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I find it really quite simple. I either have it or I don't. I'm a boomer who survived the market melt-down without losing a penny by parking my 401(k) in a safe, savings fund as soon as I read the market tea leaves and continued to invest and save. I also was in a career that provides me with a defined-benefit retirement which, with the addition of Social Security, is more than ample for my needs.
To me, the only "secret" was hard work, reasonable frugality and prudence!
Kudos for practicing proper planning and discipline. I think your name "Curmudgeon" says alot, means you weren't out there partying like it was 1999 and expecting someone else to pick up the tab. I wish there was a vocal boomer group that told the wasteful boomers what they have done wrong and what it's costing the rest of us.
It does not represent material things, happiness, etc. It only represents security.
Money=material things, as physical security (in the wide spectrum of what that term means) is essentially a matter of physical things or services provided by physical beings.
Without that equivalency, money means nothing as far as secuity is concerned.
Money can buy non-material services that can make life more pleasant or safer. A lawyer when needed. A mechanic. Medical care. A mortgage payment instead of psychos living above and alongside my little apartment (happened twice in the city).
Money is also support for others. I feel very good about sending checks to groups that are doing work I can't do but want to see done.
Loads of useless things in life can generate "Money" not least stupid marketing lies to attract people to buy more crap they don't need. But it's mostly useless in the long run of benefiting humanity, and therefore worthless.
If such a thing is required then only to survive and no more. The rest in life is what we were given imagination and creativity for, not money.
Location: Prescott Valley, Az (unfortunately still here)
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Money represents security to me. In order keep you where you live at, to buy things you really need (food, hygiene products, and clothes), and for your vehicle to keep going you need money. I believe in hardwork to keep the money and a way to get the things you really need. It's security. And a means of survival too.
Once upon a time people used to grow them themselves, before everything became "incorporated".
I think "groceries" come under the category of "survival" I mentioned in the first post.
Seems to me grocers were around since the beginning of our country.
I doubt the tea talked about in the colonial days was sold only in hardware stores
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