Quote:
Originally Posted by Katsunami
Everybody did that once or twice, I think. It's one of the things that teaches you how to handle money. I once bought something, upgrading a piece of equipment, thinking that I had sold my current stuff. Then the buyer e-mailed that he decided he didn't want it. That caused me to be strapped for cash for some time (a few hundred bucks can be a lot in your early twenties), until I sold the current equipment.
Lesson: "Don't spend any money 'you should be getting', because you might never get it."
I can't even imagine that. With $100K (€73K), one could lead a princely life, even in the most expensive part of the Netherlands, provided that one doesn't do any exceedingly stupid things.
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Not sure about princely but in Canada a reasonable life can be led by a lot less than 100k. Say 30K for a single person is more than adequate IMO. Not everything you want, but everything you need. Most would beg to defer.
Still many people live far beyond their means or pretty close to the edge with a lot more. Is everyone frugal in the Netherlands? No cars or houses repossessed or credit card debt out of control? Not saying it isn't so, and my understanding is that social services such as child welfare ones are better than North America, but I was not aware of any country where debt rarely got out of control for people who could actually get credit.
My perception is that Canada is fairly affluent and rarely do you see cases of properties etc. being sold for a dime on the dollar as happens to the south, but I hear a sob story every month from someone unable to pay their rent and or going to the food bank while making $20 - $30 an hour. Not that I understand it, but I am pretty sure most of them do not do it intentionally. Some people lack the capacity to learn the 'lessons', and while it is not my fault or responsibility, I do feel bad for them.
And while the person referred to in the OP does come across as self-pitying, she seems to be trying to come to grips with her situation.
Helen