Champagne Living

Live the Good Life!

You are here: Home / Style / Live Like a Billionaire – guest post Michael Masterson

Style

Live Like a Billionaire – guest post Michael Masterson

My brother reminded me today about this post written by Michael almost two years ago. I went back and reread it this morning and realized that it’s one that needed to be resurrected for the newer readers of Champagne Living. I hope that you’re inspired as much as I was when I first read it….

This guest post comes from one of my mentors, a man who truly understands living the good life as well as HOW to get there from where you are RIGHT NOW……

When you think about the rich — the really rich — you may find yourself marveling at their… well, their money.

Take Bill Gates. If you think $10 million is a fortune, consider this: He has 5,000 of them. If he put his money in $1,000 bills, he’d have 50 million of them!

But how much better does he live? Sure, he’s got a huge house. And a yacht. He’s probably got a jet too. But who needs that crap? Really!

If you make at least $100,000 a year ($150,000 if you are raising a family), you can live as well as Bill Gates does — and I’ll prove it to you. If you aren’t yet making that much, you’ll have to put aside this essay until you are. (If you’re following ETR, it shouldn’t take very long.)

Let’s start by identifying some of life’s basic experiences:

  • sleeping
  • working
  • dressing
  • eating/drinking
  • leisure

Now the purpose of becoming rich — you would think — would be to make each of these experiences as rewarding as possible.

Take sleeping. What does a billionaire want out of his sleep time? I’d say the same thing you do: blissful, uninterrupted unconsciousness. And what will give you that (besides peace of mind, which you can’t buy)?

Answer: a great mattress.

And how much does a great mattress cost? Maybe $1,500. That means you can buy yourself a billion-dollar sleep for no more than $1,500. If you are making $100,000 a year, you can afford it.
So get rid of that lumpy thing you are sleeping on and get yourself the best mattress you can find. Then go to sleep every night content that Bill Gates can have it no better.

Buying Yourself the Best

You can pay almost any price for any thing. But after a certain point, you are no longer paying for quality, you are paying for prestige.

Take steak. Ask someone who knows about beef and you will be told that the quality of a steak is mostly a matter of the cut you buy. (Let’s face it – there’s no great skill in cooking a filet mignon.)

Order a filet at Ruth’s Chris and, for around $30, you are getting the best steak money can buy. Eat the same thing at Le Cirque and you’ll pay $75. What’s the difference?
Yes — just prestige.

The same is true when it comes to your clothing. Beautiful, comfortable clothes are not cheap, but they don’t have to cost a fortune. You can buy the world’s best pair of slacks for $150 or you can spend 10 times that amount. The difference will be the label on the waistband.

Champagne, anyone? When Consumer Reports asked a group of wine experts to evaluate a variety of Champagnes, the four that came out on top sold for less than $40. Dom Perignon, fifth on their list, will set you back $115. A better bottle of bubbly can be had for only $28.

The point is this: The best material things in life are affordable.They are not cheap — quality never is. But if you buy them selectively and use them with care, you can enjoy a life as materially rich as Bill Gates on an income that wouldn’t get him through lunch.

Here’s how you can live rich, starting today:

Your Dream House

I have lived in a three-room mud house in Africa and a 5,000-square-foot mansion — and I can tell you this: The quality of a home has little or nothing to do with how much it costs or how big it is.

Think about the houses you most admire. They are probably NOT ostentatious. One of my current favorites is a modest three-bedroom in Cleveland, which has been transformed by the lady who owns it into a museum reflecting her love of travel, dance, and learning. Every room is a gem. I am completely comfortable and endlessly amused in this rich and interesting place.

In every important way, her home is worth more than Bill Gates’s 40,000-square-foot monstrosity in Seattle — yet it has a market value of only about $150,000.

Your Car

I have a friend, a wealthy friend, who loves cars, especially sports cars. He drives a Camaro. Why? Because he says it is as good as a Corvette, a Porsche, or even a Ferrari. Instead of forking out $150,000 plus… he gets his thrills at one-sixth the price.

What about prestige? Well, you usually have to pay more for that. But if you are willing to go the classic route… and buy a car whose design doesn’t change every year or so… you can buy yourself prestige at an affordable rate. For example, I drive a mint-condition NSX that you couldn’t tell from a brand-new one. My car is worth about $30,000. You’d have to pay almost three times that amount for a new one. The same holds true for older Mercedes and BMWs.

In fact, in terms of “living rich,” you should never buy a new car. You’ll save a bundle by purchasing a late model vehicle with low mileage. If you shop around, you can find a five- or 10-year-old car at 25 percent or 30 percent of the new-car price, and it will be just as good.

