Does having more money make people mean?

alleepally

Report today from the BBC that in a survey, people in less well off circumstances contribute more to charity than those who are better off..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3844027.stm

It brought to mind several instances I can remember of people who I know to be extremely well off, being very mean indeed in a penny wise, pound foolish way.

Let me expand.

Charity collection a while back "pennies from heaven". All would agree it to be very worthwhile. Place I worked at the time had a big barrel out which would accept all the "pub money" everyone had at home. So I had a jar full of coins from various outings and it amounted to 30 or 40 quid so it went in (no comments please such as 'ooh, aren't you great, what do you want - a medal' -I'm merely illustrating a point)

Anywho - had a conversation with a guy in the company who is out and out loaded... A car for virtually every day of the week (we're talking Ferrari, BMW, Porsche here). A guy I got on really well with and admired as a person for his energy and work ethic.

We talked about the pennies from heaven thing and I said 'Yeah, couldn't believe I had so much change lying around. It was good to put it to some good use.'

'Yeah', says he, ' I had a load as well but it was 70 Euro and there's no way I was giving that away so I lodged it in the bank'...

I really wanted to slap this guy into the next life, my opinion of him changed instantly. I coudn't believe what I was hearing. 70 Euro would barely cover petrol for a 30 mile trip in one of the cars he drove.

I don't know if this illustrates the point completely but I know a lot of people with plenty of dosh who appear to me to be very mean with small amounts of money (such as dropping a Euro into a collection box) but think nothing of spending 100's of thousands on a car, or thousands at the weekend buying new clothes.

keu

'Yeah', says he, ' I had a load as well but it was 70 Euro and there's no way I was giving that away so I lodged it in the bank'...

this is probably why the guy is in the money. People who don't have hang ups about cash, (not feeling guilty for having it while others dont) are the ones more likely to be succesful financially.

fragile

Originally posted by alleepally
people in less well off circumstances contribute more to charity than those who are better off..

because they know what it feels like....

Also, because they are not seduced into some kind of make believe, financially secure world, they realise that while money is important/necessary, it is not the answer to all of lifes problems....

weemcd

i remember hearing that derry was the county in northern ireland with the highest unemployment rate, but that area always donated the most from charity.

also knowing people who have money, they become purley about the money, finding ways to show it off, become envious of others, pathetic lives

hostyle

"cause its my money and your not ****ing having it. I worked for 3 years face down in a cubicle. so I could enjoy that money"

- scenes depicted in the above paragraph are not necessarily true. Resemblance to any people, real or fictional just happens sometimes.

Sleepy

I think some of the means in which it's being asked for puts me off giving to charity. The irritating little ****ers on Grafton Street would put me off ever giving to charity tbh.

seamus

It's a well-documented fact that people with less money are more charitable.

Ireland's net aid contribution per capita has decreased consistently in the last 15 years, despite us being substantially wealthier.

I guess poorer people don't feel that they'd be any worse off without the money.

It may also be that rich people are rich because they realise, or even overestimate the value of money. It could be argued that poorer people have little concept of the value of money, and so are happy to throw it away. Hence why you see guys living in council flats in the worse places with 93 puntos with bucket seats and a €5,000 stereo.

Sleepy

Originally posted by seamus
Hence why you see guys living in council flats in the worse places with 93 puntos with bucket seats and a €5,000 stereo.

No, you see that because they don't have rent to pay...

This country is far too soft on the lazy.

Mr Man Time

I don't know if this is always the case. Recently a dude walked into the Irish Wheelchair centre where my ma runs the CE scheme. He just said he worked in the area and would like to give something back and was there anything they needed. My ma told him they needed a tv and video, nothing fancy or expensive, just something for the people who use the centre to watch. The following week a 43" TV arrived aswell as a new video and dvd player. I have a rich aunt who also gives quite a lot of money to charity every year. And I have a few friends who make very good money and they also donate quite a bit to charity.

Victor

Originally posted by alleepally
Does having more money make people mean?

