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Warren Buffett’s 7 Secrets for Living a Happy and Simple Lif

successsoul.com — "Learn the secrets of living a happy and simple life from Warren Buffet- the richest man on earth"

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  • ScottMcIntyre, on 07/15/2008, -28/+13Great Post about Warren Buffett.
    • republicker, on 07/16/2008, -23/+3The guy is a ***** elitist neocon ***** nwo pawn.
      • MtheoryX, on 07/16/2008, -1/+9I'm guessing you didn't even read the article.

        People like you probably think Bill Gates is evil as well.
      • republicker, on 07/16/2008, -4/+2No' I don't. Bill Gates is not responsible for the manipulated/censored public news sources. Buffet is so far under the sheets with the government that he's practically gang banging congress.
      • urbano35, on 07/16/2008, -0/+5Even if you were right/wrong, the article has nothing to do with your statement.
    • fpaudon, on 07/16/2008, -3/+2Really inspiring comment there, ScottMcIntrye. Totally not just an attempt to get dugg up like crazy
  • BennyGreenberg, on 07/15/2008, -6/+118I love this line: Making money isn’t the backbone of our guiding purpose; making money is the by-product of our guiding purpose.
    • squaredUP, on 07/16/2008, -1/+22I used to see things like these and always say to myself, " OK, I'm going to start living by these values." However, I would always just being the same old me by the end of the day. Not until recently have I started forcing a change in the way I think through every aspect of my day until I have finally been able to acheive a degree of change in who I am and the way I think. It's truly amazing how you and only you can change and make who you want to be.

      All of us hear these things quite often, but only a few actually adopt them into their being. Those people that do are the people who become what they want in this world. I cannot explain it, but I know there is so much to be said about how your thoughts control who you become.

      "The good news is that the moment you decide that what you know is more important than what you have been taught to believe, you will have shifted gears in your quest for abundance. Sucess comes from within, not from without." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
    • supaklaw, on 07/16/2008, -2/+55#1 Get a billion dollars.

      #2 "Live simply"
      • stonebear, on 07/16/2008, -0/+10Like how that he doesn't use a cellphone. Of course he doesn't! Why should he? His entourage is bristling with them. The same "simplicity" is why presidents don't carry cash.
      • darkciti2, on 07/17/2008, -0/+4I think you're missing his point.

        Live simply, work hard and the money will naturally follow.

        I love technology, but it tends to be a bad investment. If I could sell every piece of hardware or software that I ever purchased and invested the equivalent amount of money, I'd be very wealthy these days.

        I spent several hundreds of dollars on an 8-bit SoundBlaster and a few hundred on a cutting edge Hercules video card (and then a few hundred more on a CGA card, and then numerous VGA cards).

        If I would have waited a little longer between upgrades and invested that money, 25 years later I'd have enough money to buy any technology that I wanted to. Of course, if I had that much discipline, I still wouldn't spend money.

        Buffett is undeniably a great and rare man.

        Crap - Fry's is about to close for the night, I GTG, BBL.
    • TypeEE, on 07/16/2008, -2/+12Get rich, and whatever you said is always right.
    • Cagnazzo82, on 07/16/2008, -2/+13Life is always simplest when you have a net total of 10s of billions of dollars diversified in investments and varying bank accounts.

      Ah, I can already picture such a simpler life :-)
    • feoren, on 07/16/2008, -1/+7I love these lines: "[We all have] felt jealous and self-pity when a neighbor bought a new Mercedes or a new Yacht"; "our ever-sophisticated advertising industry has conditioned our mind"; "We spend our life-energy on those possessions that we seldom use"; "We are sold on the fake happiness"; "We are worshipers of celebrity demi-gods. All of us have this acute desire to look and live like these celebrities." I like them because they show the author is a douchey piece of ***** who thinks everyone is as retarded as he was (is), and he alternates between talking about how everyone except him and Warren Buffet are brainwashed consumerist trendy shills and telling a story about how he became so much better than everyone else. He uses Buffet's quotes to get attention and compare his own awesomeness to him, then twists them to fit his own self-centered worldview. Listen, *****, you're not Warren Buffet, you're 90's investor who was so ***** terrible at it that you hit rock bottom and now you blog because it's the only thing that gets you attention anymore. You didn't reform your life, you're still a douche, and although it's hard for you to understand because you have absolutely no ability to see the world from the perspective of anyone else, but just because you're a stupid piece of ***** doesn't mean everyone else is, too.
    • Roguecop, on 07/16/2008, -0/+2Ayn Rand would be proud.
    • balle1, on 07/17/2008, -0/+1balle
    • Spudster, on 07/17/2008, -1/+3For all you bashing Buffet, it is worth mentioning that the man donated 34 billion dollars to charity. That's pretty noble.
    • Vigilo, on 07/17/2008, -1/+1His guiding philosophy is EUGENICS. So he funds vaccine projects and various other forms eugenics to help control the population and kill us the useless eaters. That is what the elite are most interested in.
  • abhim12, on 07/15/2008, -1/+25Honestly speaking I may not live a simple life if I am that rich. He's filthy rich !!
    • cwmather, on 07/16/2008, -15/+1Jack Thompson is also rich, and muscular...

