But I’m still a guy who buys clothes, furniture, and other things from the Humane Society, who buys groceries at the lowest cost stores, who buys used books, who pays cash for everything, and who does yard work and house work himself. (My wife, who buys into our lifestyle, does her share of all or more. [Having a partner who’s someone like yourself, as Seneca and Chaucer advised, is a great plus.])
Buying bargains for self and house has been a constant pleasure over the years. And, thanks to saving and limited spending, life without worries about having enough money has been extremely satisfying as well.
Here’s one caveat, however, if you want to follow my regimen. Don’t be penurious when it comes to spending money on your wife and don’t be niggardly when it comes to backing your kids’ improvement. Don’t be a tightwad where the people you care most about are concerned. I’ve always told my wife, “You can do whatever you want,” and she has. She loves to travel but I don’t. So my wife goes with her mother and gilrfriends and.. well, it’s worked out best for us.
Toward your children, “I believe in you and I’ll always support you” is the best approach. Conversation, questions, and advice are necessary but always, your youngster(s) need(s) to know that (s)he has you believing in and backing her/him.
that’s a great post Jackson
Stephanie
Check out the book – Your Money or Your Life.
Many people have escaped the grip of money you can too.
Skinbag says: WHY WOULD YOU EVEN POST SUCH A SICK FUCKING ARTICLE YOU DEMENTED PIECE OF INHUMANE FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT
…just for you shitbag..hook , line and sinker.
@Montefrio,
Thanks for sharing. Your words are encouraging.
Rise Up says: I see Card’s picture was put up as a thread of it’s own,
Riser, Card has posted a lot of very interesting comments and he gets noted for a pedestrian post. Keep posting the boobies and one day you too will be validated.
What a great question Steph.
I’ve often felt like my entire existence was dependent on either making it, or having to come up with it to cover things. Both of those feel soul sucking to me right now.
I, too, have noticed that I am “gifted” exactly what I need, just as I need it. And this has always been the same whether I’m making a hundred grand, or ten, or negative $20,000, and I’ve lived it all.
I’m in a strange position right now. We have enough money to pay our bills. We dug ourselves out of over $2.5 MILLION in debt and all along husband has enough to go on trips and buy what he wants, but I don’t/haven’t. I finally have enough to not put groceries on credit cards, and I even can help my family/others as I feel led to, but I don’t have any extra for things like salon hair coloring, or not on sale/2nd hand clothes, or trips and the like. I’ve also been informed that the “retirement” savings are “his,” and not mine, which used to bug the hell out of me, but no longer does.
I used to want to see more of the world than I have, but the TSA has had a way of knocking that far down the list. I like that the internet has given me the opportunity to do it virtually, I like that a lot. My one true want is a small farm with a fresh water supply, far from the meddling minds and taxmen of the government.
If I knew that all my “needs” were going to be met, I would spend my time looking for ways to use the extra helping others. I would spend my time ACTUALLY helping others. Starting with my children, then going out from there. There are so many lost, drifting, sad, helpless people in this country. People that deserve my help. Those I would seek out and help.
I don’t care if I drive a fancy car, I don’t care if I wear designer clothes, I would not have cable, nor have this waste of a house, if it were my choice. It isn’t today, but I know, without a shadow of doubt anymore, that it isn’t going to be this way for my forever.
My goal is a life away from these soul-sucking, materialistic, shallow existence cities (sidenote, ever notice how in the bible God always ‘smites’ the cities? after living here for 18 years I think I know why). What is it the Texans say, all hat and no cattle? That is what I feel I’m surrounded by. Charity is done because it is “expected,” and then we throw a big party that costs more than we raised to pat ourselves on the back for gifting to organizations where the head guys make seven figures, drive $100k cars and live in McMansions. The altruism is breathtaking to behold. And it makes me sick.
Once the goal of getting out is obtained, and my daughter taken care of/cared for, everything else is going to be gravy. I feel it is my life’s duty, sacred duty even, to pay this Universe back for all that I have been given.
Funny things money and this country are. Our poor, even our homeless, live so much better than the VAST majority of people on this earth. As this way of life goes into the garbage bin of history, many are going to feel “poor” even when they are so much better off than so many.
I don’t want to be like them. I want to be grateful for what I have, even if it is little. I want to be happy that I’m going to bed without hunger and want, even if I’m not eating organic greens or grass fed beef, or three course meals with wines to match every course.
I want to help those that truly need help, and feel good about it. But the most important thing, is when my number is called and I breathe my last breath, I want to know that I’ve done as much good as I possibly could. I truly no longer care if that equates to what others think it should.
Reawakening my mind and aligning my thoughts with things more divine than our earthly bullshit has brought me more peace and happiness than I could ever have believed possible. And it really has only happened in the past year.
Peace and love to you girl, you deserve everything you want, and I’m sure you will get it.
I get a thumbs down for encouraging the posting of boobies? Whose the limp-dicked cock-sucking queer-ass-grabbing homo fucking sexual that hates boobs?
And I didn’t say Card’s comment was pedestrain but that it was pedestrian for him since he always has fantastic comments so quit trying to get in his good graces by thumbing me down.
I would build.
Probably a “workshop” first, although it would probably take up five or ten acres before I was through.
I would plant – orchards, row crops, gardening vegetables – and feed whoever I want to. Yes, I know, rules and regs in Ag make it nearly impossible, so I might need to open a cafe to put it out there. Did I mention I’m a builder?
In my “workshop”, I would make – whatever. Let people come to me, and if they need a chair, then a chair goes on today’s workschedule. If they need a table, a metal plate with certain holes, sheet metal work, small electrical device – if they can specify it, I can probably make it, somehow, someway. Wood, metal, ceramics – what do you want to do? What do you want it made out of? Any ideas on specs – what temperatures, pressures, stresses must it withstand? Then charge for minimal hours and materials, if they can afford it. Less if they really need it and can’t afford it.
And I would build – community. A reputation for honest, dependable goods and services. A place where those who want to work could do so, with whatever skills they possess, in the same way. And a caring, decent network of caring, decent people who will help and defend each other from the forces of darkness.
This is a dream question, right? Then that’s my dream – let’s see how far I get in the time remaining to me.