All Topics / Opinionated! / Money or a Life?

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  • Profile photo of kay henrykay henry
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    http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/money-or-a-life/2005/08/23/1124562859792.html

    Opinoins on this article, folks? Would yu give up your h0olidays for a few extra thousand dollars? Give up time with your loved ones to choose the bucks? What price leisure and recreation?

    kay henry

    Profile photo of gatsbygatsby
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    Hi Kay,
    I probably didn’t read too much into the economics of the issue. Personally (speaking for myself), I think you tend to reach a stage in life where you hit the top of the bell curve and start to weigh up the pros and cons of time vs money. Over the past 8 or 9 years I’ve chased the dollar working all sorts of hours back to back as much as possible in the aim of ‘making hay while the sun shines.’ I guess now though my values have radically shifted as I mentioned with the bell curve analogy. It’s a case of the tortoise and the hare. Sunday used to be THE day to work because of the penalties it attracted, etc (eg, work one day for the equivelent in pay of two days). Now at 38, my values have shifted and time is starting to be more of a precious commodity. I want to spend more of it with friends that I love and care for and I know one thing. I won’t be lying on my death bed wishing, “If only I did that one more shift (clunk)!” I’m sick of playing catch up. When I returned from a long stint o/s 9 years ago, I realized how lucky we are in Australia and I couldn’t work long or hard enough if I tried. I was prepared and accepted delayed gratification for long term gain. Sorry for the waffle or if I’ve slid off the topic, but in answer to your post, I guess it comes down to (for me anyway) an age/stage factor more so than community standards/personal goals lately. After all, life isn’t a dress rehearsal? Good post too Kay!
    Cheers,
    Gatsby.

    “Sometimes the hardest thing to do in life is often the best thing to do.”

    Profile photo of kay henrykay henry
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    Heya Gats [hair2] Funnily enough, I just read the following article, which says that 1 in 5 Aussies work 50 hours or more- to fund an increasinly consumer lifestly (and to pay for expensive mortgage costs, no doubt). Here’s the article below:

    http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16368427-29277,00.html

    I was just talking to a friend of mine about this last night- how Sydney used to be much more laid back before the boom- my experience was of just hanging out in Newtown, and so many people of all types going to see movies, eat dinner at one of the many restaurants, window shop… and it really seems now- post-boom- that a lot of that relaxation has disappeared- what a shame when life becomes so much more serious- culture is lost, and money becomes primary.

    I also read tonight (big reading night!) that John Brogden says he will axe 29,000 public service positions if he gets into power in NSW- no doubt if that happens, that is going to send sydneysiders, at least, into an absolute crisis- and there will go the housing market. Nothing like threatening people’s jobs and livelihood to scare the market- why would you buy real estate if you are going to lose your job?

    Nice to see you, by the way, Gats :)

    kay henry

    Profile photo of hellmanhellman
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    29,000 public sector job losses…. I read recently a senior labour figure quoted approx 33,000 PS jobs were not needed.

    I am delaying alot of gratification for long term gain. But it won’t be long before it tilts to gratification over money. Though I must say doing deals is fun.

    Hellman

    Profile photo of XeniaXenia
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    We made the descision to give up working in a job for a set wage in Feb this year.

    Our 2 children now enjoy their parents as two full time investors working from home for unlimited income.

    Although its still hard work, we can take holidays, spend all the time we want with the kids and don’t have anyone to answer to.

    I agree, although both hubby and I put in 10 years of hard work getting 3 uni degrees each, we gave that all up for a better lifestyle and time with our children, and have absolutely no regrets!!!

    We buy properties in Adelaide. Immediate Cash Settlements, No Real Estate Agents, No Fees.
    [email protected]
    phone 0412 437 582

    Profile photo of CeliviaCelivia
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    Yes, work can take over our lives if we are not careful… our economic view can get so deeply involved into the perspective of supply and demand that there is not much room left for other values.
    Economic values can creep into every nook and cranny of a community’s life, e.g. health, transport, education and very close to you- your family and friends.
    We give the developing/3rd world countries a taste of our “economics-above-all” viewpoint as well- think about the idea of dumping our pollution problems there- ‘they’ should be grateful for the opportunity in economic growth in return for environmental problems. A win/win!!!
    If people refuse to take off their economy-coloured glasses, then everything that will improve the economy will look like general improvements, like win/wins.
    But take off those glasses and you look into the eyes of fragile, neglected social and cultural values…
    If, in practice, we do place money ahead of our relationships with family and friends it is because we have lost the ability to place enough value on cultural and social things.
    We take these things for granted: an opportunity to make money is never to be missed, it might never come up again, while ‘people’ are taken for granted: “they will wait, they will still be there after I’ve finished this job….just a few more hours, days, weeks, months, years won’t hurt…”
    We also tell ourselves that having a lot of money gives us freedom because ‘with money you can do what you want’.
    This view of ‘more money=more freedom’ is a little warped, because next to the economical world there exists a social world which depends on people interacting, socialising, having contacts, having equal relationships; it is all about people functioning in and as groups. The family is one of these groups and every family member values a place, a small space in their life, in their home outside this hard and impersonal economical market.

    The social environment is the foundation of the society.
    Everything else (including our economy) should be merely orbit around our social life as social beings, and not vice versa.
    ‘Work to live’, not ‘live to work’.
    Not everything that exists needs to have a price tag attached.
    People give to each other, no price attached. If there was a price attached to gifts of love, of friendship, to spending time with people you love, then the value of these gifts would be minimised or erased.