      http://digg.com/gaming_news/Jack_Thompson_was_Righ ...
    • smpx, on 07/16/2008, -1/+8I think after a certain point, when money becomes a complete after thought, a simple life becomes the new purpose.
      • aeoo, on 07/16/2008, -0/+4"I think after a certain point, when money becomes a complete after thought, a simple life becomes the new purpose."

        If it were as automatic as you seem to imply, then all billionaires would be like Warren. But they are not. Not even close. Warren is unique, unfortunately.
    • Jynx97, on 07/16/2008, -2/+3People this wealthy can afford to daydream.
      • MtheoryX, on 07/16/2008, -0/+8I beg to differ...

        People who don't dream or daydream won't ever by that wealthy.
      • bigstinky, on 07/16/2008, -0/+2I don't know why you're being dugg down. I enjoyed the story because it did present nice ways of looking at life. Unfortunately it is not easy to look at things this way. Try raising a family. Having to go to work because there are bills to pay. Worrying about losing your job because your family relies on you. I do not live extravagantly and would like to try to incorporate some of Mr. Buffets ideals, but at this point, I can't. Nor can many other mid/low class folks.
        It should have been titled, "how to live a happy, simple life...If you're a billionaire.
  • DocKC, on 07/15/2008, -5/+40See? You can have it all. Money, power, fame AND happiness! :)
    • Dozernotz, on 07/16/2008, -1/+8Well, given the rather strong correlation between money, power, and fame, I guess all it would take is to be happy about it.
      • aeoo, on 07/16/2008, -1/+2"Well, given the rather strong correlation between money, power, and fame, I guess all it would take is to be happy about it."

        The problem with what you are saying is that happiness trails your list. Happiness in reality is at the head and not at the tail end of the achievements.
      • Dozernotz, on 07/17/2008, -0/+1My point was only that having it "All," as far as DocKC is concerned, is having 2 things: Status + Happiness. I was making no judgement over which you should go for, if either. I for example am broke and depressed. And I'm digging it.
    • Strongo, on 07/16/2008, -3/+7maybe if your a lvl 70 orcthing and you run your own weapon shop in WOW
    • snowblindnz, on 07/16/2008, -1/+4The only people that say money cant make you happy are the ones who dont have any.
      • Iztikeit, on 07/16/2008, -2/+0I'm pretty sure you can't back that up at all, especially since Warren Buffett just disagreed with you.
    • Iztikeit, on 07/16/2008, -1/+1Good job, you totally missed the point, you greedy *****.
  • NikiPa, on 07/15/2008, -2/+140It's great that the richest man in the world controls money rather than allowing money to control him. That's the true test of a greatness.
    • TypeEE, on 07/16/2008, -0/+12As soon as your expense is less than your income, you would be able to control your left overs. If all you earn can only afford your monthly expense, you are bounded to be controlled by money.
    • Zlorp, on 07/16/2008, -5/+7"how to live a simple happy life" by some rich guy.

      somerthing tells me Buffet isnt quite in touch with his target audience on this one
    • mdoerr, on 07/16/2008, -3/+2False, the true test of greatness is how many chicks you bang.
      • rotten777, on 07/16/2008, -2/+6Maybe when you're a senior in high school...
      • Ebulating, on 07/16/2008, -1/+3No, the true test of greatness is how many supermodels you bang.
      • elhaf, on 07/16/2008, -2/+3Quality, not quantity.
  • BambooForest, on 07/15/2008, -5/+8Lots of good insight to be found, in this article.
    • jeffvvisoft, on 07/16/2008, -1/+3Yeah, Warren for got one:

