How much money that you want to have to live comfortably?

[stutter032]

before the economy crashed my family was the "jones" 6 kids, all college educated, well dressed, new cars. My dad and stepmom retired to Myrtle Beach while i was still in HS in NY. I moved into my moms. I was class of 08 and this time the world was still ok. My senior year I got a full loaded Jeep Grand Cherokee to go off to college with. It's a V8, navigation, ipod, 10cds, leather everything. Life was good. My Freshmen year no loans. Now that the economy sucks, stocks are down, the world is broke. My dad and stepmom are out of retirement, doing jobs that are completely different from there NY ones, and the pay isn't anywhere near. I'm studying Architecture, after grad school I will have been going to college for like 6 years and i'm currently in my 3rd. I have tons of student loans now, and can't afford to put gas in my V8.
I would like earn everything on merit, but it would be nice if my family was on the level we used to be. But life is still good..

 

[Latimer]

I have an old family friend who lives in a Section 8 (government subsidized) apartment with her pet poodle on $12,000 a year in Social Security and even manages to put some money aside each month for an occasional extravagent purchase. Of course she'd like more money (a onetime well-off socialite, she found herself in a strange city practically destitute at age 55 after a series of marital and financial misadventures) but she leads a rich and varied life without a great deal of effort or money.

I have another friend who is worth (or so I've read) just south of $80 million. A tax exile, he keeps a legal domicile in one country, a business in a second country, and a family in a third. He supports two grown children from a first marriage, along with a beautiful expensive second wife and their beautiful expensive children in a second marriage. I was at his house today--professionally and extravagantly decorated for Christmas, really breathtakingly beautiful--and he complained to me that he didn't have enough money.

I know more than a few rich people. Not very rich by the stupendous standards of contemporary rich, no billionaires or people in the 300 million + range, so I have no idea how they feel, but all the rich people I know wish they had more, for investments and charitable giving to be sure, but also for private planes and custom-built yachts and staff and just keeping the lights turned on in numerous houses, large and small. (Do you have any idea how expensive it is to own your own polo team?)

Come to think of it, I do know a woman who's in that "very rich" category and she's notorious around town for both her personal extravagance and the fact that she never fully pays her bills, relying on accountants and lawyers to do her dirty work. Too much is never enough for this bitch.

First it's a used Jetta, then a BMW 3-series, followed by a 5, followed by a 7, and pretty soon, well you can't live without a Maserati Quattroporte, an Escalade and a Prius.

 

[stutter032]

Hummmm...

Most portfolios if they stayed diverse and fully invested have regained their wealth from the 'crash'

sorry for you and your family tho

a lot of my dad's money and investments was in real estate witch is still shit, they have a pension that can / does just pays the bills. There currently working just have a little more. Once I'm done with school, or some of our property sells or gets rented, there going to be a little safer. It is crazy tho how fast things can change..