Do you play the lottery? Why? I don’t, and it’s based on my two main memories of the lottery…
- Virginia set up a scratch-off system when I was about 9 or 10 years old (I think). My dad bought me a ticket with $1 of my allowance. I won $3, and bought 3 more lottery tickets. I lost. It hit me – this is just a way to get you to throw away money on false hope. Well, I probably didn’t think of it exactly that way. But it was pretty close. I haven’t bothered with the lottery since.
- A family comic strip called "Hi and Lois". Their oldest plays the lottery and says, "Dad, this is going to change my finances!" "It already has," his dad says. "You’re down $1."
And that brings us to this great post: The Art of Nonconformity � Giving Up the Lottery Fantasy.
"I am now anti-lottery for reasons that have nothing to do with moral qualms. My reasons are even more personal: I am thrilled with the life I am building. I do not want the state of Washington, or any other government entity, to give me my ticket to happiness. I want to earn it"
Indeed, why play the lottery? Why bother? You can save minuscule amounts per week, and still come out farther ahead than you ever will by plunking down dollar and after on lottery tickets.
Oh wait. Unless you hit it big.
But here’s the short and simple: You won’t.
Save your money instead.
As you probably know, Mr St Clair… I am VERY anti-lottery…
Firstly, yes, the amount of money people waste ‘in hope’ could be put to much better use… and it is a revolting cycle to see those people that are living ‘in hope’ and are ‘what if’ people, instead of appreciating what ‘is’ now…
Secondly, from an even more philosophical point – life deals what it deals, you do with you can with what you have and by ‘have’ I mean, in your head, your heart, not your pocket… and that’s just how it’s meant to be…
Thirdly, I believe EVERYONE should work for their cash and a sudden ‘windfall’ isn’t going to create any long-term impact, dare I suggest, ‘happiness’… the more money you earn/’win’, the more you spend and the thought of having so much money that you will no longer have to consider your finances before any decision you make is very sad… Where’s the personal satiscation and discipline in that? When you ‘earn’ something, work hard to get those awesome pair of shoes 😉 – or trip overseas or even just ‘to provide for’ yourself, your loved ones (the doggits!), your family, whatever…
I cannot imagine living life knowing I’d never have to worry about money… I don’t exactly love half my salary going on my mortgage, but… striving to achieve things (not simply material)/personal goals is what we’re here for…
Rant over…