Inspired by this thread in GQ…specifically by my second post in it I ask this question:
Which do you value higher? Time or money?
Where are you located? Were you raised there? If not, then where?
How would you classify yourself on the socioeconomic ladder?
Answer honestly now. I want to figure if there’s any trend here about wealthier cultures and societies moving from valuing money to valuing time.
That is a tricky one. Time is a finite resource for everyone. However, money is needed for a certain lifestyle to fully enjoy that time. In the end, money can be used to save time so I guess money is more important.
Greater Boston, MA. I was raised in rural Louisiana.
It depends on how much money to how much time. In the case of that thread however, I would definitely haggle, but then sometimes I enjoy haggling for the pleasure of haggling. That being said, my wife and I have a cleaning because we value our free time higher than the cost of paying her to clean.
Washington D.C. raised mostly in Northern VA.
Middle to upper middle.
Isn’t this question sort of back-asswards? The basis for socioeconomics is “How much money will you sell your time for?”
Presumably, everyone has a price. (unless you already have plenty of money, and don’t strictly need more. Generally, those who fall into this category will still sell their time, but it don’t come cheap)
Time.
Located in Pittsburgh, PA but born and raised in New Jersey.
Middle Class.
Which do you value higher? Time or money?
I can use money to buy time and spend time to earn money, so I’d have to value time more than money. We buy a lot of prepared foods, but since we are kind of foodies, not a lot of processed or frozen foods. Whole Foods deli is our friend. We buy many disposable convenience items and subscribe to services that we pay for monthly so we don’t have to spend time on these chores.
Where are you located?
Central California
Were you raised there?
In the valley but not in this city
If not, then where?
A very very small town about 100 miles south
How would you classify yourself on the socioeconomic ladder?
Middle class DINKS
Once I get the basics covered, time. Specially “me time”, it’s rare for me to be in a situation where I need more social interaction… usually I get more than I need. Being in jobs that pay more is nice for the piggybank, but mostly because of that breed of people who value you for how much you make (they get off my back real fast, these last few years). Money isn’t a value in itself, it’s a tool.
Switzerland but it’s temporary. I’m from Spain and going back there within the year.
Middle-quite-high. If I stayed in my current job for two years I’d be able to pay off my mortgage back home (which is very low, but still!). I’m not staying because I value my tummy’s health and self-esteem more than I value the difference between my current salary and what I’d be drawing in Spain.
Like rigamarole said, you can’t really ask “which do you value more. . .time or money?” It’s a question of how much you value time.
Surely, most of use would give up an afternoon of golf (time) to make 1,000,000 dollars (money).
On the other hand, no one would give up a whole Saturday of leisure to make $2.00.
I work to provide enough money for future comfort, while still being able to enjoy the present day.
Depends. At this point in my life I am doing well so usually I will take time. Just yesterday if I would have stood in line I could have gotten five dollars off my purchase, but decided I didn’t have the patience for it that day.
Southern PA. Was raised in PA, but not this part of it.
Upper middle class would be my guess, but I’m not sure where the lines are drawn.
Instinctively, I want to say Time, which worked pretty well for me in my twenties, not so much now that I’m 41. Since becoming a parent I’ve been sliding further and further toward the Money camp. For example, I take the trash and the recycling to the dump myself to save the money ($50 a month) I would have to spend to get my trash picked up. In fact, I’m spending a ton of time fixing up an old house myself rather than spending the money on a contractor – or spending a lot more money for a house that’s already fixed – but that’s not really fair because I don’t have the money to do either of those things. I guess if I was truly all about the Time I’d be renting the cheapest apartment possible. But, on the other hand, I could certainly be doing something for a living that would be a lot more stressful and time-consuming (like commuting to Manhattan), but would make me a lot more money, and I’m not willing to do that.
I live in the Hudson Valley in New York, raised in Darkest New Jersey.
I’m white-collar and make a middle-class salary, but pay child support/tuition and expenses are high around here so I barely break even every month – no savings to speak of. Not sure what that makes me. Ordinary middle class, probably.
My parents are Depression kids and certainly would rather create more money than more time as a general rule. It’s impossible to imagine my Dad turning down a good-paying job because it would cut into his leisure time, or not having a nest egg but going on a pricey vacation. They both grew up working class (and, during the 30s, always knowing the possibility of poverty, I would imagine) in New York City. I only know a handful of people my age who grew up with the threat of having nothing. All of them are very concerned with having enough money.
As far as your survey goes, I doubt you’re going to get many responses from sub-Saharan African subsistence farmers or Cambodian street kids. It’s easy to say you value your time more than your money once you’ve been to college and established a career.
Asking whether I value time or money is like asking me how high is up. The answer changes from situation to situation. However, I would say that generally I’m more apt to pay someone for convenience, or to have something done, than do it myself.
Live in West L.A., raised in the Hollywood Hills, BHPO.
Raised in the upper middle class by Depression-kid parents, so that’s a contradiction in many ways. They saw the Depression happening, but both their families were relatively comfortable, and were on the helping end rather than the needing end. Regarding my current class position I believe I have slid a bit and am just middle, now.
2)Located in southeastern Connecticut - went out west for several years - settled right back in CT.