Money Meme

Here's a meme I've seen at wolfangel's and at Dr. B's. While I'm not that fond of this kind of meme, this one is curiously appealing. Perhaps this is because I've been thinking about money a lot these days, and the notion of having money is very pleasant to contemplate.

1. How much money is in your wallet right now?

I think about $6.25. The quarter is for emergency phone calls. Even though I have a cell phone.

2. How much money would you need in the bank to feel secure? Rich?

To feel secure, I'd like it to be enough that I could pay for groceries and rent and have enough left over that I wouldn't have to think too much if I decided to go out for eat, or to buy yarn or a book on a whim. Maybe $2000 a month?

To feel rich, it would be enough that I could do all of the above without having to think about the expense at all. Plus I'd like to be able to do things like travel, or feel like I can spend time finding my feet as a writer without worrying about where the next paycheck is coming from. Maybe $5000-$6000 a month?

3. If someone gave you $100, no strings attached, what would you do with it?

I'd put it toward my credit card debt.

4. If someone gave you $1 Million, no strings attached, what would you do with it?

Pay off the credit card, pay off my student loans, stuff half of it in my mutual funds accounts, and put the rest in savings. (I figure my earned income is going to be low enough over the course of my life that it'd be better to save it for later.) If I need to do something frivolous, it would be to go on some sort of exotic trip.

5. How much does something have to cost before it starts counting as “real” money, as a purchase to be considered and evaluated, but below which you’ll buy without really thinking about it?

It depends on how much I can rationalize the purchase. Often, adding a bar of nice soap to the grocery cart counts as a significant treat, and that's only about $5. But, really, anything over $20 these days requires a lot of thought beforehand, and even something in the $10-15 dollar range gives me pause. To buy something with almost no thought at all, it would have to be $2 or less. (Oddly, though, if it's the right thing, once I've made the decision and feel happy about it, the cost is not that important.)

I do feel like I need to work harder on being responsible with my spending, however. My needs and desires are not great, but my income is crap.