Being mean makes people have more money.

Originally posted by Sleepy
No, you see that because they don't have rent to pay...

:rolleyes: Nice stereotype. Actually council tenants do pay rent, albeit not always a lot.

l3rian

charitys are not the solution to poverty and the uneducated

these issues require political will to solve them

Sleepy

Originally posted by Victor
:rolleyes: Nice stereotype. Actually council tenants do pay rent, albeit not always a lot.

Just an observation that if you can afford a car and can afford to put a 5 grand stereo in it you shouldn't be living in government subsidised accomodation. Why should my taxes pay for that when I can afford neither the car nor the daft stereo on my wage level? Because that person's parents were poor? The social welfare system is supposed to be a safety net, not a hammock.

Victor

Originally posted by Sleepy
Just an observation that if you can afford a car and can afford to put a 5 grand stereo in it you shouldn't be living in government subsidised accomodation. Why should my taxes pay for that when I can afford neither the car nor the daft stereo on my wage level? Because that person's parents were poor? The social welfare system is supposed to be a safety net, not a hammock.

So are you saying council estates should be restricted to the poor and unemployed? Ghettoised. Have we learnt anything from past mistakes?

As they are appreciating assets, council housing isn't actually all though much of a cost to the exchequer. In fact tax credits on mortgages & rents and capital gains tax-free principal private residences are much more of a burden.

Sleepy

Council housing should certainly be restricted to the poor and unemployed. The current estates should have any excess flats sold, whilst newer developments should be forced to put in a number of "affordable" units, similar to the scheme in place in England. The ghetoisation only occurs when you deal in "council estates" as opposed to having the council housing spread across the entire district.

Are you actually saying it's fair to expect the tax-payer to subsidise someone else's life to the extent that they've a higher quality of life than some of those subsidising them? It doesn't seem right to me at least.

Victor

Originally posted by Sleepy
Council housing should certainly be restricted to the poor and unemployed. The current estates should have any excess flats sold, whilst newer developments should be forced to put in a number of "affordable" units, similar to the scheme in place in England. The ghetoisation only occurs when you deal in "council estates" as opposed to having the council housing spread across the entire district.

Yes, you are going along the right lines, but you accept working people living in generic "council flats" (as seamus said), yes?

Originally posted by Sleepy
Are you actually saying it's fair to expect the tax-payer to subsidise someone else's life to the extent that they've a higher quality of life than some of those subsidising them? It doesn't seem right to me at least.

Tell that to J.P. McManus, John Magnier, Michael Smurfit, Tony O'Reilly, Tony Ryan, Michael O’Leary, Bono .....

joseph brand

Money is only one element of life, like, food, air, water, women, etc.. . .

Greedy people are infatuated with the idea of 'Having' money, 'Hoarding' cash, probably rarely spending it. Like a disease.

Why do people collect DVD's???

I have about 15 myself, but don't buy them any more. One of my fiends has about 80 DVD's which just collect dust and are worth int the region of 1,000 euros. And he wants MORE and MORE!!!!! He doesn't watch them.

Also, the rich have a fear of losing money and saying goodbye to the lifestyle they are accustomed to.

my dad worked in a council house and the family ate porridge for breakfast AND lunch!!

I could not handle that myself.

Sarky

God I'd love more money. Paying the rent is satisfying and all, but being able to eat, say, four times a week would be sweet.

pork99

There was a program last year on BBC called something like "What Makes a Millionaire".

They profilled a group of self-made millionaires and one of the features they had in common was a degree of tight-fistedness. For example in this group they looked at the average amount they spent on clothes every year was about £150 as far as I remember.

Sleepy

Originally posted by Victor
Yes, you are going along the right lines, but you accept working people living in generic "council flats" (as seamus said), yes?

Basically I'm of the opinion that if you're earning, you should be able to support yourself. As time moves those "generic council flats" would increase in value massively as the areas became less ghettoised so they'd be great investment properties.