      *** Make a *****-load of money ***
  • kenjonesmd, on 07/15/2008, -1/+95“Not losing hard earned money is far more important than making more money”.
    • campigenus, on 07/16/2008, -5/+3Or as my good old grandpa used to say, "a penny saved is a penny earned."
      • TypeEE, on 07/16/2008, -0/+6Only true if inflation is not taken into count.
      • thedude1181984, on 07/16/2008, -5/+4Your Grandpa is a complete idiot
      • freebird09, on 07/16/2008, -0/+6Before the IRS takes half of it...
    • liuite, on 07/16/2008, -7/+2doesn't paying taxes constitute losing hard earned money.
      I read a blog recently where the author states that 64% of real wealth is inherited, 5% marry into it, and the rest is through criminal activity. Of the inherited wealth, most probably are done through trusts with no tax penalty on transference of wealth.
      • AlekseiVasiliev, on 07/16/2008, -0/+0so... every rich person is a criminal?
      • elhaf, on 07/16/2008, -0/+1Trusts aren't quite that simple. There is only no penalty so long as the money remains in the trust. If you want to actually spend it, that's another thing altogether.
    • chuckDontSurf, on 07/16/2008, -0/+2Or, return *of* principle is more important than return *on* principle.
    • Dozernotz, on 07/17/2008, -0/+0I happen to respect Warren Buffet, or at least I respect the image of him I have from his PR team. But you people are practically reciting psalms. Being rich doesn't make you holy. Though articles like this sure help with that legacy.

      And anyway, what the hell do you think he's going to say? Live a life of excess and party till you drop? Look at all this stuff that I have that you don't? I could have stopped after the first $10B but private jets are SO much nicer than coach? I mean seriously, he's in a completely different dimension of wealth. This guy can move countries around. He's probably not the most relevant authority on life advice for the everyman, however many down-homey quotes strike a chord.
  • manuelhp42, on 07/16/2008, -5/+8Beautiful lessons! Thanks for sharing them.
    • clsslc, on 08/07/2008, -0/+0Agreed. I think Warren Buffet is my new hero.
  • spamdragon, on 07/16/2008, -6/+9Seven simple secrets for taking control of your life. I liked it!
    • bosssmiley, on 07/16/2008, -1/+9It's a shame the article wasn't long enough to include Warren's 8th tip for happiness:

      #8: daily swim in personal moneybin. :-)
      • godfly, on 07/16/2008, -1/+12you mistook Warren for Uncle Scrooge.
  • kitci, on 07/16/2008, -10/+3i really liked this =D
  • danielrichard, on 07/16/2008, -11/+4ahh! its nice! :)
  • Weddingzilla, on 07/16/2008, -3/+61Its amazing to find out how his mind works. He uses common sense. Great post! Maybe he should be balancing our national budget. ;)
    • FutureGuy, on 07/16/2008, -2/+4I am sure the state of our union and the guy running it must make him sad. US will need someone like him to get it back on track after 8 years of Bush.
      Ohh and some guy called "chalengr" (it was spelled a bit different) kicked my butt in WoW, hope it wasn't Bill Gates, that would be a shame.

      I have simple pleasures. I play bridge online for 12 hours a week. Bill and I play, he’s “chalengr” and I’m “tbone”. — Warren Buffett

    • hivoltage815, on 07/16/2008, -2/+5I say this all the time. If we had the leaders of the business world running our government, we would live in great prosperity. But they are far too intelligent to become politicians. And by leaders, I mean those with integrity and ethics, not just those who made a quick buck off screwing people over.
      • aeoo, on 07/16/2008, -0/+1"I say this all the time. If we had the leaders of the business world running our government, we would live in great prosperity."

        This is only true if all the business leaders were like Warren.
      • Spudster, on 07/17/2008, -1/+1Actually, business leaders usually fail hard in politics. Why? Because the culture is completely different.

        In the business world, when you ask someone to jump, they ask, "how high?"

        In the political world, when you ask someone to jump, they ask, "why should I?"
    • aeoo, on 07/16/2008, -0/+3Obviously what you call "common sense" is not so common after all. If it were so common you'd not be so amazed.
    • EagleRock, on 07/17/2008, -0/+1Aeoo, that's just proves what I've said all along. Common sense is what the general populace SHOULD have, not necessarily what they DO have...
  • zaggededge, on 07/16/2008, -6/+1Good work warren
  • lornali, on 07/16/2008, -8/+3Wonderful article.
  • nivaskapil, on 07/16/2008, -2/+8"Making money isn’t the backbone of our guiding purpose; making money is the by-product of our guiding purpose."