Your Wardrobe

What does it cost to dress like the world’s richest people? Much less than you think.

If you can forget about brand names and focus on quality, you will save thousands. Aswith cars, you’ll do better by going for a classic look. That way, you won’t have to discard perfectly good items simply because the width of the lapel or length of the hemline is no longer “in.”

The other big secret of dressing rich is this: Less is more.

Ralph Lauren — a guy who has the money and resources to dress as rich as can be — wears the same thing almost every day: classic-cut jeans and a T-shirt.

And don’t turn up your nose at high-end consignment shops. What could be more elegant than a vintage suit, properly tailored, impeccably clean?

There are many books on this subject. They all say pretty much the same thing. Having a few really nice pieces is much better — more enjoyable for you, more impressive to others – than a wardrobe full of trendy, ordinary stuff.

Want specifics? Get yourself two or three pairs of slacks (or skirts). One or two suits (or dresses). Two or three pairs of shoes. Buy only what looks great on you.

Make sure your socks are cashmere ($19.50 at Banana Republic) and your T-shirts and underwear are the finest cotton (or silk). Use only one cologne or perfume, and only your favorite personal-care products. The rule is to have much less, but enjoy everything you have.

Buy classic. Buy selectively. Insist on quality. Simple is better than complex. Understated is better than flashy. Do this and you will have what Bill Gates can afford to have: a very pleasant feeling each time you pull on your shirt or buckle your belt.

Food and Drink

Want a billion-dollar meal? Take a good bottle of wine, a baguette of freshly baked bread, some imported cheese, ham, and mustard, and go to the nearest park with a friend or loved one. You need only a knife and a corkscrew — what you have in your kitchen is fine — to prepare and serve a truly memorable meal.

Le Cirque? Well, I told you what I think about eating there. But if there’s an expensive restaurant you are dying to try, go ahead and treat yourself. Don’t do it too often, though. As someone who has eaten countless expensive meals, I know how tiring rich food can be. More important, I can remember few expensive meals that surpassed the simple wine and cheese lunches my wife and I have enjoyed when we were lucky enough to have them.

Music, Books, Movies, Etc.

With today’s technology, even a $300 boom box sounds great. So don’t even try to tell me you need to spend more than a grand on a sound system for your home. The secret is to select only the best music to play on it. Nobody — no matter how wealthy — has more than you to choose from.

The great thing about books: the best ones cost no more than the worst ones. Treat yourself richly by spending your money and time only on that which makes you feel richer afterward. The same is true for movies, theater, and just about any other form of entertainment.

There is only one extravagance you can’t buy reasonably: front-row tickets to professional basketball games. I have made the mistake of becoming a Miami Heat fan. If you are smart, you will learn to love college ball.

Your Office

Warren Buffett’s office doesn’t look like it belongs to a multi-billionaire. The walls are paneled plywood. The desk is a tabletop. He doesn’t need a cathedral-sized space and an altar-sized desk. He is not God, and he knows it.

But the room is uniquely his, with a comfortable chair, good lighting, and a place for everything. The only decorations are souvenirs and other objects that inspire him. Buffett’s office looks like no one else’s. And it works for him.

That’s what you want for your office.

I’m not saying your office should not be luxurious. I am saying it should be luxurious in a personal way. You will be spending most of your waking life in your office, so put as much thought and care into it as you do your home.

Silverware

Shopping for a Christmas present for my wife, I wandered into an antique shop that specialized in silver. The proprietor, a genteel, 86-year-old lady from Georgia, showed me this and that. And then, when she sensed I was looking for something very special, took me to the back room and showed me a collection of silverware by the Baltimore-based silversmith Reed & Barton. “If you were a millionaire,” she said in her seductive southern drawl, “You could not buy a finer set of silverware than this.”

It cost me $4,500. Nothing to be sneezed at, but that was for 14 place settings and a lot of serving pieces. Just think about it. You can own the finest silverware that money can buy — antique silverware, at that — for $4,500. Such a set of silverware could last you all your life, could give you endless pleasure and make even your ordinary meals elegant. The Queen Mother herself couldn’t do better.

I’m thinking about getting rid of the rest of our silverware and using only this. That’s how much I like it.

Reaping the Well-Deserved Rewards of Living Rich

If you fill your life with the best of everything, but you are too busy to enjoy it, you’ve missed the boat.
So do this…

Think about your schedule and pick yourself a half-hour a day to do nothing but enjoy yourself. (For some people, this is easy. For others, it’s tough. If it’s tough for you, tell yourself you’ll work smarter this way.) During this half-hour, do something a billionaire might do.

