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I define poor as not being in control of your finances, your schedule, being in debt, wondering how you are going to pay the bills, living from paycheck to paycheck, etc.
There is nothing "happy" about being poor. Sounds stressful to me.
My definition of being rich is having the bills paid, no debt, no one coming to the door to take things away, being able to enjoy my life, wife and family, and having resources to do what we want when we want to do it.
That's what a rich life is.
So far no job ever gave me that.
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I agree with that idea and it's what I've been working for over the last few years. However, I think it's much more dependent on attitude, outlook, and consumption than what job you've got. In fact, some of my most care free days were spent waiting tables and working part-time in bike shops. My bills were all paid, I had no debt, and, though I wasn't making much ($15,000/yr tops), I had money left over for savings, health insurance, and fun. I was only working 25 to 30 hours a week and my life was based on skiing, biking, camping, and hiking.
I also had a lot of fun as a photographer, but it was a heck of a lot more work. I made more money, but didn't have anywhere near the free time. Granted, I was 'on the clock' while hanging out in Yellowstone, Sedona, Adirondaks, Pacific Coast, etc., but I had to constantly be in business mode. I spent a lot of weeks working 80 hours split between 40 shooting and 40 in the office. Running a nature oriented photography business was most certainly a lifestyle, not a career.
I know we've gotten into it on other threads, but at $15,000/yr, if you spend wisely and really evaluate what you spend your money on, you can live very, very well. By the definition above, 15Gs can make you the richest person around. My decision to become a pilot was based on what my wife and I learned from our poorer monetary days. If I make peanuts for the next XX years as a CFI, FO, or banner towing stud
, we know we can be happy, healthy, and content.
Money is just paper and metal that we've placed a lot of faith and belief in. A few years ago I decided that I would learn to control money rather than letting it control me. Learning a bit about business, investing, and spending was the best thing I ever did. And it's the reason that I am able to pursue flight . . .
If I could go back to when I first struck out on my own, I'd tell myself to check out John's recommendation of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." It had some good information even though I didn't like the business ethic it contained. I would also suggest reading "Your Money or Your Life" and a few basic investing books. Then I'd pay off and avoid debt, buy only the things I need or that will bring be immense satisfaction, and live with enough rather than excess. With my extra time and saved money, I'd find cheap enjoyment and spend weekends, evenings, and days off in the woods and mountains.
