How important is money to you?

20-04-2014 03:33PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Yea very important. My girlfriend doesn't have to work and study as I can support her.. That alone is such a massive difference.

She doesn't work or study?

Busted Flat. · 20-04-2014 03:44PM

People who claim money is not important, are the people with too much money. It is essential to survival and cannot be done without. Sick and tired of wealthy people lecturing people who are struggling to pay bills trying to put food on the table that money is not important. End of rant.

_Kaiser_ · 20-04-2014 03:49PM

sunflower27 wrote: »

I went from having a well-paid job to redundancy and now back studying. I am happier than I have been in years. I have enough to get by and am looking forward to having more down the line and enjoying treating myself more, but if I was to never have much money again, it is not something that would upset me.

Losing my job has made me see what is important to me in life and money is not one of them.

In fact, I find people driven by money as shallow and transparent.

Really? Cause I went from a well-paid job to redundancy a few years back as well and life became a very stressful balancing act of giving everyone just enough to keep them off my back for another week - see contrary to some opinions, life on the dole is far from "easy street" as your bills and debts don't just disappear with your job and salary and all still have to be paid.

While money isn't THE most important thing is life, if you don't have it life becomes extremely stressful. Add in a family and things get even worse as you worry about trying to provide for them as well.

The only people who say "money doesn't matter" in my experience, are those who have never had to worry about such things - usually people who are/have been living off mammy and daddy.

So yes, money is extremely important.

Frank Lee Midere · 20-04-2014 03:54PM

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Really? Cause I went from a well-paid job to redundancy a few years back as well and life became a very stressful balancing act of giving everyone just enough to keep them off my back for another week - see contrary to some opinions, life on the dole is far from "easy street" as your bills and debts don't just disappear with your job and salary and all still have to be paid.

While money isn't THE most important thing is life, if you don't have it life becomes extremely stressful. Add in a family and things get even worse as you worry about trying to provide for them as well.

The only people who say "money doesn't matter" in my experience, are those who have never had to worry about such things - usually people who are/have been living off mammy and daddy.

So yes, money is extremely important.

People who say they don't think about money should be answered with a terse.

"Yeah, I don't think about oxygen".

Of course if the oxygen ran out or I had lung difficulties and was gasping or was atop Everest I would be thinking about oxygen with every gasping breath. I don't think about it because it is there, reliable and not likely to disappear. Like money for the rich.

WellThen? · 20-04-2014 03:59PM

Money creates choices, not happiness. CHOICES, that is what essentially makes us happy.

bnt · 20-04-2014 04:29PM

I've noticed that money is less important to me when I have some, and more important to me when I don't. Funny, that.

Money might not buy happiness, but it buys off many causes of unhappiness. When that's done, I can take care of the rest myself. :cool:

20-04-2014 05:14PM

Money has never had an effect on my happiness.

I never worry about money, it's just not really important for me. I never complain about money. So many people I know never stop complaining about money, it absolutely does my head in. Even when people just talk about how much money their friend has or how much money a certain thing costs, ugh! I don't know why it wrecks my head so much really.

I grew up with a single Mother in a council house, we never had much money. I paid my way though college, no issues with it. Worked a sh*t load since the age of 15, so always been very financially independent. Now I am in a fairly well paid job for someone my age who is just out of college, which is great! But if I was in a lower paid job I think I'd be just as happy.

Saying that in 10 ten years time if I have kids and a mortgage it could be a different story, doubt it though.

_Kaiser_ · 20-04-2014 05:26PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

Saying that in 10 ten years time if I have kids and a mortgage it could be a different story, doubt it though.

Oh it will, because it'll hit you like a tonne of bricks that it's no longer just you and your own bills that you need to think of.

On the positive side, it will make you more driven and less likely to just put up with stuff that you might have previously.

Busted Flat. · 20-04-2014 06:43PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

Money has never had an effect on my happiness.

