life contentment, chasing the money....
Discussion
BrabusMog said:
Whoever said £30k is a no-stress salary 
I was more stressed on £30k than I am now. I was managing quite high up and not far down at that stage, and managing up when you've got a team of low paid people expected to deliver great results is very stressful! The closer to the top, the lower the stress, in my opinion.
Yipper did so it's utterly meaningless and entirely fictitious. I was more stressed on £30k than I am now. I was managing quite high up and not far down at that stage, and managing up when you've got a team of low paid people expected to deliver great results is very stressful! The closer to the top, the lower the stress, in my opinion.
theguvernor15 said:
To the poster who put they spend £10k a year on a holiday, out of curiosity, how many people are you paying for to go away & to where may i ask?!
Between the GF & i we had about 5-6 holidays & probably spent just over half that for both of us?!
Presumably you went on package holidays in the sun or City breaks?Between the GF & i we had about 5-6 holidays & probably spent just over half that for both of us?!
Me and the other half had 3 weeks in New England last Autumn - £9k. Ok it could have been done a bit cheaper, but cheap B&Bs and a cheap hatchback rental would have lessened the experience.
my happiest time was when i was a student 97 to 2002.
lived off about £50 to £100 a week parents paid my rent an no fees to pay.
No car no holidays abroad an uni holidays spent working in a petrol station 6am to 10pm at night.
But I had zero responsibilities essays an exams were a bit stressful but it was only time in my life when tuesday an saturday were basically the same.
I was younger, full if hopes an dreams had a gf and mates. Beer was £2 fags were like £3 the internet had just become mainstream napster google (for porn) no book face or the like. Simple but fun....
20 years later work in banking, married, kids, houses, cars, holidays etc....but to be 18 again that would be perfect.
Still you have to live in the moment find out what makes you happy an focus on that. For me now its gym an sending my kids to a good school, years from now it might be a expensive car or a watch etc. But things will not make you happy if your discontent as is.
lived off about £50 to £100 a week parents paid my rent an no fees to pay.
No car no holidays abroad an uni holidays spent working in a petrol station 6am to 10pm at night.
But I had zero responsibilities essays an exams were a bit stressful but it was only time in my life when tuesday an saturday were basically the same.
I was younger, full if hopes an dreams had a gf and mates. Beer was £2 fags were like £3 the internet had just become mainstream napster google (for porn) no book face or the like. Simple but fun....
20 years later work in banking, married, kids, houses, cars, holidays etc....but to be 18 again that would be perfect.
Still you have to live in the moment find out what makes you happy an focus on that. For me now its gym an sending my kids to a good school, years from now it might be a expensive car or a watch etc. But things will not make you happy if your discontent as is.
Gecko1978 said:
my happiest time was when i was a student 97 to 2002.
lived off about £50 to £100 a week parents paid my rent an no fees to pay.
No car no holidays abroad an uni holidays spent working in a petrol station 6am to 10pm at night.
But I had zero responsibilities essays an exams were a bit stressful but it was only time in my life when tuesday an saturday were basically the same.
I was younger, full if hopes an dreams had a gf and mates. Beer was £2 fags were like £3 the internet had just become mainstream napster google (for porn) no book face or the like. Simple but fun....
Lester: When I was your age, I flipped burgers all summer just to be able to buy an eight-track.lived off about £50 to £100 a week parents paid my rent an no fees to pay.
No car no holidays abroad an uni holidays spent working in a petrol station 6am to 10pm at night.
But I had zero responsibilities essays an exams were a bit stressful but it was only time in my life when tuesday an saturday were basically the same.
I was younger, full if hopes an dreams had a gf and mates. Beer was £2 fags were like £3 the internet had just become mainstream napster google (for porn) no book face or the like. Simple but fun....
Ricky: That sucks.
Lester: No, actually it was great. All I did was party and get laid. I had my whole life ahead of me.
g3org3y said:
Lester: When I was your age, I flipped burgers all summer just to be able to buy an eight-track.
Ricky: That sucks.
Lester: No, actually it was great. All I did was party and get laid. I had my whole life ahead of me.
God I love that film. Starts to make even more sense as you get to middle age Ricky: That sucks.
Lester: No, actually it was great. All I did was party and get laid. I had my whole life ahead of me.
TameRacingDriver said:
g3org3y said:
Lester: When I was your age, I flipped burgers all summer just to be able to buy an eight-track.
Ricky: That sucks.
Lester: No, actually it was great. All I did was party and get laid. I had my whole life ahead of me.
God I love that film. Starts to make even more sense as you get to middle age Ricky: That sucks.
Lester: No, actually it was great. All I did was party and get laid. I had my whole life ahead of me.
berlintaxi said:
Yipper said:
Think the academic research typically shows £50-60k is the sweet-spot between money and stress for the average Joe. Below that level and there's too little cash. Above that level and there's too much stress.
