Being Greedy....

[Sculpto]

Same applies to women as well, unless she takes care of children.

That's why I always thought that occupation is a major determinant of personality. Chosing a profession, we chose our lifestyles. If you make your hobby your profession, you will not have to work in your life at all!

I agree in principle Lily.. but.. I did that when I was a wood worker, a hobby which I loved very much.. at the end of 20 years of it.. I grew to hate wood working and if I never cut another piece of wood it will make me happy.  Be careful what you wish for

[Simoni]

2.  Retirement?  What is retirement?  A man should keep working as long as he can breathe.  Men die early in life while still at a working age.  The only people who retire are pensioners who barely survive with their pitifully small pension from the government.

Love it!!!     LOL

[Daveman]

I guess a typical RW would tell to this, 'Just go and earn more money'.

LoL! To which I would respond to the typical RW "Of course I will make more money, as soon as you get a job!  Whar's my Borshch!?!"

Hmmmm,  I think it's becoming abundantly clear why I am still single... 

[Sculpto]

LoL! To which I would respond to the typical RW "Of course I will make more money, as soon as you get a job!  Whar's my Borshch!?!"

Hmmmm,  I think it's becoming abundantly clear why I am still single... 

LOL.. that might depend on what level of princess you demand Dave.. if she could be on the cover of the SI swimsuit issue and you expect her to spend the day cooking borsch..

I like the lady dokrog is married to.. sandles in the mud planting taters.. and she cleans up real nice.  Equal to the awesome words he was been writing those images speak very loud and clear to me as an excellent example of how to do it right. 

Lily.. how do you feel about getting your hands dirty?    Any other ladies care to answer the same question?

[Doll]

Whar's my Borshch!?!"

What does it mean?

[Simoni]

What does it mean?

Whar's --   He is writing the words "where is"  in dialect.

Borshch!-  He is saying the woman should have his soup ready for him to eat.

[Gator]

I guess a typical RW would tell to this, 'Just go and earn more money'.

Sabina never reads RWD. 

Today she asked me what was happening among my Internet friends.  I told her about this "greedy" thread, and she wanted to know more.

Your pragmatic solution that I quoted above  really made her laugh (in agreement with you). 

[bobb]

They may be in a dictionary, buy in reality not buying a new car and saving the slivers from the used soap to wash your clothes later ain't the same thing.   

Well yes of course.  I didn't think I needed to add a person needs to use common sense when being economical/frugal.

I agree, but the goal is to buy quality at a cheaper price.

How does one explain this concept to a RW?  Or maybe a RW is already well aware of this.

It reminds somewhat of the practice of us consumer's being forced into making a decision when purchasing something many times.  Do we wish to be an unpaid walking billboard with the clothes we wear, or do we just say Nyet, I'll find something without the advertising!

[Misha]

How does one explain this concept to a RW? 

You just have to find the right RW  My wife understands the concept of buying quality, but buying it at a discount quite well. She had certainly taught me much about living frugally.

[Daveman]

Whar's --   He is writing the words "where is"  in dialect.

Borshch!-  He is saying the woman should have his soup ready for him to eat.

that sums it up quite well!

Doll, it was part of a joke about putting the wife to work and me being "greedy" for borshch... have some more wine.. trust me, the more you drink, the funnier my stupid jokes become.   

[Doll]

that sums it up quite well!

Doll, it was part of a joke about putting the wife to work and me being "greedy" for borshch... have some more wine.. trust me, the more you drink, the funnier my stupid jokes become.   

Actually I understood this thing with borshch right away, just didn't want to comment (as almost any RW would)

[kievstar]

I think most women are good shoppers and want to buy quality at a low price.  However the level of quality is relative to the mans income.  A man making less than 200,000 usd a year has a smaller chance of being greedy with a RW than a man making more than 500,000 usd.  Also, the level of quality of purchases will increase the more a man makes.

A frugal RW with a rich man will change quickly into a woman most men may think not frugal.

[Doll]

A man making less than 200,000 usd a year has a smaller chance of being greedy with a RW than a man making more than 500,000 usd.     