I never worry about money, it's just not really important for me. I never complain about money. So many people I know never stop complaining about money, it absolutely does my head in. Even when people just talk about how much money their friend has or how much money a certain thing costs, ugh! I don't know why it wrecks my head so much really.

I grew up with a single Mother in a council house, we never had much money. I paid my way though college, no issues with it. Worked a sh*t load since the age of 15, so always been very financially independent. Now I am in a fairly well paid job for someone my age who is just out of college, which is great! But if I was in a lower paid job I think I'd be just as happy.

Saying that in 10 ten years time if I have kids and a mortgage it could be a different story, doubt it though.

Something fanciful about your post, did your mother not discuss life with you.

Olive8585 · 20-04-2014 06:54PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

Money has never had an effect on my happiness.

I never worry about money, it's just not really important for me. I never complain about money. So many people I know never stop complaining about money, it absolutely does my head in. Even when people just talk about how much money their friend has or how much money a certain thing costs, ugh! I don't know why it wrecks my head so much really.

I grew up with a single Mother in a council house, we never had much money. I paid my way though college, no issues with it. Worked a sh*t load since the age of 15, so always been very financially independent. Now I am in a fairly well paid job for someone my age who is just out of college, which is great! But if I was in a lower paid job I think I'd be just as happy.

Saying that in 10 ten years time if I have kids and a mortgage it could be a different story, doubt it though.

Once again, you're not worried about money because you have plenty of it. Do you really, honestly think you'd be just as happy if you were unemployed, or scraping by in an insecure ,low-paid job and worrying about not being able to cover all your bills?

20-04-2014 07:10PM

I worked as a waitress on pretty much minimum wage through college and I was grand!

20-04-2014 07:12PM

Busted Flat. wrote: »

Something fanciful about your post, did your mother not discuss life with you.

What do you mean?

Olive8585 · 20-04-2014 07:15PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

I worked as a waitress on pretty much minimum wage through college and I was grand!

Presumably that was enough to live on, though? You weren't seriously struggling to even afford the basics? I was actually much better off as a student than I am now

20-04-2014 07:21PM

^ I was never really a huge spender anyway. Don't smoke, don't have a car, rarely drink, don't spend much on food...Of course I was struggling a bit, especially in my last semester of college as I didnt have time to work 24 hours a week like I usually would! Still managed to pay for braces also without any loans. I did have a grant of about €3000 per year which of course helped. And I got great tips in my old job...

I do have more money now, and I spend much more on rent than I did in college. That's the main thing! Almost everything else is the same though. I'm just able to save now...

Olive8585 · 20-04-2014 07:30PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

^ I was never really a huge spender anyway. Don't smoke, don't have a car, rarely drink, don't spend much on food...Of course I was struggling a bit, especially in my last semester of college as I didnt have time to work 24 hours a week like I usually would! Still managed to pay for braces also without any loans. I did have a grant of about €3000 per year which of course helped. And I got great tips in my old job...

I do have more money now, and I spend much more on rent than I did in college. That's the main thing! Almost everything else is the same though. I'm just able to save now...

There you go. You got a grant. 3000 per year is a massive amount of money. So you didn't pay your way through college, you got a significant grant and topped it up with a part-time job.

Busted Flat. · 20-04-2014 07:30PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

What do you mean?

Something called reality for a start.

Lou.m · 20-04-2014 07:38PM

Olive8585 wrote: »

I was reading a thread on here about problems people are having, and a couple of people stating that having no money was an issue. Other posters told them not to worry about it and that there are far more important things.

Do you agree with that? I certainly don't. I think my life would be miles and miles better if I didn't have to worry so much about money. From small things like being able to eat good food and go out for dinner or being able to treat myself to new clothes/shoes to bigger things like being able to travel more (my passion in life), go back to college and retrain and have the possibility of ever affording my own home. Even my health would be better because I could afford to see private specialists and sort out various issues. I can't think of a single issue that wouldn't be at least made better if I had more money.

