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Being rich is not all it’s cracked up to be. Yes, we all know money is great. But that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. We forget there actually are some things rich people can’t do.
Take Indian tycoon Azim Premji of Wipro. He’s amassed $17.1 billion so you would think he can do as he pleases. And he tries to. He indulges in frugal habits like flying coach and staying at friends’ houses rather than paying for hotels. But there’s more. At a lunch party honoring his son’s wedding, he served food on paper plates. Paper plates?! If most of us did that, our friends and relatives would laugh at us. When Premji did it, the world laughed and it ended up in Forbes. As you can see, there are a few times when it’s actually worse to be rich.
I’m sure most of you read money blogs or magazines to help you be rich. And you’re a smart bunch so I’m sure you’ll get there. But while you’re on the journey, take a moment to enjoy where you are. Consider the following 40 simple pleasures which only get harder to do as you get more money and fame:
1. Eat at “low-class” restaurants
2. Cut your own hair
3. Make a road-trip instead of flying
4. Search for clothes on clearance
5. Paint your bedroom
6. Wear sweatpants—in public
7. Drink or cook with cheap wine
8. Buy a Halloween costume at Goodwill
9. Go camping and watch the stars
10. Brown bag your lunch
11. Write an angry letter to the editor
12. Buy standing room only tickets to a baseball game
13. Live with roommates or relatives to save money
14. Buy a lottery ticket
15. Go on a game show like “The Price is Right”
16. Give your friend a gift a little more expensive than you can really afford
17. Feel a real sacrifice when you give a big donation to a charity
18. Go to a practice night for an improv comedy club
19. Clip coupons to get a great deal
20. Drive a 10 to 15 year old banged up car
21. Get your furniture for cheap from Craigslist or a garage sale
22. Provide non-matching though fully functional silverware at a dinner party
23. Camp out for a movie premiere or sporting event
24. Do your own garden work
25. Pick-up food to avoid a delivery charge
26. Take a date to a picnic on the beach and fly a kite rather than going to a dinner and movie
27. Raise your bed frame with cement blocks to allow for extra storage space
28. Decorate your room with posters instead of framed art
29. Wait it out for a museum’s free day
30. Get on a club’s VIP email list to avoid cover since you can’t afford bottle service
31. Get all your books from the library
32. Bike to work to save gas money
33. Dispute a restaurant bill for overcharging you by a few dollars
34. Reuse something you shouldn’t—like a teabag
35. Fast and then eat more than you should at a buffet to get “value”
36. Dress up for a movie premiere
37. Have a pool party without worrying about pictures ending up on TMZ.com
38. Sun dry your clothes on a line
39. Use duct-tape to fix your appliances and furniture without hesitation
40. Play basketball or tennis on public courts
What simple joys would you add to the list?
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Comments
08.21.08
Great article! I would add:
Not worrying about frequent requests for money
Attending public events without a an entourage or security detail.
08.21.08
I do number 35 on a regular basis. It's like a sweet spot for me since the good ol days of high school with the football team.
Great list and really, there ain't nothing wrong with paper plates (except if we did that at my wedding, I don't think we would be married).
08.21.08
Are these incentives to not be "rich"? :)
08.21.08
I guess it would make more sense to be rich and just don't let anyone know how rich you are. That is so what I will be doing.
Wouldn't want to have to take my kid to FAO Schwartz instead KB Toys.
08.21.08
cant: Dream of what its really like to be rich.
if i had 100 mil i would def buy....
cant play that game any more cuz if you said it you have to go get it.
08.21.08
@ Tiffany - I was thinking along those same lines. I'd say the same thing about designer baby clothes - why would I buy designer anything that my kid is going to grow out of in 5 minutes?
But yes, I agree, I would just keep my financial situation as mum as possible.
08.21.08
Ever heard of Clark Howard?
08.21.08
Seems like this list is for more of the rich AND famous. There are a lot of really rich people who can do those things without being "noticed."