Tell that to J.P. McManus, John Magnier, Michael Smurfit, Tony O'Reilly, Tony Ryan, Michael O’Leary, Bono .....

Sit me in front of them and I would. There's a number of our Tax laws that need re-writing urgently. Think about it: in a touring year U2 earn approx €70m from touring and another €30 (complete guess but probably very conservative) from album sales etc. So, were you to take those 4 inidividuals into the tax net, even at the 20% rate you'd be bringing close to €20m into the Exchequer. I think that would fund a hospital bed or thousand. Yes, we should support our struggling artists but once they're earning above minimum wage from their art, they should fall into the same tax band as anyone else on the same level of income (with possibly a provision for tax breaks on materials or similar up to a certain income level). As for the rest in that list, I'd fully support the call for a third tax band of 50 - 60% on all earnings above app. 80-100K a year.

joseph brand

I know a guy who's family has three houses in Tallaght.

His Dad walks and buses everywhere, has the same jacket for ten years at least, dilutes the Country Spring lemonade and coke to produce 6 litres from just 3,

and the best bit, . . . .

when a person is making a cup of tea, the tea bag has to be put in an emty cup on the counter to be used at a later stage, yuukkkk.

I seen this with my own eyes.

The Mother used to make chips, just chips, for dinner.

They saved every penny that they had to enjoy, . . . . to me it's an illness and would not be tolerated in my house. :mad: :mad:

Sarky

There are at least two cups of tea in one tea bag, you know. I do this myself sometimes. Not to would be a bit wasteful...

Repli

Originally posted by Sarky
There are at least two cups of tea in one tea bag, you know. I do this myself sometimes. Not to would be a bit wasteful...

Yes! I got 3 cups one time in college from the same bag - and it was one I found heh
I agree with the general opinion here though - The reason these people are loaded is because theyre tight with money

df001i6876

he was that tight he would hang tea bags on the line to dry
and put the soap in warm water so he could bond it to stick the pieces he had used .
so it lasted longer this man won the pools on littlewood.
why .uncle tight.

Sarky

Originally posted by df001i6876
he was that tight he would hang tea bags on the line to dry

But if it rained he'd lose it all!

df001i6876

Originally posted by Sarky
But if it rained he'd lose it all!

nice one well spoted rain
i would suppose he run out and and bring them in quick.just like you would bring in the clothes

the one thing for shore he wouldnt hang any wet money out he would hide it all over the house. our aunt told us this. One very unusual man in deed.

pclancy

i aint got feck all money but when i do i tend to squander it! Feck it we're only here once. If i ever do get rich im gonna squander even more.

Mac daddy

Originally posted by joseph brand
Why do people collect DVD's???
I have about 15 myself, but don't buy them any more. One of my fiends has about 80 DVD's which just collect dust and are worth int the region of 1,000 euros. And he wants MORE and MORE!!!!! He doesn't watch them.

I have about 120 dvd's

Why do people collect DVD's???

I watch them well ive only have seen them once or twice.

df001i6876

Originally posted by Mac daddy
I have about 120 dvd's I watch them well ive only have seen them once or twice.

they don;t take up as much room as vhs do they. and anyway i have over a 1000 vhs tapes . and dvds. maybe ill open a shop a rent them out.

Agent Orange

Everyone's got an equal chance of making it in this country.

Why should us rich people be forced to subsidise the LOSERS of this country?

fragile

On the chance that this is not a troll...

Originally posted by Agent Orange
Everyone's got an equal chance of making it in this country.

How do you figure that?

Despite all of the good effort that is being done to create a country of equal opportunity, there is still vast differences in the opportunites that people have whether it be for reasons of handicap, financial situation, health etc..

Why should us rich people be forced to subsidise the LOSERS of this country?

us rich people - who is this us, I didnt realise that boards.ie was restricted to a more financially better off elite...I guess better unsubscribe now then

Im going to presume that you have a job and pay tax (so do I), well good for you, but how does this give you the right to call everybody who doesnt a LOSER

Sarky

*Presses the red button marked "The hounds"*