What do you think?

My Dad came from less than nothing. His family grew up in Oliver bond and his whole family slept in one room in the 70's. My mother took a huge step down financially in marrying him and never regretted it. The first place we lived in had no central heating system and no hot water. I remember it. He worked all day and studied in the evenings. He went to Uni when I was a kid and got a PHD . By the time I was about 12/13 he was working in HR and we had moved to a much nicer part of Dublin.

I learnt that childhood has magic when there are no material things.

What I would say is this. Character is more important if you have that you can do it. The only thing money means really is things like a Doctors bill. But in Ireland you can do that if you are careful.

Material things are but empty copies of what make us truly happy. Clothes in bright colors to resemble flowers that grow wild.

I know what it is like to have none . I know what it is like to be ok. I know which I prefer. But character people and the soul are more important.

People who prioritize money over happiness, relationships are soulless people.

I would rather do something I enjoyed and have enough money than something I was ok with and have a lot.

I know for women money gives independence if you rely on a partner or husband you lose all your independence and they have A LOT of power over you. I worry about women who don't see this.

My mother was a housewife at first and then went back to work and started a business she said a woman should always have 'running away money' (you never know when you might need to bolt!).

Having your own money means independence and being empowered!

But I don't need a lot I would rather do what I love.

Femme_Fatale · 20-04-2014 07:46PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

Money has never had an effect on my happiness.

I never worry about money, it's just not really important for me...

Now I am in a fairly well paid job for someone my age who is just out of college...

Lia_lia wrote: »

I did have a grant of about €3000 per year which of course helped. And I got great tips in my old job...

I do have more money now, and I spend much more on rent than I did in college. That's the main thing! Almost everything else is the same though. I'm just able to save now...

I'm not sure what point you're making.

Of course you never worry about money - you don't have reason to.

20-04-2014 07:49PM

Olive8585 wrote: »

There you go. You got a grant. 3000 per year is a massive amount of money. So you didn't pay your way through college, you got a significant grant and topped it up with a part-time job.

Sorry, I should have added that in. When accommodation is about 4K per student year it goes fast! But it did of course help.

Busted Flat. wrote: »

Something called reality for a start.

I really don't see where you are coming from. I am just saying I believe some people rely on money for happiness and are a little obsessed with it.

The reason I was going on about college is because many of my friends constantly complained about being broke while they were in college. Yet their parents paid for their accommodation, they got grants, and €50 off their parents every week. Yet they never stopped complaining about how broke they were and at the same time didn't bother their arses looking for a part-time job. Of course this isn't all students I am talking about, just a lot that I have come across personally!

Some people don't realise how lucky they are with their health, family etc... It just makes me sad and annoyed to hear people go on about money like it is the most important thing in the world. And the people that annoy me the most are the ones that actually live (financially) comfortable lives but always want more money.

20-04-2014 07:54PM

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

I'm not sure what point you're making.
Of course you never worry about money - you don't have reason to.

Anytime I felt like I would have to worry about money I just went and got a job I suppose. So I guess you are right! I am probably making absolutely no sense to be honest. The thread title was "how important is money to you", and I mean more in grand scheme of things.

Dravokivich · 20-04-2014 07:55PM

Without money I cant get food, pay rent or bills. Its very important as those 3 things are dependant on it.

Olive8585 · 20-04-2014 07:56PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

Sorry, I should have added that in. When accommodation is about 4K per student year it goes fast! But it did of course help.

Well, rent is generally the biggest college expense. Having 3/4 of it covered with no strings attached is something I would have killed for. I got a loan which covered about 3/4 (still paying it back every month and will be for years and years) and worked part-time to cover the rest.

Olive8585 · 20-04-2014 07:59PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

Anytime I felt like I would have to worry about money I just went and got a job I suppose. So I guess you are right! I am probably making absolutely no sense to be honest. The thread title was "how important is money to you", and I mean more in grand scheme of things.

