# What small things would change in your life if you became wealthy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 30, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418 "2012-04-30T15:44:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/61 "2012-05-01T14:23:31Z")
I find it interesting that for some, being wealthy means having a license to be wasteful. I’d definitely be on board with the tipping big, though. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/62 "2012-05-01T14:49:06Z")
Who knew sheets were such a thing for so many people. If I were to become suddenly wealthy I’d buy some ridiculously high thread count sheets, but I think I’d still only change them once a week. I would see movies in theatres in their first run, and not only at matinee times either. One of my BIG things would be to fund the restoration of the nearby movie palace. I would see as many movies as I could there, with popcorn, a soda, and Goobers. I would buy locally raised/grown organic foods, including a lot more fresh fruit and berries. I would have dinner parties with 5-6 guests. We’d use the silver I inherited from my great aunt, and china not paper plates. I would pay a service to scan all my photos and slides, and also my mom’s and sister’s. I’m working on this myself, now and at the rate I can get them done I should be finished in 2032. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/63 "2012-05-01T14:49:58Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > I definitely agree with the idea of hiring someone to clean the house. All of us work enough that nobody really wants to do the household cleaning, so everyone in the household would be a lot happier with that one change. > > I’d also start leaving bigger tips when I eat out. My mother raised us to appreciate that service jobs are tough jobs, and she raised us to be good tippers. If/when I am able to afford it, I would enjoy the thought of someone having a better day when they discovered I left a much better tip than they expected. I know that would cheer me up if I was working a job like that. Those two things are what I came in here to say. I’d LOVE to live in a clean house and not be responsible for it! Totally agree on the tips too, I could be a lot more generous with a few mill in the bank. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/64 "2012-05-01T15:13:11Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Small things, hmm… > 2) I’d buy a LOT more books. The fact I now have an e-reader means - BONUS! - they won’t take up much space. If you have money, why worry about space? Personally I like having bookcases around. I have a lot of walls that would be enhanced with some bookcases. The only trouble with having a lot of books is finding the one I want. Maybe I could add RFID tags to the all the books. Not to say that reading on a tablet isn’t good. I can read at night without a light on and it always remembers what page I’m on. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/65 "2012-05-01T15:23:24Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > Who knew sheets were such a thing for so many people. No kidding. Sheets are like jeans. The more times you use them after being washed, the better they feel. You only need to wash them when your wife refuses to get in bed with you. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/66 "2012-05-01T16:31:53Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I’d buy premium gas for my Corolla. Nitpick: It wouldn’t do anything. The premium gas just has better knock resistance for high compression engines. If your engine isn’t high compression (usually a performance engine) premium won’t help anything at all. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/67 "2012-05-01T19:11:52Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Nitpick: It wouldn’t do anything. The premium gas just has better knock resistance for high compression engines. If your engine isn’t high compression (usually a performance engine) premium won’t help anything at all. Plus there’s the fact that it’s a seven year old Corolla. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/68 "2012-05-01T19:23:32Z")
I would totally have ‘people’ A maid for sure (probably weekly) I’d get my clothes laundered I’d have a personal trainer I’d have a gardner I might get a chef, but my wife loves to cook so maybe not I’d have a nanny or least a service I could call to look after my kids while the wife and I went out WAY MORE I read an esquire article awhile back about digigal personal ‘servants’ who do chores for you like pay your bills, send emails and the like. I think I’d like that. Basically, I’d price myself out at something like $300 an hour and anybody who could do stuff I didn’t enjoy for less than that would get my money. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/69 "2012-05-01T19:24:32Z")
Oh, and I’d NEVER finish that last bowl or Raisin Bran that’s all teeny bits of bran. I HATE eating that bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/70 "2012-05-01T19:32:40Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > If you have money, why worry about space? I have hoarder tendencies. It’s not space so much as clutter. I don’t want to be the eccentric old lady found crushed under a small mountain of books. I’m trying to learn to accumulate less physical objects in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/71 "2012-05-01T19:36:05Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > A fresh roll of toilet paper in each bathroom every morning. When the servants are through with that, they can get back to cleaning the Ferrari. How much toilet paper can you use in one day? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/72 "2012-05-01T19:44:50Z")
> [@carlotta](#): > > If having people over were as easy as saying “Andre, we will be six tonight” then I’d do it all the time. Dinner with Andre, then? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/73 "2012-05-01T19:58:28Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > I might get a chef, but my wife loves to cook so maybe not You could always get the wife her own scullery maid. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/74 "2012-05-01T21:27:56Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > Oh, and I’d NEVER finish that last bowl or Raisin Bran that’s all teeny bits of bran. I HATE eating that bowl. WORD! Ditto tiny chip shards. Open a new bag! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/75 "2012-05-01T22:44:05Z")
Tailored T-shirts. For whatever reason, T-shirts never fit quite right and I’m squirming around constantly in them. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/76 "2012-05-02T00:08:21Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > Oh, and I’d NEVER finish that last bowl or Raisin Bran that’s all teeny bits of bran. I HATE eating that bowl. Me too. It turns into a bowl of mush, and I just don’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/77 "2012-05-02T01:05:06Z")
A shower unit I could stand up in comfortably. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/78 "2012-05-02T01:09:07Z")
Glasses and contacts. Multiple pairs of glasses all over the place (glove box, upstairs, downstairs, the yacht, the jet, the house in the Hamptons) so I would never have to look for them. And get the use-once-then-chuck contacts so I’d never have that dry itchy eye thing. Those measures, of course, would only be while I waited to have one of my big things, laser eye surgery. I would like a big freezer and pantry. Sure, I might get a chef for one of my big things, but s/he is going to need a night off from time to time and it would be nice to not look into an empty fridge. I’d love to never be without a common ingredient for when I got a particular food craving. Getting a nice new car would be great, but also it would be awesome to have something that is going to pass inspection, not having to worry about insurance payments, etc. I’d get dvr-cable/satellite boxes for all over the house that talk to each other so I really can go from one room to the other and not have to stop what I’m watching. And all the non-porn premium channels. Netflix crazy subscription, Hulu plus, amazon prime. When I think about hitting the lottery or similar, it’s not the big things like houses and jewels and $100,000 cars that get me excited. It’s the “I don’t have to buy generic” things that I like the idea of. ---
**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/79 "2012-05-02T04:06:04Z")
In the spirit of “small” things… I’d treat myself at the olive bar at our grocery store. More car washes. I’d only fly business or first class. I’d buy gum at the gas station, even though it’s cheaper elsewhere. I’d hire someone to cut the grass. I’d replace the peeling manual shifter on my car. Bigger tips at restaurants. I’d sponsor the local little league and put my name on their shirts. I’d buy flowers for my wife. I’d buy more prepared foods from the deli area of the gourmet grocery store. I’d buy very stylish shirts, sweaters, etc. basically replace the whole wardrobe. I’d take the family to lots of 3D Imax movies. Our family would order appetizers and soda at dinner. I’d give small, anonymous donations to people. I’d get a massage every week. I’d buy the extra special pass at Six Flags for the family to minimize line waiting times. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418/80 "2012-05-02T04:41:09Z")
> [@aaelghat](#): > > I’d buy the extra special pass at Six Flags for the family to minimize line waiting times. You rich bastards always think you are better than us don’t you 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-small-things-would-change-in-your-life-if-you-became-wealthy/620418.md?page=5)