I READ an article about a multi-millionaire who decided to give away everything he had, right to the last penny. According to the story, this man had it all- a luxury villa by the lake, a 42-acre estate and all the “toys” most wealthy people have, you name it. His total fortune? $4.7 million dollars! But instead of being happy, this man says that his wealth has actually made his life miserable!
What’s wrong with this picture? Like most people, your first reaction is probably, “Is this person crazy? Why in the world would anyone give away that much money when to most people who are struggling, wealth always seems elusive?” It just doesn’t make sense.” But listen to what he says: “For a long time I believed that more wealth and luxury automatically meant more happiness. After a while, I felt I was working as a slave for things I did not wish for or need.” After getting rid of some of his possessions, he said that for the first time in his life, he started feeling “free”.
Does money buy happiness? I think most of us would like to be rich and find nothing wrong with having a little more than we have. But did you know that even lottery winners and the Forbes’ 100 wealthiest people (according to a survey) say that they have only slightly greater happiness than the average person? Yes, making it big may bring temporary joy but in the long run, it doesn’t guarantee happiness. If it did, then the richest people in the world would be the happiest human beings on this planet. But we all know that it is not so.
As a matter of fact, over the last 50 years in this country, studies show that the number of people who consider themselves “happy” has declined in spite of the fact that the number of wealthy people has soared. There are now more millionaires in this country than there were 50 years ago. But the divorce rate has tripled and violent crime has quadrupled. We have big houses but broken homes. Somehow with our increased prosperity comes a sense of emptiness and lack of purpose. Where have we gone wrong?
In my work as a bankruptcy attorney, I meet a lot of people who are very materialistic. These people are obsessed with acquiring more “stuff”, thinking that they can get more out of life by having more. They continuously buy new homes, cars, computers, TV’s, electronics, etc. They go on expensive vacations and dine at expensive restaurants. Most of this is done, of course, using borrowed money. These people are the people who have very little or no savings. Whatever they want, they want it “now” with no regard for long term affordability. Soon enough, the joy from their new toys dissipates quickly and they’re back yearning for more.
OK, OK, what I say here are, of course, my own personal thoughts on the subject and I understand that others may disagree and have a different opinion. But in my view, true happiness is what you do with what you ALREADY have- your family, your friends and your health. Yes, money can buy you a lot of material things but it can never, ever buy you happiness.
So now back to you. If you are struggling with debt problems (regardless of the reasons!) and need to get your financial house in order, we can help you evaluate your options. For a free consultation, call Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos, West Covina and Valencia.
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None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 4,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772.
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