Comments on: Sad, Stupid or Genius – You Be the Judge http://toughmoneylove.com/2009/12/10/sad-stupid-or-genius-you-be-the-judge/ The Hard Truth about Money and Personal Finance Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:37:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MasterPo http://toughmoneylove.com/2009/12/10/sad-stupid-or-genius-you-be-the-judge/comment-page-1/#comment-6924 MasterPo Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:54:04 +0000 http://toughmoneylove.com/?p=5022#comment-6924 Yea, but they have a Manhattan address! :-D Yea, but they have a Manhattan address! :-D

]]> By: JimmyDaGeek http://toughmoneylove.com/2009/12/10/sad-stupid-or-genius-you-be-the-judge/comment-page-1/#comment-6898 JimmyDaGeek Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:49:44 +0000 http://toughmoneylove.com/?p=5022#comment-6898 These people are not being fair to their cats. Who cares how they feel! These people are not being fair to their cats. Who cares how they feel!

]]> By: TMN http://toughmoneylove.com/2009/12/10/sad-stupid-or-genius-you-be-the-judge/comment-page-1/#comment-6885 TMN Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:23:57 +0000 http://toughmoneylove.com/?p=5022#comment-6885 I heard a story the other day that reminded me of this post. A friend of a friend was getting a new apartment in Japan, and he was ecstatic because it was huge... 300 square feet. Just for him and his girlfriend. He had previously grown up in a 5 children family in an apartment half that size. It's all about expectations, culture, and what you value. I heard a story the other day that reminded me of this post. A friend of a friend was getting a new apartment in Japan, and he was ecstatic because it was huge… 300 square feet. Just for him and his girlfriend. He had previously grown up in a 5 children family in an apartment half that size. It’s all about expectations, culture, and what you value.

]]> By: cjbr549 http://toughmoneylove.com/2009/12/10/sad-stupid-or-genius-you-be-the-judge/comment-page-1/#comment-6882 cjbr549 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:44:03 +0000 http://toughmoneylove.com/?p=5022#comment-6882 Hey, I knew a guy that lived in an Chevy El Camino for 2 years, so this place would have been like a mansion for him. I still don't think his maintenance costs were that high, though. Hey, I knew a guy that lived in an Chevy El Camino for 2 years, so this place would have been like a mansion for him. I still don’t think his maintenance costs were that high, though.

]]> By: Gail http://toughmoneylove.com/2009/12/10/sad-stupid-or-genius-you-be-the-judge/comment-page-1/#comment-6879 Gail Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:50:33 +0000 http://toughmoneylove.com/?p=5022#comment-6879 I think it's hard for people living in other areas to understand how much young people are willing to sacrifice in terms of living space to call Manhattan their home. What TMN says is true--people opt to live in NYC to be close to work and have convenient access to all the wonderful public attractions the city has to offer. They want to be a part of the metropolis and when they think of home they think first of the city itself. The tiny living spaces they choose to pay outrageous prices to store their stuff and sleep in are simply an admission ticket! I think it’s hard for people living in other areas to understand how much young people are willing to sacrifice in terms of living space to call Manhattan their home. What TMN says is true–people opt to live in NYC to be close to work and have convenient access to all the wonderful public attractions the city has to offer. They want to be a part of the metropolis and when they think of home they think first of the city itself. The tiny living spaces they choose to pay outrageous prices to store their stuff and sleep in are simply an admission ticket!

]]> By: TMN http://toughmoneylove.com/2009/12/10/sad-stupid-or-genius-you-be-the-judge/comment-page-1/#comment-6865 TMN Sat, 12 Dec 2009 16:20:39 +0000 http://toughmoneylove.com/?p=5022#comment-6865 The HOAs seem a bit steep, but aside from that this makes perfect sense. TML, you've got to remember that you're a cranky old guy who would rather sit at home feeling smug about being "frugal" than go out for a meal (at least that's the persona you put out). This couple isn't... they've decided that they want the entire city to be their home, and this just happens to be their bedroom within it. I suspect you're going to see a lot more of this trend in coming years as the population centers in the US become more dense. It takes a very different perspective to make this type of thing work. It's kind of like selling your car and relying on public transportation. Nearly all of us have been raised to treat owning a car and a spacious home as a status symbol, or a security blanket. They give us a feeling of safety and self-empowerment. It takes a lot of willpower to give that up, but once you do you find that it was actually a limitation. Looking at it as someone with those assumptions still intact, though, it's not going to make much sense. The HOAs seem a bit steep, but aside from that this makes perfect sense. TML, you’ve got to remember that you’re a cranky old guy who would rather sit at home feeling smug about being “frugal” than go out for a meal (at least that’s the persona you put out). This couple isn’t… they’ve decided that they want the entire city to be their home, and this just happens to be their bedroom within it. I suspect you’re going to see a lot more of this trend in coming years as the population centers in the US become more dense.

