The Nagging Twenty Dollars

A friend recently told me the story of a person who has twenty dollars he didn’t know what to do with. My friend gave him some good advice and I’m sure that person would not regret his decision if he took it.

Today I went for a walk- a really long one. Those of you who are familiar with my weekend marches will know what I’m talking about. These long solo marches give me the opportunity to think and reflect, and amid thoughts of Greta Garbo’s eyes and Milla Jovovich’s figure, the extra USD 20 kept popping into my mind. One thing led to another, and I began to wonder how anybody could be in that position. I formulated a hypothetical hierarchy of personal finance priorities.

First: Bare essentials.

Food, shelter and comfortable clothing, (if you’re a lady, torture devices like high heels come into this category). Indulge- food is not about getting energy to keep all the departments working, but eating well can also be a very sensuous experience. For those of you living in south India, walk into a vegetarian restaurant and order one of those meals where they give you 8 little bowls of various curries, vegetables and lentils along with steamed rice. Switch off the damn cellular phone and focus on your food for just 40 minutes- bite by bite. You’ll know what I’m talking about. The bill? Between 50 cents and a dollar and a half depending on the place you visit.

Second: Charity.

Ok… Stop hissing- and you- between Mother and Teresa is no place for an expletive. But yes, for a person who has enough to survive, altruistic giving can be a very fulfilling experience. Key principle here: Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach him to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime. Invest in a cause. Alms are just a waste of money.

Third: Investments.

It has been only recently that I discovered the merits of a well designed financial plan with goals. There is great joy in watching the financial fruit of one’s labour grow by itself. Key principle: Little drops of water make the mighty ocean.

Fourth: Vices.

Vices are good for the soul if kept under control.

Fifth: Excesses.

The Cessna Citation X, a dead shark in formaldehyde, the ludicrous Bugatti Veyron that makes no ecological sense etc.

Well… this sounds too preachy- but to the guy who has USD 20 that he doesn’t know what to do with, here’s an idea- call a friend you haven’t seen in years and buy him a beer.