It is a generally accepted notion in the United States that if you work hard you will undoubtedly be rich. I’ve been pondering this notion for quite some time. Particularly this “working hard” idea. Does Kanye West work hard? Harder than, let’s say, a factory worker? Probably not. But, that’s because once you’re rich, the last thing you want to do is work hard. This leads me to believe that “working hard,” kind of sucks.
So, how exactly does one get rich? Sure, there has to be some work involved. No one is going to reward you for just being you, unless you’re an heiress. But, more than just work you have to have luck. You have to land a job that you’re good at and have your exceptional talents noticed by superiors. But, what good is a promotion and money if you don’t know how to save? The most important part of being rich is learning to be fiscally responsible and saving your hard-earned money.
Before Suze Orman weeps happy tears from the above statement, I’d like to point out that this getting-rich-formula is nearly impossible for Generation X and Y. We are horrible at saving money. Everything we own is owed. We work to pay day care and student loans. We hide from our parents extravagant purchases from the Apple Store and Zappos, so we can later ask them for rent money. And for those of us that have a mortgage, I’m sure we’re strongly considering walking away and moving back in with mom and pop.
Our parents and grandparents aren’t any better off. Sure, they may have a home that’s paid for, but the insurance on it is killing them. They have medical bills and co-pays and a 401K that isn’t worth the computer that they use to download their statement. They will most likely work until they die. And what for? So they can leave us $30,000 so we can finally pay-off our pesky debt.
What good is all the money we earn, save, inherit, win if we don’t have the time to enjoy it?
Time. That’s real money.
Tell me, what good is making a million dollars a year if you don’t have the time to enjoy it with your family and friends? With such a high paying job, I’m sure you’ll have to be on call all the time. And, unless you work for the government, you’ll only get two weeks vacation to rent out a private island (that will undoubtedly need to have WiFi).
Hard work, plus saving money equals being rich, minus time. This doesn’t add up.
After much thought, I’ve decided that the only way to get rich is to work to earn at least ten dollars per week and enter a lottery pool with your friends and family. This way, everyone you know will be rich with nothing to do, but hang out. And, once you blow your share you can still mooch off your parents who have cleverly figured out a way to double theirs, as they had a feeling you weren’t going to make it as a rich person.
Mari de Armas 