    Hitting enough to start leading life with a purpose.

    wonder ful shilpan..
    you're ONE person who inspired me in the recent days..

    Live with Passion
  • livelife365, on 07/16/2008, -1/+41simple, happy, and filthy rich...I could handle that.
  • albyliontk, on 07/16/2008, -2/+2This is a fantastic post that helps remind us that money cannot buy happiness. It is better to have few riches but have a lot of happiness :-)
    • kinerry, on 07/16/2008, -1/+2Wrong, the correct analogy is that money CAN buy you happiness, only so much.
  • funlove, on 07/16/2008, -7/+2I like it
  • WhiteLaser, on 07/16/2008, -11/+7Ugh, enough of these "[Famous person's] 7-10 tips for living well" articles.

    Every self-help blog is doing them these days and they're totally lazy and played out.
  • pe5t1lence, on 07/16/2008, -6/+97#8 Be Super Wealthy
    • kris2pe, on 07/16/2008, -2/+14#9 Invest heavily in oil futures!
      • kris2pe, on 07/16/2008, -0/+19#10 Continue to peddle Coca-Cola and Gillette in every public speaking event to raise it stock value!
        And yes he does this in every speech he makes!
      • po43292, on 07/16/2008, -0/+8Invest heavily in oil futures in 1997.
      • mrswirl, on 07/16/2008, -0/+10God, isn't that the truth. I distinctly remember seeing oil hovering around $10/barrel back in 1997 and thinking to myself: "gee, I wish I had some money that I could invest in oil futures right now."

        That ranks right up there with my 1998 insight: "This 'Ebay' thing is pretty cool. Maybe I should buy some stock at $18 a share."

        Lesson: just like George Costanza, do the opposite of what I do and you'll be rich.
      • Lewie, on 07/16/2008, -0/+2I thought the same thing about Google.

        "Man, I wish I had a few multiples of $88 to buy that stock" But I probably would've sold it at 200 anyway.
    • Iztikeit, on 07/16/2008, -2/+0Google opened at $100 and never dipped below that, I believe.
  • Wartyboskfapped, on 07/16/2008, -14/+6Blow it out your ass, Warren.
  • SolidBones, on 07/16/2008, -6/+32Lif?
  • brstilson, on 07/16/2008, -11/+19Is this going to be really basic ***** that everyone already knows but is easier said than done?

    *reads*

    Yep.
  • bundwallah, on 07/16/2008, -12/+4AKA, Top Seven "self help" crap you can spew like gospel when you've already got the billions. Honestly, he doesn't seem like a bad guy but puhleaaase...
    • Stevethegreat, on 07/16/2008, -0/+1Yeah I'm sure he talked those points AFTER he got his billions, of course he became what we could call a rich guy after his 50s but let's ignore it and think that he created his personal philosophy from his 50s onwards (before that he obviously had no personality).

      Anyhow the thing of the matter is that if he was not filthy rich -indeed- nobody would turn a head to such advice, most people think those points are what makes one person to live a miserable and/or non-deserving life. Of course most of the people are downright idiots, endowment of our ape ancestry I guess, which nullifies the above sentence from being a point of any importance.
    • TheFinaleofSeem, on 07/16/2008, -0/+1Ted Rall? Is that you?
  • mal1964, on 07/16/2008, -1/+9Most diggers do the exactly opposite, And that's OK.
    • Philmer, on 07/16/2008, -3/+1because we all know better than listen to some "buffet" guy. what is that name anyways?

      EPIC NAME FAIL
  • planes, on 07/16/2008, -0/+78A couple of years ago, I read an interview with Warren's daughter. She said that she and her dad went to a meeting somewhere, she drove, and they parked in a parking ramp. When they went to leave, she discovered she didn't have any money on her, so dad pulled out a $20 and gave it to her.

    When she dropped him off at his house, he asked her to write her a check for $20 bucks, and waited while she did just that.
    • potisreallygood, on 07/16/2008, -5/+10He treats his children really bad. He disowned his daughter for being interviewed in a documentary about rich people. His daughter was some hippy chick who he hadnt talked to in years, then after she did the interview he wrote her a letter saying that she is out of the family.
      • JointVenture, on 07/16/2008, -4/+22She sounds like an ungrateful *****.

        Rich kids have a habit of playing the rebel...till the funds are cut off.
      • CedEx, on 07/16/2008, -1/+21That story is actually about a granddaughter.... and she isn't one by blood, but rather married into the family. Her mother married Warren's son, and Warren didn't quite approve of the marriage to begin with.