Much depends on your personal engine, of course. People with high energy are not bothered by 100-hour weeks and juggling £1m income. People with low or mid energy just wanna do 9 to 5 and watch a bit of TV. Horses for courses.
Do you ever post anything that isn't complete and utter bMuch depends on your personal engine, of course. People with high energy are not bothered by 100-hour weeks and juggling £1m income. People with low or mid energy just wanna do 9 to 5 and watch a bit of TV. Horses for courses.
ks?There is some quite serious, but subjective, research that measures “happiness vs income” which suggests that increasing ones income past about £50k does not bring a whole load of extra happiness as it can start to overly trade cash vs free time. But it is subjective, and happiness is difficult to measure outside of the absence of misery caused by financial stress.
The second paragraph seems like opinionated b
ksI recently turned 50, I haven't worked (for money) for 6 years, it's the second time I've had an 'extended holiday' and have now spent 10 years of my working life not working.
I'm mortgage free but not rich (to all the 'when I'm mortgage free' people, the bills don't suddenly stop!), I just decided that I didn't want to be a semi arthritic 65 year old that had given his best years to the establishment.
I live a simple, frugal life in a relatively humble house in the countryside and always know that I can earn money if I need to.
Some would be bored with a similar existence but I've travelled extensively to over 60 countries, owned around 60 cars, served time in the military, felt affluent, gone hungry, run various small businesses, loved and lost and I'm now slowly working on my shack and surrounding garden, playing bad golf and trying to stay out of the city as long as possible.
Why should we work 5+ days/40+ hours each week and endure tortuous commutes? Because we believe it's the norm? So that we can buy 'things'? Who's to say that we should conform?
An elderly man once said to me 'We don't grow old wishing we'd worked more, we grow old wishing we'd done more'.
I'm mortgage free but not rich (to all the 'when I'm mortgage free' people, the bills don't suddenly stop!), I just decided that I didn't want to be a semi arthritic 65 year old that had given his best years to the establishment.
I live a simple, frugal life in a relatively humble house in the countryside and always know that I can earn money if I need to.
Some would be bored with a similar existence but I've travelled extensively to over 60 countries, owned around 60 cars, served time in the military, felt affluent, gone hungry, run various small businesses, loved and lost and I'm now slowly working on my shack and surrounding garden, playing bad golf and trying to stay out of the city as long as possible.
Why should we work 5+ days/40+ hours each week and endure tortuous commutes? Because we believe it's the norm? So that we can buy 'things'? Who's to say that we should conform?
An elderly man once said to me 'We don't grow old wishing we'd worked more, we grow old wishing we'd done more'.
cheddar said:
Why should we work 5+ days/40+ hours each week and endure tortuous commutes? Because we believe it's the norm? So that we can buy 'things'? Who's to say that we should conform?
An elderly man once said to me 'We don't grow old wishing we'd worked more, we grow old wishing we'd done more'.
An elderly man once said to me 'We don't grow old wishing we'd worked more, we grow old wishing we'd done more'.
nice
cheddar said:
I recently turned 50, I haven't worked (for money) for 6 years, it's the second time I've had an 'extended holiday' and have now spent 10 years of my working life not working.
I'm mortgage free but not rich (to all the 'when I'm mortgage free' people, the bills don't suddenly stop!), I just decided that I didn't want to be a semi arthritic 65 year old that had given his best years to the establishment.
I live a simple, frugal life in a relatively humble house in the countryside and always know that I can earn money if I need to.
Some would be bored with a similar existence but I've travelled extensively to over 60 countries, owned around 60 cars, served time in the military, felt affluent, gone hungry, run various small businesses, loved and lost and I'm now slowly working on my shack and surrounding garden, playing bad golf and trying to stay out of the city as long as possible.
Why should we work 5+ days/40+ hours each week and endure tortuous commutes? Because we believe it's the norm? So that we can buy 'things'? Who's to say that we should conform?
An elderly man once said to me 'We don't grow old wishing we'd worked more, we grow old wishing we'd done more'.
Cheddar , what line of work are you in that is flexible enough for you to work when you choose ? I'm mortgage free but not rich (to all the 'when I'm mortgage free' people, the bills don't suddenly stop!), I just decided that I didn't want to be a semi arthritic 65 year old that had given his best years to the establishment.
I live a simple, frugal life in a relatively humble house in the countryside and always know that I can earn money if I need to.
Some would be bored with a similar existence but I've travelled extensively to over 60 countries, owned around 60 cars, served time in the military, felt affluent, gone hungry, run various small businesses, loved and lost and I'm now slowly working on my shack and surrounding garden, playing bad golf and trying to stay out of the city as long as possible.