  • Sip a cup of espresso.
  • Have a Cognac.
  • Contemplate your good fortune.
  • Breathe deeply. Smile.
  • Then get back to work.

It’s All Entirely Within Your Reach

The way you dress, the way you eat and drink… even the home you live in… can be as good as any billionaire’s. Spend time shopping. Limit your possessions. And take a half-hour a day to really appreciate the good things you have. That’s all there is to it. (Oh, yes. And don’t scrimp on the mattress.)

[Ed. Note: For even more advice for how to “live rich” check out Michael Masterson’s book Living Rich – How To Enjoy A Billionaire’s Lifestyle On A Working Man’s Budget. It comes free with your subscription to our Liberty Street League service, which is dedicated to helping you make money in small business, investing on and off Wall Street, real estate, and much more. Find out all about it here.]

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, a free newsletter dedicated to making money, improving healthsecrets to success. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com. and

Comments

  4. This is a GREAT post! I agree, the homes I love most are simple brick homes with 3 or 4 bedrooms…when I see a huge house with lots of elegant windows and window doors and lots of rooms, I think “oh my gosh, to CLEAN that place!” and I worry about someone throwing a rock at the window (yes I’m nuts, lol)…and I have a sensible car, and a lot of these other tips are great!

  7. That’s only the place where I can feel like I am rich and I am a billionaire!Ha-ha
    Just a pretty nice and chilling article.
    For me as a writer with educational service that was funny to read such a story!

  8. Thanks for sharing this! Just a pretty nice and chilling article. For me as a writer with educational service that was funny!

  20. buying prescription drugs from india [url=http://indiamedfast.com/#]India Med Fast[/url] online pharmacy india

  27. Viagra without a doctor prescription Canada [url=https://generic100mgeasy.shop/#]Generic 100mg Easy[/url] Generic 100mg Easy

  40. Kamagra Kopen Online [url=https://kamagrakopen.pro/#]KamagraKopen.pro[/url] KamagraKopen.pro

  44. kamagra jelly kopen [url=https://kamagrakopen.pro/#]kamagra kopen nederland[/url] kamagra 100mg kopen

  53. Kamagra kaufen [url=http://kamagrapotenzmittel.com/#]Kamagra Oral Jelly kaufen[/url] Kamagra Oral Jelly kaufen

  55. apotek online [url=https://apotekonlinerecept.com/#]Apoteket online[/url] Apoteket online

  58. Apotheek online bestellen [url=http://apotheekmax.com/#]de online drogist kortingscode[/url] Beste online drogist

  62. Apotheek Max [url=http://apotheekmax.com/#]Apotheek Max[/url] de online drogist kortingscode

  65. Kamagra kaufen ohne Rezept [url=https://kamagrapotenzmittel.com/#]Kamagra Original[/url] Kamagra kaufen ohne Rezept

  69. canadianpharmacymeds com [url=https://gocanadapharm.com/#]GoCanadaPharm[/url] canada pharmacy online legit

  71. Agb Mexico Pharm [url=https://agbmexicopharm.com/#]Agb Mexico Pharm[/url] Agb Mexico Pharm

  74. canadian pharmacy reviews [url=https://gocanadapharm.com/#]GoCanadaPharm[/url] reputable canadian online pharmacy

  76. medicine in mexico pharmacies [url=http://agbmexicopharm.com/#]Agb Mexico Pharm[/url] Agb Mexico Pharm

  77. safe canadian pharmacies [url=https://gocanadapharm.com/#]GoCanadaPharm[/url] canadian king pharmacy

  79. www india pharm [url=http://wwwindiapharm.com/#]www india pharm[/url] www india pharm

  85. Pred Pharm Net [url=https://predpharmnet.shop/#]prednisone cost us[/url] Pred Pharm Net

  88. prednisone 5 mg tablet price [url=https://predpharmnet.com/#]prednisone tablets 2.5 mg[/url] prednisone 12 mg

  90. Pred Pharm Net [url=https://predpharmnet.shop/#]Pred Pharm Net[/url] Pred Pharm Net

  93. ZithPharmOnline [url=https://zithpharmonline.shop/#]zithromax 500 price[/url] buy generic zithromax no prescription

  96. casino deneme bonusu veren bahis siteleri [url=https://casibom1st.shop/#]casibom giris[/url] casino bonus casibom1st.shop

  103. sweet bonanza 1st [url=http://sweetbonanza1st.com/#]sweet bonanza[/url] sweet bonanza giris sweetbonanza1st.com

  105. gГјvenilir bahis siteleri [url=https://casibom1st.com/#]casibom giris[/url] bahis oyunlarД± casibom1st.shop