        So I'm not sure if that's treating someone really badly by my standards.
      • TypeEE, on 07/16/2008, -3/+5But twenty bugs, come on, whoever it is, just forget it, it's no big deal.
      • gmeluski, on 07/17/2008, -0/+2My uncle was never rich, but had a similar situation, where his granddaughter tried to get a bunch of money to fix her car. He basically offered to take care of the car for her (i.e. not giving her the cash) and she didn't take him up. It became known that she just wanted the cash (of course).

        So why wouldn't my uncle have a problem with that? It could be that Warren finds himself in a similar situation. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt.
    • Spudster, on 07/17/2008, -1/+1There is always a blurry line between being frugal and just plain cheap. While you can never maintain a perfect sharing ratio with friendships, if you hang out with people that aren't using you, you will generally be able to maintain a good friendship.
  • AmusedToDeath, on 07/16/2008, -15/+78Despite the fact that Buffett probably is a decent guy who lives humbly despite being super rich, it's still easy to be happy and satisfied when you're ridiculously wealthy. Do you think Warren Buffett ever loses sleep wondering if he'll be able to pay his mortgage this month? I doubt it.

    I'd much rather hear from someone who *isn't* super rich and doesn't have the security blanket of wealth, yet is happy anyway.
    • TomaszTomasz, on 07/16/2008, -1/+6I think it’s not just about his wealth, with his wealth he also has everyone’s respect. He is on another level where he knows showing off his wealth does nothing because well everybody already respects him no matter what he does.

      Keeping things simple really helps. Even with my friends now that I'm doing well I've seen a change in my self. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone anymore, well not as much. I always notice the people that actually have the least in real wealth seem to always show off the most about how wealthy they pretend to be.
      • rockefeller2, on 07/16/2008, -1/+4"people that actually have the least in real wealth seem to always show off the most about how wealthy they pretend to be."
        I agree with this 100%. I see it so often every day. I can't believe how many people in their late 40's and 50's still look at people with expensive cars, boats, big giant houses, and say "wow, he's got money." I try to tell them it's more like "wow, he HAD money or wow, he's got a ***** load of debt." They still don't understand it. People still gauge a persons's net worth by the material things that surround that person. If you drive a ***** car but have 1.3 million tied up in investments, you get no respect for that, but if you piss all your money away, people envy you. I know I'm making generalizations here and there are some exceptions to what I'm saying.
      • 3Den, on 07/17/2008, -0/+2Ask yourself who the people are who you refer to here... who might envy you, or not respect you.

        Your friends, family, and associates are the ones who matter - not some strangers who see your fancy car.

        In the long run your actions and principles work far better towards respect than any amount of money can.

    • buggu, on 07/16/2008, -3/+22You hit the nail on the head. When you're as filthy rich as Buffet, you are inclined to a lifestyle that is simple and minimalistic. It's just a way to cope with the immense responsibility of dealing with a bank account as large as a man who consistently makes the list as one of the top richest men in the world.

      That said, people with normal lives don't have the time or luxury to enjoy the simpler pleasures of playing bridge 12 hours a day, or even the wealth to outdo their neighbours trophy boat/house/car. The average person leads a hectic life by obligation, not choice. When one has the wealth Buffet does, they can afford to live this simple. It's unfortunate but even leading such a life is only within the realms of the super-rich.
      • Buzzbean, on 07/16/2008, -1/+10He plays bridge 12 hours a WEEK, not 12 hours a day. Most people spend more time than that watching mindless drivel on television. I can't prove it but I believe that playing a card game helps your mind work better while most television is passive entertainment that, at best, doesn't help your mind work better.
      • trdrstv, on 07/16/2008, -0/+1All television is passive entertainment, and yes there are studies to prove that playing cards (even solitaire) involves more higher brain function. In any game, there are a series of rules, and strategies that keep your mind engaged.
      • hivoltage815, on 07/16/2008, -1/+8You are very ignorant. This guy has far more responsibility, obligations, and chaos in his life than you ever will. I am sick of people thinking that the wealthy leaders of business coast though life, they work their asses off to get where they are. Finding simplicity in life is your personal responsibility and is rarely affected by your situation unless you are truly impoverished. I'm not rich, yet :), and have a rather busy schedule and yet I find great enjoyment in the simple pleasures of life.
      • GramarNazi, on 07/16/2008, -0/+2I agree with hivoltage815. While there are way too many people out there who were born into wealth, their family wealth had to start somewhere. Whether it was their parents, or their parents' parents, someone worked their ass off or was just smart enough to earn that fortune. In the case of Buffett, he earned his way 100% to where he is now.

