# Do you need more money? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 23, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786 "2010-09-23T17:08:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/21 "2010-09-23T23:41:46Z")
I get a certain amount from Mr. Sali’s paycheck every week for groceries, gas, cat food, etc. like a 50’s housewife :rolleyes: but it’s not enough, so I tap the ‘savings’ account at the credit union a couple days before payday. We have our college grad home living with us and she needs spending money, gas money, etc. But the price of everything has gone up, so that ‘certain amount’ hasn’t been enough for quite some time, anyway. We are fortunate in that our house is paid off, we aren’t in any debt, and I am the very essence of thrifty! ---
**Author:** ![pendgwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@pendgwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pendgwen)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/22 "2010-09-24T00:56:11Z")
My current income is adequate for my expenses but only because I was able to put my student loans in forbearance. If I had to pay on those right now I would be completely screwed. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/23 "2010-09-24T01:09:46Z")
Currently looking for work so that I can move out and room with a friend. So yes. Need. :3 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/24 "2010-09-24T01:12:24Z")
Marriage breakup = Need money. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/25 "2010-09-24T01:16:16Z")
I would have thought that most people would fall in the third category, since it seems like we all adjust to whatever income level we have. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/26 "2010-09-24T01:23:13Z")
Now that we’re both employed, and the wedding and the down payment for the condo are done, and Craigslist has been hit for some furniture, we’ve been saving a good chunk of what we make. But that’s a recent development, so although we have a decent emergency fund, we’re not exactly rich. I’m hoping the car will hold out for a while yet so we can continue stashing away cash. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/27 "2010-09-24T01:28:27Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve got more money than I can ever use in the foreseeable future > I make significantly more than I need, but not enough saved to quit or retire I didn’t vote. You seem to have left out an option between these two > [@](#): > > I make significantly more than I need, and will have enough saved when I quit or retire which pretty much covers it for me. Not to mention my and my SO’s expectations of inheritances from our fathers. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/28 "2010-09-24T01:40:44Z")
I have a moderate amount of tuition I need to pay off in the next few months, but generally break even/save a bit from my paychecks in addition to having around 10% pre-tax put in a 401(k); pretty good considering that I work a low-level unskilled labor job, am paying out of pocket for school, and have a pretty comfortable life with a few luxuries and hobbies. It’d be nice to have more of a cushion (at least enough to just pay my tuition as it is due, rather than floating it for a month or two), but I really don’t need more money. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/29 "2010-09-24T01:42:49Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > I would have thought that most people would fall in the third category, since it seems like we all adjust to whatever income level we have. That’s why they call it a recession. 🙂 I notice there’s no “I live beyond my means on credit” option. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/30 "2010-09-24T02:10:25Z")
I reckon you’re right Zsofia, I didn’t think about that. Things didn’t get too bad here, I think because we stay on the bottom of the heap anyway - we didn’t have far to fall. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/31 "2010-09-24T02:44:50Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > I’ve got more money than I can ever use in the foreseeable future > > I make significantly more than I need, but not enough saved to quit or retire > > I didn’t vote. You seem to have left out an option between these two > > > [@](#): > > > > I make significantly more than I need, and will have enough saved when I quit or retire > > which pretty much covers it for me. Not to mention my and my SO’s expectations of inheritances from our fathers. You fall in the second category. You’re not set for life yet. So to clarify, the second category could be read as: I make significantly more than I need, but not enough saved **yet** to quit or retire _right now_. Poll options have a character limit, so I had to shorten my initial description. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/32 "2010-09-24T02:46:40Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > > [@NinetyWt](#): > > > > I would have thought that most people would fall in the third category, since it seems like we all adjust to whatever income level we have. > > That’s why they call it a recession. 🙂 > > I notice there’s no “I live beyond my means on credit” option. I consider that category four, I make significantly less than I need, but have savings, resources or charity that I can still tap. The “resource” being a credit card. ---
**Author:** ![FrancisCastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@FrancisCastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrancisCastle)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/33 "2010-09-24T02:57:13Z")
I’m just sick of living paycheck to paycheck. For example, yesterday’s decision was “Should I buy this pack of hot dogs for dinner? I guess we don’t really need buns.” But it was payday today, so life is good for just short of another two weeks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/34 "2010-09-24T03:44:21Z")
No, I am blessed to have enough money to live on. I’m not rich but I don’t sweat the bills or anything. I live on a budget and have always adjusted my lifestyle to my income. Money is necessary to live but I don’t think of it like I used to. It’s just a means to live but not my reason for living. The best things in life are free! ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/35 "2010-09-24T12:13:30Z")
I answered “we have significantly more than we need, but not enough saved to quit or retire.” Which, of course, means we don’t have enough money. But I assume you are talking short term - i.e. can I meet the obligations I have over the next month with my salary. That’s sort of the thing about money though. There are probably times when Melinda Gates wakes up in the middle of the night thinking “if we were richer, we could feed more babies in Africa.” ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/36 "2010-09-24T13:25:39Z")
I voted for the middle one, because it’s a big jump to “significantly more than we need”. But we are out of debt, we have nice things, we put money away in savings…We could stand to put more in savings, though. And I could always use more money. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/37 "2010-09-24T13:32:11Z")
I voted #4, since that’s the situation we’re in right now this second. But it’s by choice, since we both quit our jobs last month and the plan is not to look for another one for a few more weeks at least. However, the savings we’re living on could last us about 3 years if necessary, so not on the breadline yet. Generally I’d say category 3. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/38 "2010-09-24T13:37:31Z")
I voted #2, but that’s for a strict definition of “need.” We have an average income for a family of four, and save a little, give to charity, and are completely debt-free except for our reasonable mortgage. If we cut back unnecessary expenses (satellite TV, cell phones, WoW subscription, Netflix, magazines…) we would have quite a bit more than we need for essentials like the mortgage, utilities, clothes and food. We wouldn’t turn down more money, certainly, and if we really wanted more income my wife could go back to work. But we’re comfortable and satisfied. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/39 "2010-09-24T14:05:41Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > That’s sort of the thing about money though. There are probably times when Melinda Gates wakes up in the middle of the night thinking “if we were richer, we could feed more babies in Africa.” Melinda Gates is in the first category and as I mentioned up thread, even those people want more money. Everybody wants more money. I think even Mother Teresa would want more money so she can give it to others or use it to help others. ---
**Author:** ![pyromyte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@pyromyte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pyromyte)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786/40 "2010-09-24T15:37:02Z")
> [@The\_Controvert](#): > > Why do you need to take over the world? Or is that something you “want”? Of course I don’t want to take over the world, it was an lame attempt at humor. > [@The\_Controvert](#): > > Why do you need to maintain your current lifestyle? Or is it more accurate to say that is something you “want”? No, its definately a “want” to maintain and improve my current lifestyle… I voted that I make substantially more than I _need_ and I certainly do not make ‘a lot’ of money. After viewing the results in which it would seem a good number of people sound like they barely make as much as they _need_. So apparently many responders misunderstood _need_, because I find it hard to believe that people that presumably have a computer and leisure time to post on the SDMB are barely making enough money to survive. > [@The\_Controvert](#): > > Happiness is a state of mind which you have control over, to some degree. A lot of times, you don’t need much to “be happy”. So is the question how much money do you need…to be happy? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-need-more-money/554786.md?page=3)