Still, others think I'm rich because I always go out with friends, watching movies or eating out.
But I think it's all a matter of how much a person wants.
I don't think I'm poor because I think my father earns enough for our family.
We are able to eat regularly. My siblings and I all went to good schools.
But does that make us rich? Not really, I just don't think we're poor.
Let me give an example.
Person A has a car.
Person B envies Person A and also wants a car. But he thinks he doesn't have a car and couldn't buy a car because he doesn't earn enough. He then starts to feel poor, as compared to Person A.
Person C doesn't envy Person A. He doesn't think he really needs a car and feels convenient just commuting. He doesn't feel that he's poor as compared to Person A.
So why am I up at this time having this theory?
Here's the thing...
I have a friend who thinks their family is poor and he always makes it sound like so that he has to forget the type of work he wants because he has to think about this other type of work wherein he can earn more for his family.
So I asked him why he feels the need to accept the job which earns more when he clearly wants this other job which I don't think earns that little the way he makes it sound like so.
So I asked him, how much they need in a month.
And he told me, Php 70, 000.00! And I was shocked.
I'm not sure how much our family of three (my brother doesn't live with us) needs in a month to survive but I'm sure we don't use up Php 70, 000.00.
And he lives with only his father.
So I told him, I think they need to cut on some of their expenses so they won't have to use 70 thou a month.
Then, last Tuesday, a friend offered me a job. I thought it had something to do with call center or tutorials which I'm both open to.
But turns out it was another buy and sell thing.
I was already offered this job around 2 years ago but I refused.
The salary sounds promising. These people kept telling me I'll earn a lot and that in less than a year I can already buy a car.
And they stressed the fact that this work isn't illegal and that DTI knows about their existence.
But I just don't feel drawn to it. It's too risky for me.
Besides, no matter how much they promise me this dreamy lifestyle, I just don't feel tempted.
Which led me to think that being rich is relative.
The guy asked me if there was any way I can earn as much as they do without having to work as hard as others who earn that much do.
And I told him I don't think I need all that money. Which he didn't buy.
So I told him, people only feel poor because as their income rises, so does their consumption (basic econ).
But if they cut on their consumption, then they can save more.
The guy who was talking to me laughed and said that there was no a way a person can reduce his consumption.
He told me that people, especially the youth, always want more.
They need to always have the latest gadgets and all the other luxuries.
And I just kept quiet and let him ramble on because I don't think he would have even believed me had I told him.
I bought my first cellphone with my own money. 3 out of the 5 cellphones I have had in the past were all bought by me. I didn't ask my father to buy me a cellphone.
The first time my father bought me a cellphone was already in college. And the second one he bought me last year after I lost the phone my sister let me use after my phone failed to work.
Besides I'm not the type of person who has to have the latest unit just so I can compete with other people.
I'm contented with whatever phone I have as long as I can call and text using it.
So no, I don't think it would be impossible to reduce my consumption.
I also noticed that last year, after having a part time job, I started to ride cabs more often.
If I was already running late, or I think that it's too hot to ride the jeepney, I would choose to ride a cab.
But then come 2010, I realized how much money I was using just riding the cab, so I stopped riding cabs.
And it wasn't that hard at all.
I would lie if I say that I don't want a car.
I want a car, and a laptop, and a lot more.
But I don't think that I NEED all these things.
Makes sense right? Wanting and needing something is different.
And wanting some things I can't have (well, not at this moment) doesn't make me feel poor.
I get all the things I need and I think that's enough.
These people who offered me the job may think I'm stupid not to accept their offer, after all the promises they made me, such as earning a lot and being able to buy a car, and so on...
But I'm satisfied with this lifestyle.
I'm not so desperate that I would jump at any job offer I get.
And no matter how much they tempt me, I don't think I'll be doing that sort of thing.
I'm just not the business-minded person.
