Rich Minx

The other night Madame X of My Open Wallet was sitting on her apartment balcony watching the sun go down when she experienced a moment of appreciation for the benefits her hard work over the years had brought her. It meant she was able to afford that apartment with a peaceful balcony.

I experienced a stab of envy as I glanced my window which is meters from the concrete wall opposite, but then I remembered that without money I would not be in New York in the first place. There is plenty of nature and peace and open space back in New Zealand; that’s not why I came. Here I get to see famous bands, attend special events, visit world famous art, run in Central Park and meet interesting people. It’s expensive and I can’t stay long, but I’m here.

It’s true that the best things in life are free and we always need to appreciate what money can’t buy, but what about the things it can buy, even indirectly? Without money I wouldn’t have been able to:

• Trek through the jungles of Borneo. Costs: plane ticket and guide and leech socks (optional).
• Learn a foreign language and travel through Europe. Costs: plane and train tickets and accommodation.
• Jump off a bridge and out of a plane in New Zealand. Costs: rubber cord and parachute (don’t scrimp on those items!).

I think about the future and how I would love a house one day and a healthy passive income, but it’s nice to stop for a minute and realize I’m lucky that money has already given me many experiences that other people don’t get to have. We talk about retirement plans, investment, saving and whatnot for the future, but what life experiences has your money already bought you?

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