[quote=sdrealtor]jp
Sometimes it has nothing to do with being smart enough but rather having the money and being willing to part with it as time is worth more to them than money. I’ll go a step further. My own brother (a surgeon) who I begged not to buy a house and spent 3 hours on the computer showing him why not bought in Oahu about 3 years ago with 100% financing. Several smart friends did the same with him. But he had just gotten remarried and at the age of 50 had a newborn (he has another now). He lived a pretty screwed up life his first time around and this was his chance to live the life he wanted and he didnt have time to wait in his mind. He has paid off most of his 2nd already and fortunately the market hasnt moved much where he bought so he isnt underwater much if at all. I have to say looking at his life now and considering everything that he was right and we were wrong.[/quote]

Life changing events often makes people step back and rethink things. When all is good, you plan exactly how you want things to turn out, to the teeth. And then when you get suddenly get hit with a brick, you realize.

1)holy crap, I might not be around to enjoy this the second or third time

2)what is the point of saving every penny dollar if you’re dead…So someone else can enjoy it for you? I don’t think so…

So yeah, I can sort of relate…I don’t see a point in saving/self-deprecating penny-pinching anymore, since “savings” in the strict sense will be meaningless moving forward in this country. My new motto is work hard, play hard, and spend hard (within your budgets)…. If I clip coupons, it’s so I can turn around and spend it right away on something else…ha ha ha..