Oddbean new post about login | logout I’ve sampled all the fancy rich people stuff at this point in life and will now tell you what’s worth it and what’s not… Fancy car - Not worth it. Save the money and get a regular car. Really fancy car - Maybe worth it? Depends. If you’re super into cars these are pretty fun. First class air travel - Worth it. But fair warning you can’t go back to economy once you get used to first. Private air travel - Not worth it. Too expensive. Unless you’re some kind of huge celebrity you’ll be fine in first class. Luxury hotel rooms - Worth it. There’s a big difference between the ritz and the best western. Enough said. Fancy watch - Maybe worth it? Similar to the really fancy car thing. If you like it go for it, if not don’t worry you aren’t missing out on anything. Fancy clothes - Not worth it. Rich people don’t wear this crap. Gucci, LV etc is for upper middle class people to signal to poor people. Mansion - Worth it. Having a nice home is always nice, probably don’t go obnoxiously large though. Beyond 10k square feet you’re going to have weird maintenance and headaches taking care of the home. Private chef - Not worth it. The food tastes good, but it’s another person in your house and that shit gets annoying. Yacht - Maybe worth it? This goes in the same category as super cars and watches. If you’re into boats and you like spending time on the water it might be worthwhile. Otherwise just hangout by the pool, lake, ocean… same vibe but cheaper. Maids - Worth it. Nobody wants to do their own cleaning. Fancy food - Not worth it, caviar and foie gras will never beat burger and fries. High quality food yes, fancy rich guy food no. Maybe every once in awhile. Fancy booze - Not worth it. Gets you drunk the same as regular booze. The richest friend I have drinks natty light. True story.
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What’s the weirdest thing you’ve spent too much money on?
I’m pretty measured honestly so nothing too far out of the norm. Probably a piece of bitcoin art for a ridiculous amount of money.
Yea that’s fair. I’m in sales and am gonna buy a nice watch at some point but feeding three young boys is my current splurge.
I agree with all that, except for food and booze part. We need quality food to be healthy and live longer. Most of fancy foods have good quality ingredients, but good food doesn't have to be fancy and you can get it for cheap in most countries. Gastronomic plate may not worth it for the calories/price but you're sure to discover flavors you can't even imagine, and the same goes for alcohol, and if it's combined with food the feeling is priceless
Hodl's user review on being a rich guy 🫂
Will push back here some. Because there is a strong difference between rich, And class, And most people can not tell the difference. A tailored suit- Worth it if you know how the suit maker is relevant to you. Did you grow up in an Italian family that knows where they come from? Go there and find the oldest tailor in town and buy a suit. Three of you feel generous. Are you someone with your first 100k and know nothing about your family history? Mens wear house. The suit makes the man, But the man needs to know his stuff, Or the suit looks cheap anyway. Supercar- Are you planning on track days? Because if not this is basically for having the pick of prostitutes in Miami. You are not impressing anyone with a very expensive toy, You are proving you are “only rich”. Wealthy people drive slow anyway. They do not bother themselves for anyone. The harder you flex the more insecure you look. Luxury hotel rooms- Agreed. Especially if it is a historically significant hotel like the Savoy or the Brown. Worth seeing what millionaires lived like 100+ years ago. Being affluent is about knowing where you came from and living to the best of that potential. Corporate hotels are literally all the same- Modern. Watch- If you look at it as a collectible. Rich people buy things to consume and wealthy people buy things to keep as assets. You should never wear anything more than a Rolex out in public. Your 40,000$ Lange & Sohn lost 5000$ in value by wearing it once. A Rolex is plenty for the rich person value signal. Clothes- Wear what makes you comfortable. It is good to understand formal dress, But it is awkward to overdress. If you don’t work on Wall Street nobody is going to know the difference in what suit you wear and otherwise- And LV and Gucci are perfect tax deductible gifts for prostitutes, So keep that in mind when you give your daughter her first handbag. The Mansion- Is it a Virginia or Miami McMansion? A modernist piece of crap that anyone with the money