Is this wrong? (and any good ideas?)

Tink,

I think you just wanted to brag about your inheritance ...

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"The most beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being." - Sir Isaac Newton
(A REAL scientist)

No it isn't wrong (and I understood you just fine! lol), but it does take some confidence to pull it off. I had a friend who used to entertain herself by test driving whatever took her fancy - she always said she needed to speak to her husband, but she was sure he would go with whatever she chose - that gave her an easy out when the selling got hard. No one ever checked to see if she could really afford it.

Are you the type of person that can "window shop"? I can go into any store and come out with nothing. If you are the type that has to buy something everywhere you go then you may find yourself wanting some very expensive "toys". If you read much about lottery winners, many of them are broke. I assume it is because of the inability to window shop.

Well, I'm guess I'm confused if you want to spend the money on something or not? You don't actually need money to pretend to have money Am I missing something?

If you want to splurge on a treat for yourself I would personally plan a trip somewhere you've always wanted to visit.

Yep.

May I suggest that you look into immediate annuities. Depending upon how you set it up you can enjoy immediate income for life or for a set period of time.
Since the amount you will receive is based partially on return of your principal not all of the monies you recieve each month is taxable.

http://www.immediateannuities.com/

I think that you would have a great time doing that but you don't need money to pretend you are rich. Lots of people try out expensive cars etc without actually intending to buy one. I think a helicopter tryout would be fun as well as a visit to some factories you've expressed "interest" in investing in. Hershey's for one. Maybe a yacht or sailboat tryout? The possibilities are endless.

The only objection I would have is that those salespeople work on commission. If you're going to spend time "test driving" all those things, you're going to use up a lot of their time with no intention of compensating them for that time. The time they spend with you, that you know is not going to benefit them at all, could be spent on someone who actually intends to buy something. So, in that respect, I think it's wrong.

*laugh* I've found that a discount pair of Ann Klein shoes (nice spike pointy ones!) and a couple of ebay specials will open any door. I also have a client who for YEARS.. like most of his life, has conducted himself as if he Had Great Wealth. Now, he did, in fact, have Great Expectations, but he's always submerged himself in the finer things in life as though "tomorrow" he'd be laying down the cash for the purchase... and he's gotten away with it. I think the reason he did is that he simply carried himself with an air of someone who could afford anything, if it amused him enough to buy it.

Among other things this means Persian carpet dealers would send him carpets on spec.. hoping they'd be just what he wanted. Since he was a bachelor and kind of persnicity about how clean and tidy his house was, he'd have this rolling selection of very expensive carpets on loan. It went on for years and in all that time he bought one carpet!

He's attended the NYC and Boston boat shows on special VIP tickets (free, of course) for years. He can speak knowledgeably about a wide variety of luxury yachts and is always welcome (even though, of course, he never buys) because he is so knowledgeable about the yacht makers who send him tickets he basically becomes an additional salesperson for them, pointing out (credibly, because he doesn't work for the company) the finer features of the yachts.

He is, in short, a gas to have as a friend... last year it was Hummers... he got a special test drive on an offroad course which was better than any roller coaster. In that you ended up feeling like you were definitely going to puke half way through!

Half of being successful is simply showing up dressed for the part.

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Icelandic Sheep and German Angora Rabbits

You want your question answered, Yeah it's wrong. And it's sad that you equate money with "finer things in life" If these are things that make you feel rich then go do them and then go back to being poor. I have little money but feel rich on a daily basis. If I ever wanted to test drive a car or look at an over priced house I would just do it. The actions you speak of are not inherently wrong but your attitude surely is.

I agree with Pony:

The Bible is often misquoted regarding this issue. People say money doesn't buy happiness, and I understand that. There are plenty of ways to be happy without money. But I've found that it's easier to be happy when your bills are paid, and that takes money.

It sounds like your priorities are basically right - get out of debt first. This will make a lasting imrovement in your cash flow, whether you invest any money or not. In answer to your first question, no I don't think it's wrong to have a little fun with your money, AFTER your other obligations are taken care of, as you indicated.

If you have concerns about taking advantage of other people (like the Hummer salesperson), rent a Hummer instead! Take a special person out and spend a couple hundred bucks on a wonderful gourmet meal! "Test flying" a plane is usually not possible without the proper licensing, but what's wrong with taking the classes needed to get your pilots license?

As long as no one gets hurt, I say go out and have some fun!

Couldn't you do that before when you were a "Poor-Bob"? Or is this just a ploy to let us know that you now have money? And a "chunk of change" is relative. What you may consider a "chunk of change" might be nothing but "chump change" to me.

