My son raised an interesting question

“...he and I thought it would be cool to get a variety of repsonses to his question:

Let's say you are a person who is extremely busy, meaning you have very little time to do the things that you would like to do and there doesn't seem to be any change in that situation in the near future. Also, let's add in that you have a limited amount of money and that, too, is not likely to change. Now, the question is, which, if given the choice, would you like to have and why, more money or more time?”

“more time.

I made that very choice just in the past year. So far, I was right.”

“Reason, please. That is the most important part...”

“Money can't buy happiness but time can. I could make a lot more money by accepting a job that required more of my time, but I choose not to so I can always be there for my kids.”

“What's the point of more money if you don't have the time to enjoy it?”

“Same money but more time would be great now.”

“Exactly, not enough money in the world to replace what you have to give up chasing dollars around. Time with family and kids, time for yourself to stay sane is really what its all about.”

“Treebeard, you and your son were talking about me?”

“More money. With 19 credit hours I'm pretty busy most of the time anyway as college is very time consuming. And since I don't have a steady job money is hard to come by. If I had some more money it would free up a lot of time, so by getting one (money) I could get more of the other (time).”

“Bit, I said 'time' to my son and stated that with the time, I could always make some more money if need be, He said, 'cool, Dad', but if you had the money you may not need to use your time for that. Valid point, but he is leaving out the possibility of using your time for more pleasurable purposes...”

“Talking about being "RICH", MH?”

“Of course, perhaps us old fogeys are making the assumption that we'd have to work for the money in the equation.

Hell, if someone was going to just hand a couple million bucks, I'd say the money, lol...”

“It's always the paradox that when I have time I have no money and when I have money I have no time.”

“The question didn't say you had to work more for more money...just said which would you want, more time or more money. If it's a question of more money = working more or more time = working less, less money then I'm already at the more time, less money. It's nice that way as i have more time for school which takes up most of my time.”

“The eternal struggle between kids and parents who want what they think is best for them. I am assuming this is a black and white question - no give and take between the extremes, as in a little of both?

I made my career choices because I was raising 2 kids by myself. In the beginning there wasn't a lot of money, but the benefits were great and the money got better. I honestly don't know if the lack of time in some instances was more about the career or being a single parent. We got through everything fine and there was always enough time (and occasionally money) to do the important things. I seldom missed a school event and had enough cash to buy a dozen cheap baseballs every payday and play homerun derby with my son. But my decision to stay in the service had a lot to do with my kids welfare and not wanting to raise them anywhere near their grandparents and uncles.

The conflict is that they are both bright, articulate young people (daughter 31 and son 28) who have gotten into careers that give them great personal satisfaction (art major and personal trainer) but low pay and no benefits. They have accepted the consequences of their choices for the time being. I guess if they feel differently in the future they can make other choices.

After I retired I went back to college with the idea of picking up either an MSW or LCSW since I had done a lot of that type work and was good at it. However, economic reality bit me in the butt and I also didn't want to put in the years needed for a Masters degree. I did a little research and picked up an Associates in Opticianry, the net result being little difference in pay between the Associates and the Masters level in another field. However, that choice allowed me to completely quit work 5 years after getting my license. Now I have enough money to satisfy all of my needs and a few of the wants and have learned to tell the difference. So, the money can be a little scarce (relative to when I was working) but I am doing exactly what I want. I paid an early price but now I have complete freedom.”

“more time
more time to be with my family
more time to see my children's children
more time to hike
more time to kayak

more time to be with the man i love

money means nothing if you die young and alone.”

“More time.”

“Very good question. Especially from an eleven year old.
Most of us spend our life looking for the answer to this question
without even knowing it. I truly believe the answer to the question
is the fine line between those who are rich and those who are poor.
As I found out about a year and half ago when I decided to retire
after working seven days a week for over fourteen years. Time
is truly the most valuable thing one can posses. So many give
it away in return for the chance to make more money so that they
can buy the things that they believe will make them HAPPY.
If you want to be rich in life then take the time. In my book the happier
you can make your life the richer you are!



Hound Dog”

“I'm a teacher and so you know what choice I made. Twenty-six years and no regrets.”

“When do we get to the interesting question?”

“I'd like to have more money, just enough would do.

I would go backpacking in far away places several times a year.”

“My choice would be more time. Assuming that by more time that means more free time today and not living longer. I do not want to live any longer then I am already predestined to live but would love more time away from work to do the things I want like hike the AT or spend time with family. The fact is this: If I had more money without having to work for it then I would have more time because I would be able to take off work and still pay bills. If I have to work to get more money then NO. I will choose my free time, which I have proven this in the past by turning down overtime in order to spend time with friends and family.”

“More money! Reason: More time is impossible. Time is limited to 24 hours per day. I could only change or rearrange activities within the time frame.

More money could be positive or negative with regard to having "more time" for activities that I would like to do. The situation is complex and requires more information about the cause and effect of "more money" and of "more time."

Is this tied into the old expression, "Time is money?"”

“The person who wrote that never heard of TT.”

“More time.
Got enough money already.
Must be a smart kid, I bet.”

“bitpusher has a good point, my answer has an implicit assumption that I'd have to use up otherwise available time to earn the additional money. of course that's pretty much reality for most of us.”

“More money.

What use is extra time if you can't afford to anything with it?”

“I think it's interesting that older people assume that they'd have to work to get the "more money" thereby using up "more time", while the younger generation quickly grasps the fact the question doesn't say anything about working to get the money, therefore assuming that it's possible someone is just standing on the corner, handing out $100 bills.

Generation gap or experience gap? You be the judge...”

“MOre money now.

More time later.







wait . . .maybe that was the other way around.”