This is really simplified, though. You're completely ignoring the advantages you had. Getting a grant through college is something many people don't get, and many of those people like myself are from families who aren't wealthy and can't afford to put their kids through college. A well-paid job is difficult to come by these days - fair play that you have one, but a lot of people don't through no real fault of their own.

Lou.m · 20-04-2014 08:01PM

back_tracker i end up paying for almost everything in the relationship im in , irish women are terribly shy about equality in this regard

i tried internet dating for a while a few years ago , only women who offered to put their hands in their pockets were english and south african

Try this!

It has always worked great for me.

Have a date fund! You each put maybe 40 euro in each week to do stuff!

Or go halfsies but just make sure you always do stuff that you can both afford if you earn more etc. Or do stuff that costs nothing.

You should show affection in other ways besides money I think some chaps get into a habit of it being the only way they show they care.

Cook some home meals for her and stuff :-)

Tell her that you work hard for you money and you feel taken advantage of, say that it is not a mark of how you feel or anything that you love her but it is unfair.

Partners should want to give each other the world but never have to :-)

You might find if you are both trying to find your relationship beyond the material it becomes deeper.

blindside88 · 20-04-2014 08:02PM

Money is like oxygen, it's only important if you don't have any.

anncoates · 20-04-2014 08:02PM

Being rich wouldn't necessarily make me happy.

Not rolling in it by any means and have to budget like everybody else but we have enough to live somewhere peaceful, take an annual holiday, treat ourselves and the kids now and then, socialize and save a bit and while not having that wouldn't invalidate the important things in life like family and health, you can't argue that it isn't preferable to have it.

20-04-2014 08:06PM

Olive8585 wrote: »

This is really simplified, though. You're completely ignoring the advantages you had. Getting a grant through college is something many people don't get, and many of those people like myself are from families who aren't wealthy and can't afford to put their kids through college. A well-paid job is difficult to come by these days - fair play that you have one, but a lot of people don't through no real fault of their own.

I know, and I am really grateful for that. I don't know parents put their children through college. I only got the grant because of my Mother being a single parent, even-though she was always working. And I worked insane hours throughout college every summer, which many people wouldn't have done.

I am also very lucky I got a job after college, I did work hard for it though!

Busted Flat. · 20-04-2014 08:08PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

Sorry, I should have added that in. When accommodation is about 4K per student year it goes fast! But it did of course help.

I really don't see where you are coming from. I am just saying I believe some people rely on money for happiness and are a little obsessed with it.

The reason I was going on about college is because many of my friends constantly complained about being broke while they were in college. Yet their parents paid for their accommodation, they got grants, and €50 off their parents every week. Yet they never stopped complaining about how broke they were and at the same time didn't bother their arses looking for a part-time job. Of course this isn't all students I am talking about, just a lot that I have come across personally!

Some people don't realise how lucky they are with their health, family etc... It just makes me sad and annoyed to hear people go on about money like it is the most important thing in the world. And the people that annoy me the most are the ones that actually live (financially) comfortable lives but always want more money.

Happy days then.

Wulfie · 20-04-2014 10:37PM

I have learned how to live on €188 - rent for an embarrassing length of time. My car has been kept legal and roadworthy . On schit roads.

I started back on a Wednesday plus a week ago working in agency work.

My rent was due today .... I hope my net pay will cover the rent. If it only covers the rent , then the week after less financial stress .

I cant understand the the way people here save all year to go abroad as often as possible . To spend their well earned € . That's what fugked our economy the last building boom .

These people in power think we need better school buildings , while our hospitals have become donor clinics .

Fugkin Grief .

Aidric · 20-04-2014 10:45PM

People spewing the 'money doesn't matter to me' usually don't have any and are comforting themselves in a cliche.

Whilst it isn't everything it makes life a hell of a lot more enjoyable.

How important is money to you?

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