    People need the opportunity, the time to search for the things they need and want in their lives. People need to look for friendships, love, responsibilities, involvement. These things are what people crave.
    Swapping this time which people need to be able to enjoy the things they need to do to be part of a society or a community for money is not going to make people happier, or give them more freedom. Freedom to do what?

    After 9/11, we heard people (not only survivers of the disaster) say that the attack has caused a big change in their lives.
    Whereas before the attack they were too occupied with making money, spending much more time at work than with people they loved; to occupied with work (or too scared to miss an opportunity to make money) to even take a morning off to take their child to their first day at school- after the attack they came to the realisation what is important in life.
    Family life. Family support. Love. Sharing.

    But in reality many people feel they need to (to keep up with their debts etc) focus on economics.

    It is all a matter of finding a balance in our lives. A balance between work and a private life. I hope we find it some day.

    Oops, such a long post, sorry for rambling on!

    Celivia

    Profile photo of jpmontyjpmonty
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    Celivia, for me I think you hit the nail right on the head and thank you. I have spent many years believing that money brings happiness and balance (more the merrier) and forgetting the obvious and most important things in life like just being home to play with the kid, watch them grow, put them to bed at night or spend a full weekend uninterrupted from work with my wife. I have spent the last 17 years chasing the mighty dollar only to realize now (recently), left with sick feeling that I am fighting to keep from losing a wonderful family. I need overcome the fear and take the plunge ‘Work to live’, not ‘live to work’. Thank you

    Profile photo of wayneLwayneL
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    Celivia,

    Bravo!

    10/10!

    Cheers[trigger]

    wayneL’s Trading Pages

    Profile photo of PeteJackiePeteJackie
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    Haven’t things changed from our parents day!

    I’m self employed and can work the hours I want so the more time I can spend at home with my boys (aged 5 & 3) the better. They grow up far to fast. Make the most of it and spend every precious moment with them.

    PS Music person… Now’s the time to play “Cats In The Cradle”

    Cheers,
    Pete

    Profile photo of CeliviaCelivia
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    Awwww jpmonty, I wish you the strength to ‘take the plunge’. It may not be easy, but at least you have now realised that something needs to change.

    Many people have a good balance- they love their jobs; it satisfies them. And to be fair, we all need to make money. $$$
    The only difficult thing for some people is finding the right balance.

    If you feel that you cannot do it on your own, monty, remember there is always help available.

    Celivia

    Profile photo of DazzlingDazzling
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    Thanks Kay,

    This one is easy for me….not the socially correct or aware right answer – but…definitely the money.

    When in Oz, the life option kicks in.

    When out of Oz for the majority of the time, life gets put on hold.

    Songs like the previously mentioned Cats in the Cradle, Time by Pink Floyd, Money by Pink Floyd etc come to mind.

    Sad but true I know. I take inspiration from a chap I met last month, he was 71, introduced himself as much and said that he was 2/3rds of the way thru his life. A big inspiration for me. Very alert and positive. Can’t spell computer. He asked me how old I was and I said 35. He said “What the hell was I doing at his stage in life financially”…I shrugged my shoulders and thought of the next 70 odd years I’ve got to look forward to.

    The sacrifice has probably been worth it. I can’t travel down both paths, so I’m not really sure…

    Cheers,

    Dazzling

    “No point having a cake if you can’t eat it.”

    Profile photo of Nat RNat R
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    Originally posted by kay henry:

    I also read tonight (big reading night!) that John Brogden says he will axe 29,000 public service positions if he gets into power in NSW-

    kay henry

    Did he count himself in that number ?

    Profile photo of wayneLwayneL
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    Profile photo of Nat RNat R
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    Make that 29,000 again ;)

    Profile photo of trisha007trisha007
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    3 things I desire in this world,
    to eat well,
    to sleep well and to love well…

    A little music is good for the soul,
    a little wine good for the heart,
    but nothing will ever be good enough for a mortals mind!

    We all want a bit more money just to help life get better…..

    Trisha[biggrin]

    Profile photo of lifeXlifeX
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    Balance is the key and is relative to each person and where they are in life respectively.

    Delayed Gratification to progress financially early on is obviously not as appealing as having a nicer lifestyle at the time.

    However later on in life the ones that delayed gratification will be much better off than the ones who lived it up early.

    The power of compounding over time will also give the ones who worked hard early on a much more luxurious life later than they could possibly have had early on.

    Yet, their youth and health may have gone and their families grown up without much notice.

    I personally think you have to have a good look at your life as a timeline and allocate periods of work when they are the most effective so as to maximise the overall enjoyment you can get out of life, remembering that there will be certain times in your life that should be focused on the things that are really important. Friends, family and your own wellbeing.

    I think that the conservative approach of a life balanced towards enjoyment on the way is short sighted and somewhat selfish when it may actually steal time that is really needed to be spent with a growing family or other close ones in other times of need.

    Consumer spending just adds to the damage.


    Live, Learn and Grow

    Lifexperience

    Profile photo of PursefattenerPursefattener
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    Good post Life X .

    I have a tendency to spend too much time with my work and finance and not enough time with the family . Getting the balance right I always find is a struggle.

    I often think of what Kiyosaki wrote in one of his books ( forget which one) that people who work ALL the time are really lazy as they are neglecting everyone and everything else .

    Yes balance is the key.

    Shawn

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