Alexander Ruled the World. What Would He Have Paid for Modern Medical Care?
What do King Tutankhamen, Alexander the Great, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Queen Elizabeth I, Napoleon Bonaparte, Thomas Jefferson, and J.P. Morgan all have in common? Despite living the richest and most luxurious lifestyles for their time and era, their lives sucked compared to yours
Imagine being able to turn on a faucet and have clean, hot water pour over your body for minutes at a time, all in the comfort of your own home. What a wonder it is to be able to read your choice of millions of type-printed books after the sun has set, under the steady light of an electric bulb. How amazing is it that we can eat an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables year round, and store them for days or weeks at a time in a magic box that keeps them cool! What magic modern doctors wield, being able to cure many common ailments with a simple pill. What wizardry allows us to soar through the air like a bird and arrive only a few hours later in a foreign land? What immeasurable power we hold, with the entire sum of human knowledge available at our fingertips.
Indoor plumbing, electric lighting, refrigeration, antibiotics, air travel, and the internet are just a few of the modern luxuries that we often take for granted, yet could have only been dreamed about by these famous historical figures.
Yes despite all of this luxury and abundance, the majority of us still feel a need for more… more clothes, bigger houses, faster cars. What we have, or what the rich and powerful of yesteryear had, is irrelevant… it is what our neighbors have (and we don’t) that defines us.
While all of these modern luxuries can be afforded by even the lowest paying professions, with a significant savings allowance, many find it difficult to save even a modest percentage of their incomes. We spend 90%, 100%, or more of every penny we earn. On what? What do we get in return for our time and hard work?
Many live a luxurious and rewarding life on much less than what is considered normal. They are great role models
Mr. Money Mustache lives a lifestyle that would have made Napoleon Bonaparte envious, and he and his wife and son do it on only a bit more than $2,000 a month.
Jacob Lund Fisker and his wife live a more spartan lifestyle, spending about $1,200 a month. Thomas Jefferson certainly would have appreciated being able to take advantage of their indoor plumbing, rather than having to use the outhouse at 3 in the morning in the dead of winter.
Jason Fieber is on pace to retire by 40, spending about $1,600 a month and saving over 60% of his income. Queen Elizabeth I would have been amazed at his recent trip on an airplane, she herself never having traveled more than 150 miles from home, and then by horse.
To date on our travels, we have been spending ~$79/day, or about $2,400 a month, with expectations for lower spending in the future. JP Morgan would certainly have appreciated our dining experiences.
There isn’t really a secret to living well on relatively low levels of spending. It is just the simple fact that beyond the basics of life, more money and more spending doesn’t make you any happier. Life doesn’t magically get better because your car is newer than the next guys, it get’s better because you realize you don’t need a car at all.
Once you have enough food, water, a place to sleep, and time with good friends and family, more is just more. Once you’ve eaten enough ice cream, more is too much. Once you have enough money, more is only more. Twice as much money won’t make us twice as happy
This may sound like heresy to many, and I’m sure there would be no shortage of offers to help us with our “too much money” problem.
“Seriously, if I just doubled your net worth, you wouldn’t be any happier?!”
I have indoor plumbing. I can access the internet via my laptop from anywhere in the world. I eat fresh food year round. I use electricity on a daily basis. Antibiotics cured my most recent illness in days. I can hop on an airplane and be on the other side of the planet in hours. I already have more than enough of these luxuries, and more money won’t change that.
There are so many aspects of everyday life that were only wild fantasies of the elite of the past. I am grateful for all of these luxuries. Is this gratitude stuff more new age hippie crap? Maybe, but without gratitude, there can never be such a thing as enough
This perspective was a significant factor in becoming financially independent, and to live our lives on our own terms. We both grew up in the lowest quartile of income levels, and gained perspective from it. As the lifestyles of the early retirement bloggers above can show, even at a spending level of the lowest 25% of American families, it is possible to live an enjoyable and luxurious life, a life that would have been the envy of wealth and power and royalty of days gone by. All spending above that amount is truly optional
Gaining perspective can be difficult. David at raptitude.com captures this process brilliantly in this post. It is a work of genius. How much spending is truly enough? It’s probably less than you think. The financial bloggers above provide great examples on how to reduce or eliminate many common expenses
New perspectives can be fragile. I recommend throwing the television out the window (even better if you live on a high floor.) We don’t need the Joneses making a daily appearance in our lives, telling us we need to buy more things to feel complete, that we “deserve” things, or that we should treat ourselves to some high margin (for them) luxury items. Our lives are already absolutely AMAZING! There is more to life than spending extra money to have some dude’s name on your underwear.
It takes time and practice, but gratitude, perspective, and taking control of our own spending builds the foundation for financial independence. And then the day will come when we can walk away from doing things for money, because more money won’t make us any happier. Twice as much money won’t make us twice as happy. That is the beauty of enough
Well said. I really appreciate hearing your philosophical takes on things like this, especially for those of us that are hoping to follow in your tracks in one degree or another. It really is inspirational stuff. Thank you.
Thank you Buck, I appreciate the positive feedback and am glad that you are enjoying the blog.
I enjoy the philosophical posts too, and I have more planned.
Great post!
The law of diminishing marginal utility at its finest! As endless ice cream will only make me sick, or more likely kill me, endless money will likely have equally unappealing outcomes.
I’ve often thought of the same exact thing – all of these historical figures that lived a life of Gods in their respective time, and yet by comparing their living standard to even a modest, middle class American lifestyle today they lived like absolute paupers. It’s amazing. I never lose that perspective. I try not to take it all for granted. I guess I’m easily entertained, I don’t know. It just doesn’t take that much to make me happy.