I don't think so

[JR]

OK, so to try to finish my original thought:
It seems to me that there is a fundemental difference in the way Americans and FSU percieve money. In the FSU saving is punished by inflation. It has been this way for some time now. You are rewarded with more...whatever, if you spend your money now. In America (and other Western countries) it is possible to recieve a reasonable return on your investment in different avenues of "savings."
There has never been a time that I can remember when I have spent my last dime (kopek) on a woman. I have however spent great sums on them.
My own classic example of being called greedy goes like this. Many years ago when my ex and I were just starting out we shared a house with someone else. (We had gotten married here and she went back to finish school. She finished eight months early and gave me three days notice of her arrival) I had planned on being into an apartment before she got here but since she was here we went looking together.
I had explained to her that we could get a smaller, less expensive apartment which would allow us to pay off debts and save for a down payment on a house. Or we could get a bigger, more expensive apartment which would push out the buying date by a few years. Well she wanted both... She wanted a big apartment, a car and a house within the first two years. I told her that wasn't going to happen. She called me greedy. I thought I had a plan.
Well as it worked out I put my foot down, we got a smaller apartment, she got a car and her and her mom made several trips back and forth. I paid off the bills and saved a pretty good amount of money which along with my 401k we used to buy our house. I paid for making that stand but in the end we sold the house and both got very large checks after the ride we took the equity train.
So I guess I just don't understand this greedy thing.

[Misha]

So I guess I just don't understand this greedy thing.

Here is a 17 word explanation: greedy = if you marry a spoiled princess, you will never spend enough, and therefore will always be greedy  :evil:

[JR]

Here is a 17 word explanation: greedy = if you marry a spoiled princess, you will never spend enough, and therefore will always be greedy  :evil:

LOL. She is now married to a wealthy attorney, living in Beverly Hills and driving a Bently so you're probably right. To make myself laugh I sometimes imagine her raking him over the coals and calling him "greedy."

[Daveman]

Here is a 17 word explanation: greedy = if you marry a spoiled princess, you will never spend enough, and therefore will always be greedy  :evil:

hahaha! nice

To be honest, perhaps the term "greedy" used to have relevance, or maybe it does still... but I can honestly say that in all the times I have ever heard the term used in conversation, each woman I dated made the comment "you are not greedy" (and really I am not sure why because I didn't spend a lot on them other than typical dating stuff, a few flowers, small gifts here and there for her or the family, but nothing really big at all)

OR it was used by a woman who did not get something she wanted -- which makes it meaningless really.

I'm with you JR, in real life application, it's rather ambiguous, but, my best guess as to how to phrase it so that at least makes a little sense to me it that it is an attitude about money, which would appear (appearances are everything over there) to portray the man in a light where money means more to him than the woman.  It doesn't mean spend a fortune, but it does me she always comes first (as any partner should!) If that ain't close then let's forget it and go get plastered...         :evil:

[kievstar]

My advice for guys worth more than a million in cash is not to talk about money around RW - meaning how much you have, how much you make, etc.  Women change around money.  A Bentley is a small purchase for more than 2 million men in the USA.  However it is a large purchase for more than 100 million men in USA.  Being Greedy is not how much you spend.  You can buy a Bentley for a girl and a several million dollar house and still be greedy. 

Regarding money in Russia / Ukraine - I have met people that have been putting money in Swiss banks since the 1980's so do not think all Russians lost money to inflation and collapse of banks in past 20 years.  The smart ones took out loans in local currency and converted their profits and deposited in Swiss bank accounts.  Their debts became nothing. 

[Doll]

My advice for guys worth more than a million in cash

[mies]

I think that you are on the right road of thinking . When a man thinks about "how to save on his woman" I consider this guy not "greedy" but very "cheap" in all aspects of life.

agree.
Although it has little to do with financial crisis and Soviet Union disencouragement of saving.
Russians were famous for generosity centuries ago.

Also, JR, it's a bit weird for me to read about "saving habits" from representative of the nation which (the nation) lives in credit (that is American people). People in USA aren't really saving - usually they are paying their debts and mortgages. If you will - it is closer to desire to get something for nothing rather than saving. One gets an expensive house now because on mortgage this house looks so cheap and affordable. Than 10 years later when crisis hits - people realize this wasn't something for nothing and they have to pay the full price. Same approach to women - some men believe they can get something/everything for nothing without realizing they will have to pay for it later - one way or another. This first part of the scenario - to get something for nothing - is most likely referred to being "greedy" - man wants to get a "better" woman, and "make a good deal" on her.

[kievstar]

Hi Doll, I see you find me amusing.  Can you go into more detail and explain in more than 5 sentences why?  I always like to learn things.  Not sure your English level and maybe this why half a sentence? 

[groovlstk]

My own classic example of being called greedy goes like this. Many years ago when my ex and I were just starting out we shared a house with someone else. (We had gotten married here and she went back to finish school. She finished eight months early and gave me three days notice of her arrival) I had planned on being into an apartment before she got here but since she was here we went looking together.
I had explained to her that we could get a smaller, less expensive apartment which would allow us to pay off debts and save for a down payment on a house. Or we could get a bigger, more expensive apartment which would push out the buying date by a few years. Well she wanted both... She wanted a big apartment, a car and a house within the first two years. I told her that wasn't going to happen. She called me greedy. I thought I had a plan.

