what money really means and how to get rich_84

_{Destiny took its own control over Rick's work life. And that is fine with}

_{Rick. He's not miserable at the office. It's boring, sure. He wouldn't work if he didn't have to. He doesn't really know what he would do with all his time if he didn't work at a job.Maybe he'd do something more creative."Something}

_{with music," he says. But that's a vague notion.}

_{It's not for lack of ambition that Rick thinks this way. He went to college,}

_{he got his degree in marketing. He entered the workforce and moved up the}

_{corporate ladder just fine. And that is just fine for Rick. "I don't want the}

_{stress," Rick says. At thirty-five years of age, he doesn't want to make the sacrifices}

_{necessary to skip ranks.}

_{And Laura, at thirty-two, isn't a frustrated housewife. She enjoys staying}

_{home with the kids, taking them on walks, meeting other mothers for "play}

_{groups" in the park.}

_{"Our plan," says Laura, "is about family.We want to raise well-grounded,}

_{cool kids."}

_{Planning is a big part of the Nelsons lives. They plan for the children's}

_{college, saving $75 per month for each child. They budget $20 for their}

_{children's entertainment, like sports equipment, movie tickets, or computer}

_{games. They have a separate budget for food—$400 per month. Then there}

_{is the rest: clothing, car insurance, life insurance, short-term savings,}

_{retirement—a 401(k) plan—haircuts, water, telephone charges, gifts for}

_{birthdays and baby showers.}

_{Sometimes they spend more money than they bring in.Those costs go on}

_{a credit card, says Rick. But they try and maintain their budget. Laura keeps}

_{the budget.}

_{"Our budget works fine except for when we overspend on clothes,}

_{entertainment, or food," says Laura. "Those are the things we tend to always}

_{go over on."}

_{Sure the Nelsons would like it to be a little easier. A bigger house would}

_{be good, as Laura just had their third child. Some extra dough for food or a}

_{mansion, an exotic second home, fancy furnishings.}

_{"Our ultimate goal would be to do more things as a family," says Rick.}

_{And that is it for the Nelsons. Money means security and nothing else.}

_{Their lives now are nice.Why screw that up with mania, greed?}

_{They're not alone in their thinking.}