can buy? Or is it a French Chateau? Does your house have character or are you just a rich douche? Yacht and Maid- this falls into a certain income bracket. Most people think being a billionaire sounds awesome, But they are actually the most hated people on earth, Thus they live on a boat and answer to no one. That guy did not make his money by being polite to your grandmother waiting in line to buy groceries. They are literally so detestable they need to live on a private boat away from civilians. If you do not understand this you are just rich. Fancy food- Italians emphasise the fresh ingredients from the garden. Definitely worth eating fresh food no matter what your income is. Eating cheap takes years off your life unless you are Warren Buffet and Coca-Cola has a vested interest in keeping you alive. Cancer is real. Fancy booze- in moderation. I feel like there is a well designed built in cost disincentive to drinking, Just like food. Quality is everything but don’t overpay if you just want to get drunk. If you still drink to get hammered you aren’t even rich. A good scotch or Tequila, A fine wine, Even a decent quality beer is still better than being a cheap drunk. Do your research before you indulge- Kind of the whole premise between being a rich asshole and a refined gentleman. All in all remember-The finer things are expensive for good reasons and nobody can survive on just cake. Hard work and patience built every prosperous fortune and everybody bleeds red. The moment you start believing you are better than other people because of your money and status is the moment your wife is fucking her cheap ex boyfriend from high school. Money is a tool not a right. Rant over.
Really good. I think with the house, you also can’t discount where your house is and what neighborhood. That can make a massive difference in quality of life. Big house in a shit neighborhood is a no go.
I feel ignorant of how many bitcoiners I follow are this rich. Did you take care of all the stuff people say they'll do first? Like pay off family member's mortgages, pay off your debts, college saving, etc?
Ps I’m not that rich. I’m doing well, but I’m not rich enough to own a private plan or a yacht. That said I have very rich freinds (early bitcoin OG’s) and have been able to sample their lifestyle by hanging out with them. For me though I do take care of some family members. Low personal debt. The kids have savings accounts etc… I never paid anyone’s mortgage and in fact some family members have an issue with me post success. So I’ve cut ties with many.
Wealth is always relative to who you hang around. It's amazing how many family members resent success and distance themselves when they realize you are rich (relative to them) and they should have listened. "must be nice...." I don't ever let that slide. My standard reply is "It's REALLY nice! Let me know if you want some tips"
Same. Not rich, but know enough rich people that I've tried that all out, except the plane and the yacht because I get seasick. And they were more like small planes and sailing boats they piloted themselves. Not like, some Russian oligarch's stuff, or something. 😂 I don't think you actually need to be that rich to do most of this stuff. It's very UMC.
I’ve been on Michael saylors yacht and it was Russian oligarch status. Like being on a floating hotel. It had a full staff and everything.
Now there’s a boating accident just waiting to happen.
A good house in a good neighborhood with good privacy and good food. No maids (another person in the house and privacy argument). This makes sense to me and it def makes a lot of impact on your well being. Don't care about anything else at all. If I liked/needed to travel a lot, then probably flying 1. class would make sense, but I don't.
1996 Toyota Land Cruiser forever!
I love your takes. I Agree on almost all of it. Except I drink on average once every 2-3month now. When I do, it's high end wine or scotch. In your opinion Porsche 911 Carrera: Fancy or really fancy ? Cadillac Escalade: Fancy or Really Fancy ? What's your take on good cigars ? Fun fact: I was flying home business class lately. I see Georges St Pierre (UFC legend goat) entering the plane and sitting economy. Fun to see someone famous likely responsible with his money and humble
lol I think gsp can comfortably sit economy because he’s tiny 😂 Not a cigar guy, but seems like a relatively cheap hobby unless you’re lighting up thousand dollar cigars every single day. I have an Escalade and honestly a Tahoe or a Denali would have been fine. 911’s are the shit and I definitely plan to get one at some point, maybe if bitcoin hits 300k+ this cycle.
