There I was, reading a 300-upvoted anonymous coward's Quora answer on what it's like to have "fuck you money" at 25.

Example: he's often the worst dressed person in the room. (I'm sure I would win in a bad-clothes-off. Challenge accepted!)

Anyway, deep into the Quora answer he references our friend @bakadesuyo:

I've invested time in learning the most efficient ways to spend money to increase my marginal happiness. Bakadesuyo gives a good overview.

The main point is to buy experiences, not possessions.

I own very few things, but have many experiences.

Read more Bakadesuyo and you too can be happy like our rich underdressed anonymous friend.

If I were wealthy and answering such a question, I'd probably keep myself anonymous as well.  Being secretly wealthy beats being openly wealthy.

I agree and I'm surprised by how often I see people be openly wealthy.

I really should add to this convo the "fuck you money" story I posted on Quora.

Will look for that...

Didn't find it yet but I found this other thing I posted:

Two bulls are standing at the top of a hill overlooking a pasture...

One is an old-timer and the other is young.

In the pasture are dozens of attractive cows, milling about and eating the tender grass beneath their hooves.

The young bull says to the old bull, "Let's run down the hill and get us a cow!!"

The old bull calmly looks at the young one and replies,

"Let's WALK down the hill and get them all."

What is "fuck you money"?

Here's the answer I gave on Quora:

"Fuck you money" is the amount of money you need to be able to do anything you want to do, including (but not limited to) being able to say "fuck you" to anyone.

It's actually much less money than people think, as the following story illustrates: if you don't want much, you don't need much...

Source for the following story: http://searchwarp.com/swa43226.htm

A few years ago, a very rich businessman decides to take a vacation to a small tropical island in the South Pacific. He has worked hard all his life and has decided that now is the time to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He is excited about visiting the island because he’s heard that there is incredible fishing there. He loved fishing as a young boy, but hasn’t gone in years because he has been so busy working to save for his retirement.

So on the first day, he has his breakfast and heads to the beach. It’s around 9:30 am. There he spots a fisherman coming in with a large bucket full of fish! “How long did you fish for?" he asks.

The fisherman looks at the businessman with a wide grin across his face and explains that he fishes for about three hours every day. The businessman then asks him why he returned so quickly. He’s worried that all the fish are gone.

“Don’t worry", says the fisherman, “There’s still plenty of fish out there."

Dumbfounded, the businessman asks the fisherman why he didn’t continue catching more fish. The fisherman patiently explains that what he caught is all he needs.

“I’ll spend the rest of the day playing with my family, talking with my friends and maybe drinking a little wine. After that I’ll relax on the beach."

Now the rich businessman figures he needs to teach this peasant fisherman a thing or two. So he explains to him that he should stay out all day and catch more fish. Then he could save up the extra money he makes and buy and even bigger boat to catch even more fish. The he could keep reinvesting his profits in even more boats and hire many other fisherman to work for him. If he works really hard, in 20 or 30 years he’ll be a very rich man indeed.

The businessman feels pleased that he’s helped teach this simple fellow how to become rich. Then the fisherman looks at the businessman with a puzzled look on his face and asks what he’ll do after he becomes very rich. The businessman responds quickly without missing a beat, “You can spend time with your family, talk with your friends, and maybe drink a little wine. Or you could just relax on the beach."

Amen.

Adam, did you dislike his answer or just the fact that he was anonymous? What did you dislike about it, if so?

I only disliked that he was anonymous.

It was otherwise a great answer.

Yes, he seemed to handle his wealth quite nicely.

Yes.

I would have liked to hear more about him seeking a mission he cares about.

All that money and no great mission makes me believe he has an empty life.

He hit the lottery. Now what? What is he using all those experience FOR?

Sometimes I feel like I learn everything I need to know in my daughter's books. There is one in particular for this story, Miss Rumphius. As a a little girl, she decides she wants to live her grandfather's life-- travel the world, then settle down in a little house by the sea. He tells her she must also do the most important thing; find a way to make the world more beautiful. She travels, hurts her back, settles in to a coalescence where she gets time to think, and realizes her gift can be to plant flowers. We aren't all Bill gates, but we can all give.

Miss Rumphius works as a librarian for years before she manages to start her journey, but this anonymous person has been lucky enough to start his. I suspect s/he will find a way that only s/he can contribute back. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time to find that perfect center of the venn of ability, desire and need.

I hope you're right C that he finds a way to give back.

that part about advising to delay consumption ... whaaat?

I know, right Michelle? What's up with that?

What it's like to have everything you ever wanted by 32: http://www.businessinsider.com/wiley-cerilli-2012-6