08.21.08
I think you may want to read about Warren Buffet. He's a pretty low key gazillionaire.
It's that you can't do all the things above. You just think you'll cave to societal pressure to piss money away because you can. Why do you have to live anyone else's version of normal?
If you have habits that are comfortable to you, why would you change them just because you had more money, unless it felt right to you.
08.21.08
...yea, what Courtney said. Why can't the rich bike to work, or do any of these things.
You should have separated the rich from the famous.
Overall though, the suckiness of being famous (that's right I said suckiness) would probably cancel out the joys of being rich.
08.21.08
Why wouldn't you be able to do most of these things after you are rich? It's about what you want, not what someone else thinks you should do. Frugality is often the reason rich people become rich.
08.21.08
How about:
1. Have your choices to spend your wealth be accepted by others who have less than you, unless it happens to be on them...?
I find people are very critical of the wealthy.
08.22.08
Interesting post
I agree with Milena about people being critical of the wealthy though. Money makes you an easy target. Like the great Sean "P.Diddy" Combs once said: "Mo Money, Mo Problems"
08.22.08
Thank you all for the wonderful comments.
I think much confusion can be cleared up if I clarify the title. My own non-opinionated title was "40 things to do before you are rich" to get the sense that these things will be harder once you are rich or famous. Yes, you can still do them (we all have eccentric habits) but they stand out more.
In the end I thank this new title for bringing awareness to a topic and that itself is a great reward.
08.22.08
Makes more sense now. Thanks for clearing that up, Presh.
I'm going to keep "tupperwaring my lunch when I'm rich", though.
:0
08.22.08
You're obviously not talking about eccentric rich people, are you?
08.22.08
A majority of the things from that list are things that I wouldn't need to do when I turn rich anyways. Nice list, real funny.
08.22.08
Presh,
They stand out more because we have expectations as to how the wealthy should behave. . . acceptable behavior is a social construct. . . it shifts in time . . . let's encourage people to spend practically regardless of bank balance
08.23.08
Thanks again for the wonderful feedback and comments.
Zak--yes, I agree it would be nice to change the climate of the rich. But that's something that people find harder to do once they get there. I can't tell you how many people I know cared about social support but then suddenly realized they were conservative once they starting making big bucks and cared about taxes!
08.23.08
You really don't get it. How do you think a lot of rich people got rich - by being cheap. You probably don't even know how rich they are 'cause they don't look it. Ever read the book "The Millionaire Next Door?" You should.
08.24.08
Presh.
you dont even know what the fuck your talking about.
08.26.08
I think this list just illustrates the social pressure that has been created in America by vanity, excessiveness and lack of moral/fiscal responsibility. As an American currently living abroad these are social issues that really increased my reluctance to come back to America.
Well written artical, good social analysis.
08.27.08
Wow. What a douche.
08.28.08
I think 16 & 17 are my favorites, would love to see a list more like that. A refined list of similar items could really quantify some 'can't buy me love' ideals.
09.02.08
I will opt for being rich...these are minor inconveniences. Besides, you can help more people if you are rich than not.
01.09.11
What on earth is wrong with doing your own gardening? I find container gardening very relaxing, so I think I will just ignore that part of your list.
01.09.11
20. Drive a 10 to 15 year old banged up car
Why not? Warren Buffet drives the same 1985 Cadillac he bought new. It's not banged up,but it's over 25 years old. In fact, he still lives in the same house in Omaha that he and his wife bought in 1958.
Being rich only increases your options. Everything you stated is a choice, and people can choose whatever they want to do for whatever reason, especially if they don't really give a damn about what other people think.
01.10.11
I've *heard* that there is a distinction between old money and new money with regards to your 40 things.
New money is much more inclined to demonstrate publicly that they in fact are wealthy.
Old money doesn't have this propensity to the same degree. Aka, if you're Henry Ford's great grandson, no need to put on airs.
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