None of these things matter, family is what really matters. You can't turn yourself into a king/queen but without a family you are just a grain of dust lost in the winds of time. Nothing worst than to amass wealth and die without no one to care for it, old, alone and sick. A tombstone without flowers, tears or goodbye's is a death not even the poor covet.
Agreed, but it’s not mutually exclusive you can have a family and money.
Sure I totally agree.
Family is an extension of you, your blood, your lineage, your history. A man who doesn't know his roots will never grow into a big tree. That's my opinion. Money is earthly.
Booze, yacht, private chef, fancy watch, fancy cars => unnecessary 1st class air travel => Economy Plus is enough when flying commercial Private air travel => Netjets route and schedule flexibility sometimes worth the price. Onboard luxury is unnecessary. Not having to go through regular airport onboarding process is priceless though. Luxury food & hotel & mansion => I take authenticity over sophistication every day. Clothes => function > look
a maid? That's what kids are for. Chores are essential to grow a kid correctly. Bigger house? just have more kids.
Thanks @HODL What about job and working hours? Do you quit a regular job or keep it? Do you change the job for a less paid but more joyful job? Do you spent less or even more time working?
I quit working, but somehow I still work lol not at a regular job though I just find different investing opportunities now
I’d say anything over a 6500 sq ft home is a pain in the ass. You already have 2 rooms you don’t use at 6500 sq ft. I’m in these houses a lot and don’t see the point beyond having room for a gym/workout room, a bar, game room and office. Those all fit very comfortably in 6500 sq ft. Perhaps if you have like 5 kids, then go up.
I have a lot of kids lol
Good. More kids, need more rooms. Just using the experience of the people I see who live in these homes. Most of them are professionals/lawyers/doctors who either have no kids or 1-3 kids. Most of the rooms are just there being potential cost factors when they go to sell.
Every man I've met with a fancy car was low-key a pig. Every man I've met with a really fancy car was a professional driver or an automotive engineer. I like station wagons best. First class air travel is nice and every time I fly economy, I hate it, but I'm poor, so oh well. Of course, I hate air travel, in general. FC train travel >>> FC air travel I like nice hotels and watches. I wear an elegant analog watch, encrusted with little diamonds, but nothing very expensive. I would happily trade it in for a Rolex. I'll stay at the Best Western or a hostel without complaint. I have mostly expensive clothes, but not many and not obviously fancy. Just wool and silk and stuff. Or handmade items with embroidery or knitted. Wear the same items over and over for years. Been wearing some for decades and inherited others from my mom. Never understood the point of private air travel or yachts, unless you're worried about getting shot or paparazzi. Mansions. I hate them. Cold, airy, impersonal, like a castle. I want a cottage or a large apartment with a nice view and a pretty garden, which I have. I am the private chef. I don't want a maid, as I am German and enjoy cleaning and tidying and sorting my trash. Love middle-class food and drink, but I'd include a nice €50 bottle of scotch and €10 German caviar in that category.
I wouldn’t consider a $50 bottle of scotch to be fancy. Just high quality. I was more referring to $1,000 bottle of wine or $5000 bottles of scotch. Personally I don’t have a mansion currently but I’d like one because I have 7 people and a dog living in my home lol and could use some more space. A mansion isn’t cold if you fill it with a big family.