Why should we work 5+ days/40+ hours each week and endure tortuous commutes? Because we believe it's the norm? So that we can buy 'things'? Who's to say that we should conform?
An elderly man once said to me 'We don't grow old wishing we'd worked more, we grow old wishing we'd done more'.
FocusRS3 said:
cheddar said:
I recently turned 50, I haven't worked (for money) for 6 years, it's the second time I've had an 'extended holiday' and have now spent 10 years of my working life not working.
I'm mortgage free but not rich (to all the 'when I'm mortgage free' people, the bills don't suddenly stop!), I just decided that I didn't want to be a semi arthritic 65 year old that had given his best years to the establishment.
I live a simple, frugal life in a relatively humble house in the countryside and always know that I can earn money if I need to.
Some would be bored with a similar existence but I've travelled extensively to over 60 countries, owned around 60 cars, served time in the military, felt affluent, gone hungry, run various small businesses, loved and lost and I'm now slowly working on my shack and surrounding garden, playing bad golf and trying to stay out of the city as long as possible.
Why should we work 5+ days/40+ hours each week and endure tortuous commutes? Because we believe it's the norm? So that we can buy 'things'? Who's to say that we should conform?
An elderly man once said to me 'We don't grow old wishing we'd worked more, we grow old wishing we'd done more'.
Cheddar , what line of work are you in that is flexible enough for you to work when you choose ? I'm mortgage free but not rich (to all the 'when I'm mortgage free' people, the bills don't suddenly stop!), I just decided that I didn't want to be a semi arthritic 65 year old that had given his best years to the establishment.
I live a simple, frugal life in a relatively humble house in the countryside and always know that I can earn money if I need to.
Some would be bored with a similar existence but I've travelled extensively to over 60 countries, owned around 60 cars, served time in the military, felt affluent, gone hungry, run various small businesses, loved and lost and I'm now slowly working on my shack and surrounding garden, playing bad golf and trying to stay out of the city as long as possible.
Why should we work 5+ days/40+ hours each week and endure tortuous commutes? Because we believe it's the norm? So that we can buy 'things'? Who's to say that we should conform?
An elderly man once said to me 'We don't grow old wishing we'd worked more, we grow old wishing we'd done more'.
Some great comments on this thread. Maybe I am just shallow but I have the opposite view to most of them though. I'd say it is best to chase the money, and suck up the stress. Work is horrible. If it was enjoyable, it would be called vacation. Not everyone is lucky enough to have the chance of a highly paid stressful job but, given the chance, do it. Life is a st sandwich and the more bread you have, the less st you taste.
t sandwich and the more bread you have, the less st you taste.cheddar said:
I recently turned 50, I haven't worked (for money) for 6 years, it's the second time I've had an 'extended holiday' and have now spent 10 years of my working life not working.
I'm mortgage free but not rich (to all the 'when I'm mortgage free' people, the bills don't suddenly stop!), I just decided that I didn't want to be a semi arthritic 65 year old that had given his best years to the establishment.
I live a simple, frugal life in a relatively humble house in the countryside and always know that I can earn money if I need to.
Some would be bored with a similar existence but I've travelled extensively to over 60 countries, owned around 60 cars, served time in the military, felt affluent, gone hungry, run various small businesses, loved and lost and I'm now slowly working on my shack and surrounding garden, playing bad golf and trying to stay out of the city as long as possible.
Why should we work 5+ days/40+ hours each week and endure tortuous commutes? Because we believe it's the norm? So that we can buy 'things'? Who's to say that we should conform?
An elderly man once said to me 'We don't grow old wishing we'd worked more, we grow old wishing we'd done more'.
You should write a blog. I'm mortgage free but not rich (to all the 'when I'm mortgage free' people, the bills don't suddenly stop!), I just decided that I didn't want to be a semi arthritic 65 year old that had given his best years to the establishment.
I live a simple, frugal life in a relatively humble house in the countryside and always know that I can earn money if I need to.
Some would be bored with a similar existence but I've travelled extensively to over 60 countries, owned around 60 cars, served time in the military, felt affluent, gone hungry, run various small businesses, loved and lost and I'm now slowly working on my shack and surrounding garden, playing bad golf and trying to stay out of the city as long as possible.
Why should we work 5+ days/40+ hours each week and endure tortuous commutes? Because we believe it's the norm? So that we can buy 'things'? Who's to say that we should conform?
An elderly man once said to me 'We don't grow old wishing we'd worked more, we grow old wishing we'd done more'.
IMO it’s all about WLB for me. 20’s and 30’s it was all about work hard play hard now it’s work as much as is necessary but ensuring the WLB is in your favour. I pick up the kids from school once or twice s week finishing at 3:30 those days never work past 5:30 the kids are only young once.
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