Rich cheap people suck
Over the years, I've met a few wealthy people, a fair number of rich people, a LOT of middle class people, and a sadly large number of people who were/are dirt poor. The ones who are dirt poor have fewer choices, and ..they have to re-use a lot of things that many others would buy new; they keep other things long past their prime; worst of all, they have no choice but to scrimp enough to get by.

The middle class is all over the map. Most of us spend beyond our means. I know I do. I'd rather live for today. I'm sure I'm a credit card company's dream. I generally pay more than the minimum monthly payment, but..still..they make money off me, and I'm happy to have the cards.

Here's where it gets really hideous though. I know lawyers whose time bills out at $300 to $500 an hour, and they will spend a LOT more time than is appropriate trying to save 50 cents. People much smarter than me have commented "How do you think they got rich?"..I guess I must be stupid...If your time is $500 an hour, that's a little over $8/minute. If you spend 30 minutes, or $240 worth of time, trying to save..even $25, haven't you just lost $215?

Some rich people defend this behavior by saying "it's the principle of the thing.". Ya know what? When this principle rears its head 5 times a day, the rich guy's either working in conspiracy mode, or is spending far too much time nickel-and-dime-ing the world.

The other type of rich or wealthy person I know exudes that their time is way too valuable to waste on the dumb stuff. They delegate, they want things taken care of, and they're willing to pay for it. Wow, do I love that type of person. I'm not wealthy, and I do that, even when I technically can't afford to.

If someone making $3 million a year wants to clip coupons, and shop at the low rent supermarket because the food's not as good, but it is cheaper, God bless. they're only hurting themselves. But..when these types fight with people who provide them services? That's what really gets to me. If they want to fight Verizon over 39 cents, that's their business, and Verizon's middle class to poor customer service employees certainly have the time to waste arguing the matter.

If someone makes a $200 million acquisition, and wants you to help on it, then tries to bargain you down on your bill for services that are priced at or below market rate, wouldn't you be annoyed? What do you do? Personally, I can't deal with that type of person.

What makes me saddest is that often, the poor/middle class people are much quicker to pay their bills ..even when money is tight. Why is that?

It's confusing to me..but so is parallel parking. I'm also bummed that John Edwards is out of the presidential race. Now the Democrats have only long shots...a white woman (especially THAT white woman), and a black man (this country's not ready for a black president).

Oh, GOD, please don't let another Republican into the White House.

Republicans love the rich people...but I don't think Republican politicians would do very well if those rich people were the penny-pinching miserly types.

Does a Bill Gates fly coach? He could buy his own 747 with pocket money...so...if he ever flew a commercial airline, why would he fly coach? I'm told he drives his own car to work. That's just cool. Maybe he likes to drive. Is he going to deny his children anything? God, I hope not. I'm sure he paid whatever he had to to get good people at Microsoft. He may not pay his lowest level phone support people $20/hour, and of course he put a lot of people in India, paying them probably below the US minimum wage..but..I guess that's what one does when one is multinational, and is not Apple Computer.

Will someone please explain what the hell makes sense about a rich person being cheap and miserly?
- posted by Dana Friedman @ 3:11 AM