so...how much money do you REALLY need?

[Ladogaboy]

$1 million upfront and $50k a year (in the equivalent of today's dollars), and I'd have more money than I'd really know what to do with.

I don't really require a whole lot, and my hobbies and expenses tend to be very modest. So, other than the fact that I am deeply indebt right now, I wouldn't need a whole lot of money after that was paid off. :shrug:

[hapoo]

I don't know if i'll ever reach this goal, but i think i'll be happy earning 100-200k a year. Its hard to tell since i don't know what my future is going to hold, but i think that would be enough for a comfortable lifestyle.

[NuTs62]

$10 trillion would suffice I think for one lifetime.

In the case that I get married and divorced, I'm sure I'd have to split that $.

Buy a nice collection of cars.

A "small" house with a few hundred acres or so.

One of those nice diamond studded cell phones, watches, eh, nothing too fancy.

Donate some to a charity.

Give my kids the best education.

Allow my wife and I to live comfortably without having to worry about work.

Buy Microsoft, IBM, Apple, Dell, and a few other small companies like that.

I'm not asking for too much am I?

[sho.gun]

$133... I still owe my dad for my car's repairs :(

[Freelance Superhero]

for my life (and my life only, excluding family/friend considerations) right at this very moment, i'd have to say about $3000-$3500 a month would be pure heaven for me, with maybe an initial 15 grand to start.

i'd be able to move outta this $h!thole apt i live in, pay for my car insurance, pay for school, pay for credit cards, and still be able to enjoy myself plenty.

as for long term, i really don't know. i'm a believer in the theory that the more money you have, the more money you want. people who are well off have extravagant tastes that just seem to get more and more extravagant (at least, it seems that way with the wealthy people i've known), and my tastes are far from extravagant, so ideally speaking i'd probably be COMPLETELY set and worry-free at about 80K a year.

but as long as we're talkin hypotheticals here, hell, i'll take 5 million a year so i could take care of my family, buy a couple of nice cars, take some crazy vacations, maintain a few villas across europe, and generally taste the best life has to offer...;)

[oblongmelon]

If I had to give an amount I'd say 1 million a week-FOR LIFE! :)

[topane]

<dr. evil>

One billion dollars!

</dr. evil>

I don't know what I'd buy if I had a ton of money. There's only so many houses, cars, etc. that you could use. Makes me crazy whenever professional athletes whine that they're not being paid at "market value". I guess 10 mil a year isn't enough.

[CluelessSi]

don't really know, depends on where I will be living....

[Kim]

I don't even care if I'm rich, I just really want to be able to not have to worry if a big expense comes up. To be able to pack up and go on a whim would be a nice plus! I could do nicely on 100,000/year.

[OC]

WA state is about to join the PowerBall lottery. I'm arranging for me to be the sole winner of a $400M jackpot. :)

-OC

[attgig]

the sad reality is the more you have, the more you want...

no amount is ever enough...

so, I'd have to go with Lado's answer...

or even no money upfront...

just a constant 50kish a year... (a bit less than what i make now) but i can live comfortably with that....

however, if you look into the future, with marraige, kids, college tuitions....it would be hard to make that 50k do it...

so, how bout this:
50k a year....with another 50k+ for wife and another 40k+ for every dependent - as they come.

[CluelessSi]

50 k will not be enough if living where some of us do... but u do have a point about having someone to share your expensnses and another source of income. I think I will need to invest and have something that will keep giving me returns ... maybe my own company even =)

[hapoo]

you know what i've noticed... most people who make a lot of money don't even have time to enjoy it. I'd be more concerned with how much i had to work. But i've also noticed those same people draw no line between their work and their personal lives.

[psycho-]

I'd say 50k/yr for myself. 75-80k w/ a family.

[WhiskeyPapa]

What I have right now. 62k/year. In fact, I'm sure we could live happily on less (but I don't want to try!)

Now that doesn't mean I'm just going to stagnate where I am. I am more motivated by the success of the company I work for, than the money I'll make. That has always been my approach: Work hard for the sake of working hard, and the money will follow; Work hard for the sake of money, and you'll never stop chasing it...