How Much is Enough ?

Money that is....

I've got money invested in stock and in property, and after 25 years in the same company, considerable investment in personal superannuation - and so with all the volatility around the world in these markets, I've been asking myself this question: How much money is enough ? That is, how much money do I really need when I retire, to live the lifestyle that will make me happy....as opposed to what my financial advisor tells me I will need or what societal norms and expectations tell me I should ?

And while I'm at, what is it about money that causes otherwise sensible people to completely lose their heads ? I've seen couples who are passionately in love break up under financial stress; I have friends whose kids are starting out twenty years behind their peers because of huge credit card debts they accumulated in their teens (WTF ??); I work with executives who earn six-figure incomes and yet who can't save a cent; and I know poor retirees who have lost their live savings through various schemes and scams.

I've seen seriously rich people who are seriously miserable, and less well-off people who seem to have found the magical elixir of happiness.

So, how much is enough ? More than any other, this question gets to the heart of the balance between money and the things we want to achieve and enjoy in life. Life's busy and getting increasingly busier. Few people make the time to stop and think: Why have I been working so hard ? What have I been spending my money on ? Does this make me happy ? How much money do I really need ? And, most important of all - Have I really got the balance right ?

I've not got the answers, but I think it's time I grew up and started to search for them.