Yesterday I was at a big warehouse store. I thought the guy at the special customer service counter named Bryan was serious and not friendly. White Americans look older than their age so I would say he is in his mid 30s.
I showed him my ID and when he saw my sister’s address, his face beamed. He just instantly warmed up and he told his female work mate that it’s crazy because we’re neighbors. He’s originally from Newark and after 30 years, his parents sold their house for $650,000, moved to Las Vegas and bought a $250,000 brand new 800 sq ft house. He said that’s the best decision they’ve ever made because living in Las Vegas completely changed their lives. He said the value of houses in Newark area increased by 20% more in the past two years alone but they don’t regret selling their house sooner. His parents are happy and relaxed in Vegas. They are enjoying the time of their lives and he said time is more important than money.
After he said that, it got me into thinking. Of course dear, time is more valuable than gold. We work, we earn and we can buy gold or have money, but no matter how much a person has in terms of financial capability, one can’t buy time.
I am happy for these American family. I am sincerely happy for people who are living the life they enjoy. Yes, hands down, Las Vegas is America’s favorite entertainment city and a retirement haven. But to those who cannot make that bold move of selling their house and moving to Vegas, or those who cannot afford the luxury of having a house in their favorite vacation spot, they can still find their own paradise even in a small place and space. Home. Where ever that might be. When you’re happy and comfortable in your own home, it feels like having a vacation too as soon as you arrive home.
I recently met a Filipino Uber driver and he told me about this Filipino couple who retired with a monthly pension of $8,000. They have fully paid their houses and have zero debts. They travel around the world and frequently visits their own house in the Philippines.
Aside from having a house in Chicago and another one in Vallejo, they also bought a house in Las Vegas,their favorite place. They also collect cars, sometimes they buy two in one month in cash. When in the city, the couple go to the casino every single day. According to them, they can spend their monthly pension in the casino because anyway next month another $8,000 is coming. When I heard that, I felt sad in the way they spend their time. Not that I don’t want them to enjoy playing in the casino, but I wish they will limit their casino expenses to maybe $3,000 a month and give the rest to charity. Or even a $1,000 a month charity work could go a long way or even $500. I feel it’s a waste of valuable time spending it daily in the casino. They can do volunteer work which can be as enjoyable. There are a lot of meaningful ways they can spend their money on and not just donate it to the casinos.
I met a successful entrepreneur (let’s call him Potenciano) lately and this Filipino guy’s interpretation of “time is more important than money” is spending it in the Philippines on young women. He is married to a white American and they have two daughters aged 16 and 20. He is 55 and has a good business going for him. He has a captured market in the area he lives in. Although he has close relatives in Manila, he is renting a house in Manila and has a full time caretaker. He goes to the Philippines every 6 months for 2 weeks and just rest. His definition of rest is hooking up with his 21 year old girlfriend and giving her a kabuhayan package. He said he enjoys spending his time in the Philippines having a P300 massage, eating in different restaurant especially crispy pata plus a few thousand dollars on his 21 year old girlfriend in the Philippines is nothing. That’s his 3rd girlfriend actually and he told me really likes 21 year olds. He said he is 55 and of course he should get younger women. I don’t believe energizing his body by effing 21 year olds is giving him true satisfaction. He is bothered though because he recently found out that this 21 year old is effing the barangay captain while Potenciano is working in America. When talking about work and his business, he is serious, focused, professional and hard working. But his personal life is something else. He said he has enough to live by and and when would he enjoy the fruits of his labor? He said he wants to enjoy his money while he still can. It felt strange when he told me “time is more important than money”.