Would it be considered wrong if you were upfront and honest with the people who's time you will be using to show you the finer things in life? I think if you give them the opportunity to know the truth, and the opportunity to tell you not to waste their time, because of human nature they will be happy to "show" you whatever it is they are selling. Especially, if they can verify that you really do have the funds available for possible purchase.

It will be an opportunity for them to work on their salemanship Of course, they might not feel that way after the fact but you never know - you just might not have the strength of character to say no.

Have fun and enjoy you time in the sun.

Hugs
Marlene

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It is the one with persistence and determination that brings great ideas into being.

[QUOTE=Rose]Many very wealthy folks don't ACT like they have bucks, and lots of sad sacks with overloaded credit cards act wealthy.QUOTE]

That is so very true. Sometimes you can't tell if a person has a ton of money or if there are on there last dime. Rich folks an "look" anyway they want to and some don't WANT to look rich.
Case in point: I was selling some things at a horse show I was a dealer in stall and stable products. A guy came up to me bought a few items. Now He LOOKED like he was on his last dime. A T-Shirt that has holes in it. Tennis shoes that Sure has seen there better days. and his pants were nothing to go to church in either. Now he Bought 200 bucks of stuff from me. When he wrote out his check I noticed his name. NOW Get this.
He Not ONLY Owned a very Large Ford Dealership in the area BUT ALSO owned the Pepsi Bottling Plant in Town~!! So I am sure that 200 bucks was just pocket change for him.
But the moral is He did NOT LOOK like he had wealth at all~!!!!

Is it "wrong"??..I couldn't do it to the folks who make their living selling those items just to play some sort of game of my own..IF I strolled into a Jaguar dealership and gave the fellow the impression that I MIGHT buy one from him, personally, I'd feel like a creep for doing so.

OTOH, when I HAD a bunch of money, I used to get all kinds of things in the mail.."Come stay at our "high-end" resort on the waterfront for a free 3 day week-end..no strings attached..see if you'd like to purchase one of our condos over looking the North Atlantic." Now I see nothing wrong with that at all. I'd go and have no intention whatsoever of buying a condo and good luck to them trying to change my mind..THEY contacted ME..I never bought a condo and had a great free week-end. Yet those folks knew ahead of time what the deal was .

IMHO, to dupe other folks who are trying to make a living just so you can have the "experience" of being wealthy is distasteful..

Just my 2 cents..

Oh, for Pete's sake! Go for it, get all 'gussied' up and take that ride! It might not take a whole lot of 'rich' to get it out of your system when you find out how many of them act!!!! You just mightin' be dragging your poor butt back to the farm and kissin the cow-pattied pasture when you get there!!! Have fun and post all your ventures!!!!

Some of the richest people are the biggest cheapskates. Those are usually the kind of people who earned their riches themselves. They know poor first hand and dont want to go there again. Those born into a soft luxurious life are a different story. As are those who suddenly come into a pile of money without working for it such as lottery winners. They usually have never dealt with large amounts of money and dont know how to manage it.

I imagine right now Hummer dealers are happy to see almost any warm body walking in the door. Have you seen those incredibly stupid Hummer commercials out now. Some woman with kid has another woman with kid cut in front of her at playground, so she goes out an buys a Hummer to prove she's really top bitch. The other one is some guy in checkout who is ashamed of his big pkg of tofu in front of next guy in line with a cart of meat. So he goes out and buys a Hummer to prove he's a real man. What I come away with from these commercials is that only real LOSERS buy Hummers. By way can a civilian even buy a real Hummer anymore or are they limited to those luxobox H2/H3 pieces of crap?

If you really think you need to experience the high life, why dont you set aside some cash to take an obscenely decadent vacation trip, rub elbows with the other side and get it out of your system. Personally I'd rather have my eyes burned out with a red hot poker while being stretched on the rack, but each to their own.

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"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy

"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman

well, go ahead and test drive and test fly and look at the condo, if it does not cost anything there is no hurt in it. but if you waste your money on it I guarantie you that later you will feel like kicking yourself you know where.

Seeing how there's money to spend I guess we can drink some Michelob.
I've always wanted to do the 4 corners of the country. I've done 3 but never made Alaska, this trip should be made on motorcycle but a camper would do. Shark fishing off the coast of long Island would add something to the trip. I like cars and going fast so the Richard Petty driving experience would be cool as would Roy Hill's drag racing school.

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"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self confidence"
Robert Frost

I was wondering what color Hummer do you want to test drive?

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....