My (non)-relationship with Money

I am not one to chase after the material things. OK, so I like my shoes, I like my handbags and I especially like my chocolates and hand creams to come from nice places. But ask me what car I want to get or when am I planning to buy a house, and you'll see a blank look on my face.

I admit - I once bore my financial soul out to a financial planner friend, who insinuated that I have a financial maturity of a 19-year old. I told him that money meant nothing to me, except when I can use it to make myself, and my loved ones, comfortable. How much was enough? As long as I didn't have to think about it too much, that's enough.

Not a very empirical way for going about this whole situation - in uni, I slept through my finance/accounting/economics electives - the only thing that stuck in my head was the basic principles of supply and demand - something that helps me understand why my favourite things never go on sale...(thanks for the pointer Fische...). As an engineering student, I never saw the ka-ching symbol, except for when it was at the end of a graph. It's odd, but I probably have more appreciation of time rather than money.

Which brings me to making money and its associated target items something to shoot for in life. My father is great with money - he has lots of it - accumulated painfully and faithfully over many many years. He has a stock portfolio, several LUTH account, ASB (until he found something he didn't like), property etc. Having a PhD in that discipline helps, but I guess he's always clung to the old proverb:

"Sedikit-sedikit lama-lama jadi bukit"

Accumulation of wealth - he has several hours of good information on how to get there. Unfortunately, each time the topic is brought up, I end up having this glazed look on my face and my mind wanders to what I'm going to do later.

I know heaps of people who would probably jump at the opportunity of being guided in such a direction. There are those to agonise over property investments and mutual trust funds, all things that could get my father talking way into the night.

There are also those who makes the financial milestones of a 'successful' life such a priority that it does not matter to them how they get there. 2 percent off a contract in one's own pocket, or into that of another to gain a sale, extension of credit lines that make bankers rub their hands in glee, or even the simple act of neglecting one's health to pay off that shiny new Bimmer, are all things I can never palate.

I'm sure that a middle ground between me and money can be reached. But until I get that 'hunger' - all I can hope for is for me to get money as a result of my hunger for other things - like achievement and personal satisfaction in my career.

I have one friend who owes no one money. She has no credit cards, no loans, and she insists that her mother buys new property only when she has enough cash to pay it off. Very old-fashioned, but she insists that she can't bear the thought of owing any money to anyone. I guess in her position, she is the back-up to her family (her father passed away some time ago, and she's the eldest), and perhaps the thought of having no one look after her is enough to mould her into becoming the true financially independent person. How I wish I could be that person...

Posted by Najah Nasseri at 2003年10月13日 16:05 | TrackBack