Broke but Wealthy Where it Matters
You've heard it said that money isn't everything. You've probably also thought that whoever said that likely had a lot of money. It turns out that in many cases there really is something to it, though.
The Network Journal talked with many people who went broke after having lucrative careers. Not only were they not bitter about their struggles, but they were actually thankful for them. That's not to say they were happy all of the time or didn't have moments of frustration or anger when in the midst of their trials, but they all saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Here are two examples:
Bruce Ailion was a realtor and attorney for RE/MAX Town and Country in Atlanta. He made a lot of money. A divorce quickly took him from bathing in cash to being taken for a bath. During his time among the ranks of America's financially challenged, Ailion said he met "many people considered poor, according to the government, who have a wealth of happiness and rich relationships, meaningful jobs and committed hobbies in spite of a lack of money. In my financial downturn, I was never poor or broke, I was without money."
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"My kids and I left and moved from a country club home to an apartment," he says. The toughest part was seeing his children go through the hard times. “Going from ‘price doesn’t matter’ to a budget that did not cover basics was a harsh reality for my children...I cooked so much chicken at home that my daughter became a vegetarian." Yet, in the end, they were better for it as well. “My children learned to value money and are actually quite frugal today. As a result of the financial and emotional challenges...It changed their character - and mine a little,