  108. canlД± casino bahis siteleri [url=https://casibom1st.com/#]casibom[/url] casino giriЕџ casibom1st.shop

  111. usa mexico pharmacy [url=https://usmexpharm.shop/#]certified Mexican pharmacy[/url] usa mexico pharmacy

  119. certified Mexican pharmacy [url=https://usmexpharm.shop/#]Mexican pharmacy ship to USA[/url] Us Mex Pharm

  128. indian pharmacy online [url=http://usaindiapharm.com/#]buy medicines online in india[/url] UsaIndiaPharm

  137. usa canada pharm [url=http://usacanadapharm.com/#]canadian pharmacy checker[/url] adderall canadian pharmacy

  146. canadian pharmacy [url=http://usacanadapharm.com/#]USACanadaPharm[/url] canadian pharmacy world reviews

  187. Cialis sans ordonnance 24h [url=http://tadalmed.com/#]Acheter Viagra Cialis sans ordonnance[/url] Cialis generique prix tadalmed.com

  190. Acheter Cialis 20 mg pas cher [url=https://tadalmed.shop/#]Cialis sans ordonnance 24h[/url] Cialis sans ordonnance 24h tadalmed.com

  192. Achat mГ©dicament en ligne fiable [url=https://pharmafst.com/#]pharmacie en ligne france fiable[/url] п»їpharmacie en ligne france pharmafst.shop

  194. Tadalafil 20 mg prix en pharmacie [url=https://tadalmed.shop/#]Tadalafil achat en ligne[/url] Tadalafil sans ordonnance en ligne tadalmed.com

  197. Acheter Kamagra site fiable [url=https://kamagraprix.shop/#]Kamagra Oral Jelly pas cher[/url] achat kamagra

  200. kamagra pas cher [url=https://kamagraprix.shop/#]kamagra en ligne[/url] kamagra en ligne

  207. kamagra oral jelly [url=https://kamagraprix.com/#]kamagra 100mg prix[/url] Acheter Kamagra site fiable

  213. Cialis en ligne [url=http://tadalmed.com/#]Tadalafil achat en ligne[/url] Acheter Viagra Cialis sans ordonnance tadalmed.com

  214. pharmacie en ligne sans ordonnance [url=http://pharmafst.com/#]pharmacie en ligne[/url] vente de mГ©dicament en ligne pharmafst.shop

  221. pharmacie en ligne [url=http://pharmafst.com/#]Pharmacies en ligne certifiees[/url] trouver un mГ©dicament en pharmacie pharmafst.shop

  222. pharmacie en ligne livraison europe [url=https://pharmafst.shop/#]Meilleure pharmacie en ligne[/url] acheter mГ©dicament en ligne sans ordonnance pharmafst.shop

  228. pharmacie en ligne sans ordonnance [url=https://pharmafst.com/#]pharmacie en ligne pas cher[/url] Pharmacie sans ordonnance pharmafst.shop

  230. Pharmacie en ligne Cialis sans ordonnance [url=http://tadalmed.com/#]cialis generique[/url] Tadalafil 20 mg prix sans ordonnance tadalmed.com

  234. Tadalafil achat en ligne [url=https://tadalmed.com/#]Tadalafil 20 mg prix sans ordonnance[/url] Cialis en ligne tadalmed.com

  239. Cialis generique prix [url=https://tadalmed.com/#]cialis prix[/url] Acheter Cialis 20 mg pas cher tadalmed.com

  245. Pharmacie en ligne livraison Europe [url=https://pharmafst.shop/#]pharmacie en ligne sans ordonnance[/url] pharmacie en ligne france pas cher pharmafst.shop

  247. Tadalafil 20 mg prix en pharmacie [url=http://tadalmed.com/#]Acheter Viagra Cialis sans ordonnance[/url] Acheter Cialis tadalmed.com

  262. Kamagra Commander maintenant [url=https://kamagraprix.com/#]kamagra oral jelly[/url] kamagra en ligne

  266. Tadalafil sans ordonnance en ligne [url=https://tadalmed.shop/#]cialis prix[/url] Achat Cialis en ligne fiable tadalmed.com

  267. kamagra pas cher [url=https://kamagraprix.com/#]acheter kamagra site fiable[/url] Kamagra pharmacie en ligne

  275. medicine courier from India to USA [url=https://medicinefromindia.shop/#]indian pharmacy online[/url] reputable indian pharmacies

  276. indian pharmacies safe [url=http://medicinefromindia.com/#]indian pharmacy[/url] Medicine From India