It takes a very different perspective to make this type of thing work. It’s kind of like selling your car and relying on public transportation. Nearly all of us have been raised to treat owning a car and a spacious home as a status symbol, or a security blanket. They give us a feeling of safety and self-empowerment. It takes a lot of willpower to give that up, but once you do you find that it was actually a limitation. Looking at it as someone with those assumptions still intact, though, it’s not going to make much sense.

]]> By: kitty http://toughmoneylove.com/2009/12/10/sad-stupid-or-genius-you-be-the-judge/comment-page-1/#comment-6853 kitty Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:27:38 +0000 http://toughmoneylove.com/?p=5022#comment-6853 Just to put it in perspective. When I grew up in the Soviet Union, a lot of young couples had a single room no larger than this one in communal apartments with shared kitchen and bathroom. Or they lived with their parents who haven't had that much space either. Some private one room apartments weren't much bigger than this one and one had to wait for years to get those. Maybe a tiny bit bigger - they had a separate kitchen, but a tiny one. I was born in a much larger room in a communal apartment shared with 4 other families, but this room housed me, my parents and my maternal grandparents. When I was 4 we got a private apartment - a tiny 2 bedroom apartment (maybe about 400-500 sq feet for all of 5 of us. It seemed huge. A friend of mine had a one room-and-a kitchen apartment for her, her, the place doesn't need to s parents and 2 cats. You can get used to it. Now I have a townhouse to myself and I could use more space. Especially now, that my parents are staying with me, so that I could better care for my sick mother. It's the matter of what you are used to, and we humans are adaptable and can get used to anything. BTW - if one cleans the litter box and neuters the cats, there is no smell. Now with this couple, they obviously can afford twice as much if they can pay it off in 2 years. Like a 300K studio... Also, 150K wouldn't buy much in Manhattan, but Bronx is cheaper, as is New Jersey where they used to live. Frankly, I wouldn't mind having such a place in Manhattan in addition to the one I have. Not to live in, but just to stay overnight when needed e.g. after an evening theater performance. Whatever - if they are happy.... It's a lifestyle choice, I guess. One chooses what is important for oneself, and what matter to one person doesn't matter to another. Just to put it in perspective. When I grew up in the Soviet Union, a lot of young couples had a single room no larger than this one in communal apartments with shared kitchen and bathroom. Or they lived with their parents who haven’t had that much space either. Some private one room apartments weren’t much bigger than this one and one had to wait for years to get those. Maybe a tiny bit bigger – they had a separate kitchen, but a tiny one. I was born in a much larger room in a communal apartment shared with 4 other families, but this room housed me, my parents and my maternal grandparents. When I was 4 we got a private apartment – a tiny 2 bedroom apartment (maybe about 400-500 sq feet for all of 5 of us. It seemed huge. A friend of mine had a one room-and-a kitchen apartment for her, her, the place doesn’t need to s parents and 2 cats. You can get used to it. Now I have a townhouse to myself and I could use more space. Especially now, that my parents are staying with me, so that I could better care for my sick mother. It’s the matter of what you are used to, and we humans are adaptable and can get used to anything. BTW – if one cleans the litter box and neuters the cats, there is no smell.

Now with this couple, they obviously can afford twice as much if they can pay it off in 2 years. Like a 300K studio… Also, 150K wouldn’t buy much in Manhattan, but Bronx is cheaper, as is New Jersey where they used to live. Frankly, I wouldn’t mind having such a place in Manhattan in addition to the one I have. Not to live in, but just to stay overnight when needed e.g. after an evening theater performance.

Whatever – if they are happy…. It’s a lifestyle choice, I guess. One chooses what is important for oneself, and what matter to one person doesn’t matter to another.

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