They eventually move out, tho. that's always the thing. Mansions aren't usually designed to downsize well. Our family has a two-apartment house with a shared garden, and we leave the interior-apartment doors in the stairwell unlocked. That way you can huddle down in one apartment and expand into the second when there's more people, or rent it out. Like this. https://baumentor.de/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/mehrparteienhaus-hanse-haus-1024x512.jpg
That’s too European of a concept for me. lol as an American it’s big house. Big guns, big fence, big truck and lots of space between you and the neighbors.
yeah, i want to live in a place where i can't hear my neighbours shooting
My neighbors shoot in the forest or at the range. 😂
what i meant was that i'd rather have my neighbours over the edge of the horizon 😉
ie, either i'm in very ripply mountains that are hard to get around, or in a desert where average property sizes is more than 5km radius
I mean, it's over 4200 ft². How big is a mansion? Like a castle or a small manor house? 🤔
Mansion is usually around 10k square feet here in America
Everything is bigger in America. 🤷♀️
If you go to the Highlands distilleries, even Speyside, it's rarely more than a middle class person could spend and the REALLY expensive Scotch didn't taste noticeably better. Same with wine. So, then I agree. A lot of that price differential is marketing, I think.
single malts are definitely better, glenfiddich, glen morangie... they usually are also 12 years, which probably matters more than anything else
Dalwhinnie 🤩 Also, just a nice drive up there. Fun fact: I'm from the sept that started the Talisker distillery on Skye. (I think it tastes awful, tho.)
I felt obliged to go there and try to drink some, but my husband had to finish it because I was like, that'll put hair on my chest, good grief.
yeah, talisker was meh, dalwinnie (sp?) was ok... i tasted glenfiddich first time when i was like 18, me and my friends drank a bottle my mate nicked from his university professor dad's cabinet... and yes we smashed the bottle after too!
best I've ever had. https://i.nostr.build/3P5jl.jpg
well, that looks pretty swish
It's Bavarian and limited edition and we are almost afraid to drink it because we can't replace it. 😂
Doxxed 😅
150-250$ you get very solid scotchs
There are economical private travel options out there that have a time share element to them, such as NetJets; could be worthwhile if the client is in a time pinch. Less soul-crushing experience and gets you a couple hours of your life back without worrying about a morbidly obese neighbor ruining your day.
Read ecclesiastes. This has been know for thousands of years.
100% agree
Can confirm ✅
What about a roomba?
Roborocks are better in my experience. And it forces you to keep uncluttered floors. Which, for me, is a good thing.
Skip all this, go find out what YOU like/enjoy for yourself and your desired lifestyle. Choose the hard path and don't take someone else's word for what YOU'D FIND as "worth it" 🫡
I drive a 15 year old ford focus but my kids are in private school. Am I winning?🥇 For my money, a house keeper is the best low key investment. Happy wife happy life. Only twice a month for the deep clean. We do the rest. Would love to travel business class more often. Current status economy plus, unless it’s international then I won’t go without a lay flat.
To paraphrase, spend freely on items and experiences that spark true joy or eliminate problems and hassles. The rest is marketing to the insecure wannabes and is NGMI.
First class isn't worth it, but the maid...the god damn pinnacle of financial sovereignty 🤌😬
I think first class really depends on how tall you are. As a dude who’s 6’3 I need it.
High-quality food (farmer’s market organic produce, grass-fed beef, fresh seafood) worth it even if you’re not rich. Investment in health. Fancy car only if you’re so rich the cost is de minimis for you. Don’t need more than 3K square foot house at most, arguably 2K, unless you have a large family. A house bigger than 2K is unpleasant to be alone in. Can’t only plan for max occupancy, but also min. I would do private jet if I could afford it. I detest airport security, lines, delays, etc. Skipping the airport would be incredible. Don’t need a private chef — learn to cook, it’s one of the joys of life. Housekeeper is worth it a couple times per week, especially someone you like and trust.
Would this be considered fancy or really fancy? nostr:note1c5pfqslfev563vlddyck4p5dtn324kj2adzgllha84ug4h6ehm3qa7m03g
Absolutely agree except for one…the private chef. For $50k-100k they go and buy all your food, cook, and do dishes. This saves so much time especially if you’re in the US and eating out is almost impossible due to the lack of quality options. Now, if you’re in Europe, it may not be necessary because you can go out to eat much easier without having to worry about “poisonous” food.