  282. RxExpressMexico [url=https://rxexpressmexico.com/#]mexican online pharmacy[/url] mexican rx online

  296. MedicineFromIndia [url=https://medicinefromindia.shop/#]medicine courier from India to USA[/url] pharmacy website india

  297. india online pharmacy [url=https://medicinefromindia.shop/#]Medicine From India[/url] Medicine From India

  302. indian pharmacy online [url=https://medicinefromindia.shop/#]indian pharmacy online[/url] indian pharmacy

  304. indian pharmacy [url=http://medicinefromindia.com/#]indian pharmacy online[/url] indian pharmacy online

  317. 77 canadian pharmacy [url=https://expressrxcanada.com/#]Generic drugs from Canada[/url] cheapest pharmacy canada

  319. indian pharmacy [url=https://medicinefromindia.shop/#]Medicine From India[/url] indian pharmacy online

  329. вавада казино [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada casino[/url] вавада казино

  333. вавада [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада казино[/url] вавада зеркало

  344. пин ап казино [url=http://pinuprus.pro/#]pin up вход[/url] пинап казино

  350. пин ап зеркало [url=http://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап казино[/url] пин ап казино официальный сайт

  356. вавада казино [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада казино[/url] vavada вход

  364. пин ап вход [url=http://pinuprus.pro/#]pin up вход[/url] pin up вход

  366. pin up вход [url=http://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап зеркало[/url] пин ап зеркало

  372. vavada casino [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада казино[/url] vavada casino

  379. vavada вход [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада официальный сайт[/url] вавада

  385. pin-up casino giris [url=https://pinupaz.top/#]pin-up[/url] pin up casino

  391. вавада официальный сайт [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada вход[/url] вавада официальный сайт

  413. вавада [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada вход[/url] vavada

  414. пин ап казино официальный сайт [url=https://pinuprus.pro/#]пинап казино[/url] пин ап казино официальный сайт

  417. пин ап казино [url=http://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап вход[/url] пин ап вход

  426. vavada вход [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada вход[/url] вавада зеркало

  427. vavada [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада зеркало[/url] vavada casino

  432. пин ап зеркало [url=https://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап казино[/url] пин ап вход

  435. пинап казино [url=https://pinuprus.pro/#]pin up вход[/url] pin up вход

  441. вавада зеркало [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada casino[/url] вавада казино

  445. пин ап вход [url=https://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап вход[/url] пин ап казино

  446. vavada вход [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада казино[/url] vavada casino

  452. пин ап зеркало [url=http://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап зеркало[/url] пин ап казино

  467. вавада зеркало [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада зеркало[/url] vavada вход

  473. vavada casino [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада официальный сайт[/url] вавада

  477. вавада казино [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada вход[/url] вавада казино

  486. pin up azerbaycan [url=http://pinupaz.top/#]pin up casino[/url] pin up

  494. вавада [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada casino[/url] вавада казино

  498. вавада [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада[/url] vavada casino

  504. pin up вход [url=https://pinuprus.pro/#]пинап казино[/url] пин ап вход

  508. Cialis without prescription [url=https://zipgenericmd.com/#]affordable ED medication[/url] discreet shipping ED pills

  509. Modafinil for sale [url=http://modafinilmd.store/#]modafinil pharmacy[/url] modafinil pharmacy

  515. safe online pharmacy [url=https://maxviagramd.shop/#]legit Viagra online[/url] best price for Viagra

  522. buy generic Viagra online [url=https://maxviagramd.com/#]secure checkout Viagra[/url] safe online pharmacy

  526. affordable ED medication [url=https://zipgenericmd.com/#]FDA approved generic Cialis[/url] affordable ED medication

  528. trusted Viagra suppliers [url=https://maxviagramd.shop/#]trusted Viagra suppliers[/url] best price for Viagra

  532. safe modafinil purchase [url=https://modafinilmd.store/#]purchase Modafinil without prescription[/url] modafinil legality

  534. online Cialis pharmacy [url=https://zipgenericmd.com/#]FDA approved generic Cialis[/url] discreet shipping ED pills

  540. same-day Viagra shipping [url=https://maxviagramd.com/#]fast Viagra delivery[/url] generic sildenafil 100mg

  549. legal Modafinil purchase [url=https://modafinilmd.store/#]safe modafinil purchase[/url] purchase Modafinil without prescription

  551. order Cialis online no prescription [url=https://zipgenericmd.shop/#]discreet shipping ED pills[/url] online Cialis pharmacy

  558. order Viagra discreetly [url=http://maxviagramd.com/#]same-day Viagra shipping[/url] generic sildenafil 100mg

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Verified by MonsterInsights