For me, it comes down to wanting to own my time more than any material possession. Too many people are busy mortgaging away their own future for instant gratification on material possessions today that become old news quickly. It’s an unfortunate cycle.
Thanks for the kind mention! I need to reduce expenses. It wasn’t that long ago I was one of the more frugal bloggers out there. Now I’m referenced as spending $1,600/month. Yikes! But I guess getting health care insurance and picking up a healthier diet will do that. :)
Have fun out there. You’re living a dream!
Best wishes.
At $1,600, you are still one of the most frugal out there. And still saving 60%+ of your income
Instant gratification is the most deadly flavor of all
One of my favorite quotes is from Frank Lloyd Wright: Less is only more if more is no good. All that “more” stuff isn’t very good for you. I woke up this morning and hiked to Anasazi ruins. Life is wonderful.
Frank Lloyd Write was wise in many ways
Backpacking around Europe, Bouncing around the US, Rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and hiking to Anasazi ruins… it’s a rough life you lead Lucy! How could you ever want more? ;)
Very true!
I just read Guenter Faltin’s ‘Brains versus Capital’. He is going in the same direction. Faltin says: Be frugal in live. Even if your a successful entrepreneur. http://www.brains-vs-capital.com
The saying that the best things in life are free is absolutely true. It doesn’t take a lot of money to live a great life, regardless of income or net worth
Thanks for stopping by Martin
But sometimes in the course of traveling even when I have everything I need and amazing experiences, I love to spend a few days at a JW Marriott or other high end hotel. I come away feeling clean and refreshed and ready to appreciate the next round of awe-inspiring things. I feel I need enough money to do that guilt-free.
I hear you, Sunny. When we used to travel 2 to 3 weeks a year due to work schedules, we would always end up in nice hotels. The chain hotels are a known entity, and comfortable
At our current travel pace, we haven’t felt any desire to go to the chain hotels, despite having about a month of free nights at Starwood hotels from the old work travel days. But even if that weren’t the case, a few days in high end hotels per month wouldn’t have to be expensive or guilt inducing
Slow travel has also allowed us to stay in great places for a fraction of the nightly rate of the chain hotels. Check out the $1000/month place we rented in Puerto Escondido as an example… private pool, private balcony with ocean view… better than any hotel I’ve ever stayed in.
https://gocurrycracker.com/expenses-march-2013/
https://gocurrycracker.com/puerto-escondido-mexico/
Thanks for sharing!
I couldn’t agree more with everything you are saying. I think we just don’t realise how lucky we are, living in societies where safety and comfort are the norm and we just take them for granted. I’ve recently started a journey to change my life completely and retire in 2 years time, at 35.
The more I write on my blog, the more I seem to find like-minded people around the globe. In a way, it reinforces my idea that it is possible to stop working for a salary and enjoy life. I do think that most of the journey is spent on reaching the right mindset and I put a strong focus on the philosophy.
In case you’ve got some time, I’ll be interested in getting your feedback on the following post:
http://www.monkeyism.com/consumerism-to-monkeyism/
Have fun travelling!
You forget to say what makes us all so wealthy for so little money. It is all of the productivity gains that have been created by those evil Capitalists trying to get rich. We can create lots and lots of stuff with very little effort, making it affordable for anyone willing to put in just a little bit of effort. I was thinking what a beautiful time I live in today, staring at 20 choices of sour cream in the grocery store. Odd that there are some always trying to drag us back into poverty.
Maybe there’s nothing to it that Jeremy doesn’t respond to your comment, but I agree. Capitalism rules.
I probably missed replying because of the loaded words like “evil” and “drag us back into poverty”, and then I just forgot
I don’t subscribe to any specific ideology. Pick any -ism and it will have pros and cons, capitalism, communism, paganism, etc… Power can be abused in any of them
That said, we have benefited from being able to save and invest. The pros of capitalism are great. On the flip side, having lived in poverty in my childhood, I appreciate many of the social programs the US has in place that wouldn’t necessarily exist in a pure capitalistic environment
“Despite living the richest and most luxurious lifestyles for their time and era, their lives sucked compared to yours”
Although I understand what you are trying to say this statement actually makes the opposite point that having more stuff makes you happier. A wealthy Roman lived a pretty sweet life and I doubt they sat around bummed a whole lot. If you have a roof over your head, physical and emotional security, lots to eat and drink and a world to explore what else do you need?
My GF works as a RN at a hospital if you think modern medicine makes life better you haven’t spent a lot of time in the hospital. People do live longer…for most that just extends their misery and confusion about life.
The difference between life sucking and life being awesome is all about your perspective on your life. Not about what era in history you lived or the modern conveniences available to you.
The other thing they had in common [at least the politicians] was the power to literally change their world and their peoples’ lives. That’s pretty amazing and not something you or I have over them despite our technology.
“Seriously, if I just doubled your net worth, you wouldn’t be any happier?!”
Actually I would because I would FI and not work another day doing anything I didn’t love, but if you doubled it again I’d agree nothing important would change.
— Vik
Hi Vik
I can see your point of view, although I don’t think it is about stuff. The rich and powerful perhaps found joy in their influence. Maybe even after going blind from syphilis due to no antibiotics ;) Or after their child died from contaminated water or smallpox. Or their wife died in childbirth
Twice as much money would make a lot of people happier. Or at least they think it will. But then again, some people will never have enough
Best of luck on getting to 2x
Jeremy
I just discovered your site and it has been an amazing read so far. I’m on my own journey to achieve FIRE and it’s sites like yours (a whole load of fire sites out there but most leave much to be desired) that provides the extra oomph of motivation when things get tough.
Thanks for writing and keep the posts coming! :)