If a woman can't understand the basics of finance or refuses to share long-term goals as a couple, something is very wrong. There's nothing to misunderstand or any reasons to blame yourself - just move on and leave her to her delusions (unless you're fabulously wealthy and actively seek this type of relationship).

[Misha]

People in USA aren't really saving - usually they are paying their debts and mortgages.

Being frugal and wasting less money where you can, allows you to pay off debt faster, save for a down payment on a house and then speed up the payment of your mortgage. All of these things will allow you to pay less interest as you build up equity. At some point, people must save money if they are going to pay off their debt: at the very least, they must keep some portion of their earning to pay the minimum payments on their debt  What I have learned: better to have a wife who values a reasoned approach to spending and setting financial goals.

[mies]

Being frugal and wasting less money where you can, allows you to pay off debt faster, save for a down payment on a house and then speed up the payment of your mortgage. All of these things will allow you to pay less interest as you build up equity. At some point, people must save money if they are going to pay off their debt: at the very least, they must keep some portion of their earning to pay the minimum payments on their debt   What I have learned: better to have a wife who values a reasoned approach to spending and setting financial goals.

Misha, thank you for elaborating - I know how the financial system works in USA.
Saving - is when you save money now to use them later. You do not consume now.
Borrowing - is when you get something/comsume now, which you cannot afford to pay for, then you have to pay your debts.

There is a huge difference between the two. Difference in financial terms, and difference in psychology of individuals.

People who save - choose to have more goods later rather than having them now. They give greater value to the future than to nowadays.
People who borrow - choose to spend more now rather than spending more later. They give greater value to their current needs, often are too optimistic about their future earnings and downplay their future needs.

These are the key differences between saving and borrowing.
People in Soviet Union were encouraged to save. They could not buy things in credit like they do in USA. Till recently - credits were not available as such for vast majority of FSU population.
Unlike in the Soviet Union - the USA has a long history of mortgages and living in credit. All financial system encourages people to spend - another side of this is known as "consumerism society" - the term which in most cases refers to the USA (and not the Western Europe, though Western Europe is also industrialized and highly developed).

I hope you too see the difference between "saving" and "paying the debt"


How it applies to *some* men looking for wives in "less developed" countries? Same logic works in finding wife as buying a home. Man sees beautiful home, he runs calculations, sees that he needs to save *** for down payment, and he can afford ** to cover minimum monthly payments on the debt. Man thinks "ok - I can afford it". Then he buys a house. Next thing - foreclosure. Because he'd chosen a house on the maximum of his earning capacity. Because the house was so beautiful and mortgage looked affordable.
Man looks for wife and views it as an investment. He sees the beautiful women on "YOURBESTRUSSIANBRIDE"  websites, he runs the math "ok - 10-20K for the visa, 1-2 trips, bringing her over here, then 500$/mo for her maintenance. I can do that" Then woman comes over, and it turns out that $500 aren't enough for her, she needs something else, initial conditions change, and in 2-3 years - "foreclosure" of marriage.

to JR -
greedy is a man who wants to save on a woman
man who always runs the math and thinks that last kopeek for flower/fun/pleasing the loved one is nonsense - is boring, he may or may not be greedy.

[Misha]

People who borrow - choose to spend more now rather than spending more later. They give greater value to their current needs, often are too optimistic about their future earnings and downplay their future needs.

Not always. I took out some student loans to go to university. I saw going to university as a way to get a better job and make more money in the future in a job that I liked. In other words, I borrowed money to be able to meet future needs. Not all borrowing is about living for the present, prudent borrowing can also be about building a better future.

Unlike in the Soviet Union - the USA has a long history of mortgages and living in credit. All financial system encourages people to spend - another side of this is known as "consumerism society" - the terms which in most cases refers to the USA (and not the Western Europe, though Western Europe is also industrialized and highly developed).

Yes, because we did not receive houses from the state as was the case in the Soviet Union. Living on credit is not necessarily a bad thing if it is a mortgage (the exception being if you buy a house just before a speculative housing bubble bursts) and you are willing to make some sacrifices for the quality of life that buying a house will bring you. Historically, people would buy houses, gradually pay them off, and once they were paid off the equity (in essence savings built up over time) could be used later in life.

I hope you too see the difference between "saving" and "paying the debt"

Again, spendthrifts neither pay off debt nor save. You have to be economical if you hope to pay off debt and save. If you aren't, you can't do either. You missed my point in that you have to "save" money (i.e. spend less money than you earn) to pay off debt. If you do not save anything and just spend recklessly, you will have not money left at the end of the month to either pay off debt or save money.