“The easy answer is more time.

However, more money could be the choice.

If you truly NEED the money for food, shelter, then going to work and earning money could be the most loving thing to do for one's family.

If you have a family goal, like college tuition for the kids or a great National Park adventure to save for, then working a little extra might be good.

I think that it's never as clear cut as the question, though. Busy people can express love to their kids just as much as the less hurried. Quality.”

“Hmmmmm, if time is money, then if you have more money, you'll have more time.”

“Time”

“Thanks for all the thoughful answers. I know the periphery of the question may be a little hazy, but I think he meant it as follows:
Not talking unrealistic situations here. We are talking of a person's life who is very busy making money, keeping up a family doing all the daily chores that are part of real life, but in a financial situation where his/her field only pays limited amounts for their full time services. Sounds all to familiar to me. Further, we are not looking to add hours to the day, nor are we looking at a situation where someone is handing out bucks by the millions. I know the parameters are still a little fuzzy, but the idea is there.


Oh, and Bacpac, here's an interesting question for you to ponder. If Miss Ann Thrope looks in the mirror, is there a reflectio looking back at her?”

“I'm making this choice right now.

My company has offered me a promotion that would mean giving up my 3day 12 hour schedule.

The money would be a significant increase.”

“For a year I literally had nothing but time and absolutely no money. In part it was the best year of my life and the worst year of my life.

I choose neither one. Instead I would choose to be able to more wisely utilize what time and money that I do have.”

“I never have the Time to relax, do the things I like, visit family & friends, charity work, yard work, learn new things, see new places....True if you have more time you would tend to spend more $$$ using that time, then what $$$ you already have.
But,
I would spend the FREE extra time doing things that don't really cost money to do. Sleep! Exercise, Hike, Bike, Swim, Visit others (maybe get a free meal LOL), Charity work (habitat for humanity) Read books, watch movies, surf net, TT posts, bla bla bla.....
More money would make me more miserable, due to I would not have the time to do anything with it....

Definately Time!!!

Great Question Tree, your son is a bright young Lad.
He must take after his mom! LOL j/k”

“So which choice are you making or leaning towards?”

“Something worth mentioning. Ever notice the more free time you have the more time you waste. Same thing is true with money.”

“Time”

“Hmm, been there, done that. A couple of years ago I was pretty busy, I worked my butt off, got up at 6, brought the kids to school. and up to the office it was. Kids came home, I sat on that computer. Evening came: I cooked, brought the kids to bed and then...sat on that computer until 3 or 4 in the morning. 2 hours of sleep wasn't unusual at all.

I even started to loose some of my hair. Doctor said I needed to stop killing myself. Too much stress.

But I really did like the money. If I found time to shop I was able to buy me wonderful things. IF I FOUND TIME!

Well, I realized that money wasn't anything what would make me happy. So I reduced my workload, took night off and took weekends off and lost clients. LOL

Doesn't matter though. I have work, maybe it could be better, but at least I have time for my kids, husband, and myself. AND I don't loose my hair :)”

“Time too. Raising my kids has been a hoot.”

“Time for sure.

Its finite, you can ever earn more.

Its not taxable.

Bill Gates has a 24 hour day. The poor bum in the gutter has a 24 hour day.

Money wont make me happy, time with my wife and daughter will.”

“Time (Mason, Waters, Wright, Gilmour) 7:06

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.

Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say.



Money (Waters) 6:32

Money, get away.
Get a good job with good pay and you're okay.
Money, it's a gas.
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash.
New car, caviar, four star daydream,
Think I'll buy me a football team.

Money, get back.
I'm all right Jack keep your hands off of my stack.
Money, it's a hit.
Don't give me that do goody good bull#&%!$.
I'm in the high-fidelity first class traveling set
And I think I need a Lear jet.

Money, it's a crime.
Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie.
Money, so they say
Is the root of all evil today.
But if you ask for a raise it's no surprise that they're
giving none away.




more time, for more music, for more tears and more joy...more elation and more misery...more you and more me. more money and more poverty, more problems and more solutions....just more....more or less”

“Is both an option? No? Well then, time, because, as we buddhists believe, the greatest path in life is the pursuit of happiness. Time, rather than money, leads to happiness.”

“More money now but before I was hurt I wanted more time. I have all the time in the world right now. I want more money for now. Then I will be looking for more time.

So I guess I will just have to go with more time.”

“I'm gonna go with time, seeing that I havn't had a chance to read TT at all today. But, maybe I didn't miss anything too important.

And ditto what Grelim said. I think often about the pay cut I'll be taking in a few years, but that summer off thing will be so sweet....”

“"I think it's interesting that older people assume that they'd have to work to get the "more money" thereby using up "more time", while the younger generation quickly grasps the fact the question doesn't say anything about working to get the money, therefore assuming that it's possible someone is just standing on the corner, handing out $100 bills.

Generation gap or experience gap? You be the judge..."
bitpusher
01:28:41 PM
03/29/04



how is it that everytime it comes up to working and about money that "older" people always had it worse...you know what i dont think so...i never got an allowance coming up, i worked everyday after school and still had an average of near 95...im not talking working at the music store either im talking hard physical labor, EVERY day...i dont go around slamming old people cuz they didnt do what i did when i was younger...im 22 years old in two days and you know what i know that everything i have and own was aquired by me and myself and my own working...just get over it "old" people some of us work just as hard as you...”

“More money for less work and more time to get it done.

It's the time I really want. Because my money is directly related to how much time I work, I shift the time around to maximize the benefit.”

“more important than money or time is who you have to spend either with if you have no one neither means anything”

“if someone as old (and wise!) as nowslimmer will cast aside "more time" for "more money", then money must be the answer!”