        And I disagree with the statement that it's easy for him to enjoy the simple things because he is wealthy. I think it is a much greater testament to character when someone has the opportunity to indulge in luxuries and chooses not to than when someone has no choice but wishes to.

        And it's just crazy for you to think that he has the "time" to enjoy life. Believe me, being the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, that 12 hours he plays of bridge a week is probably the only 12 hours he has free. Can any one else say they only have a little more than 1.5 hours a day free (including time wasted at work and weekends)?
      • joel8x, on 07/17/2008, -0/+2Way to miss the point. Basically, by simplifying and being happy, the success will follow. If you are working only to pay the bills, you will never get ahead. If you are working because you have a passion for what you do, you will work smarter as well as harder and consequently make more money. Anybody can cut the fat out of their lives, they just have to figure out the things they do not need and eliminate them. That does not involve being wealthy.
    • kmolleja, on 07/16/2008, -0/+12I'm happy and no one would consider me to be rich.

      I've got 100k plus debt from student loans, but that is an investment in my future. My wife and I don't buy anything on credit and if we don't have money for the extras we go without. We enjoy being with each other and with our son. Life isn't a competition. Find what you love and do it. Educate yourself and grow in new ways. I echo the call to simplify your life, you can do it without money.
    • skyz, on 07/16/2008, -0/+5the lack of worry about the mortgage can easily come from not having more house than you really need

      i learned to live simple while in college because i had to but now i do so by choice

      i have more free time and more freedom of mind that's why i love the simple life
    • sublimeslime, on 07/16/2008, -0/+5I'm broke as ***** but I'm happy (my computer is probably the only thing of value I own!). I have the people I love around me, I live in area where the things I love to do are close, I ride my bike to save gas. Go help someone else for no other reason than they could use a hand and tell me that didn't make you happy.
    • Iztikeit, on 07/16/2008, -0/+1He's just some rich guy that got famous LITERALLY from being rich. Why am I supposed to respect a guy just because he's rich?

      Because he tells us how modest and happy he is? Somehow I don't share all these mushy sentiments about this billionaire. He made billions from investing in thing's I'd consider pure evil (McDonalds?) so why are we giving this guy more respect than people who actually make a difference outside of their tax write offs?
      • 3Den, on 07/17/2008, -0/+2Because that guy is also sharing information, trying to help you get rich too.
        Because that guy donated most of his billions to worthy causes.
        Because that guy, despite being one of the richest individuals on the planet, lives very modestly.
      • Iztikeit, on 07/17/2008, -0/+1I don't intend on being rich. If I am to become rich it won't be because of intent. Anyone who intentionally tries to get rich doesn't understand the Universe.

        Malaria is a worthy cause, but donating all that money publicly and reaping the fame from it isn't extra ordinary.

        He does live modestly, but he isn't alone in this feat.

        He seems respectable enough, but he certainly isn't going to alter the course of humanity for the better just by donating money.

        What good are donations anyway? All the greatest things ever achieved were done without them.
    • highsmith, on 07/16/2008, -0/+2Do you think warren buffet, without his wealth but keeping his sense, would live in a house he couldn't afford?

      No one in the states has a money problem, only spending problems...
  • charlietuna, on 07/16/2008, -2/+13I would not be living a simple life if I had his money. Not saying I'm right mind you, but I'd be welcoming all the gold diggers that would inevitably be knocking. I'd be a serious man slut.
    • jpop, on 07/16/2008, -0/+3David Colby? Is that you?
      • charlietuna, on 07/16/2008, -0/+2That would be Mr. David "Man Slut" Colby to you sir.
  • rrife, on 07/16/2008, -12/+11#8 wipe ass with $100 bills.
  • friendlyman, on 07/16/2008, -2/+9I love watching Warren answering questions for students while drinking and pimping a can of coke. Reminded me of this http://youtube.com/watch?v=v7thSdlRhuM
  • jonronpaulie, on 07/16/2008, -14/+8He is NOT the richest man on earth.
    • Nonplussed, on 07/16/2008, -0/+11"With an estimated net worth of around US$62 billion, he was ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world as of February 11, 2008."
    • GlobalistShill, on 07/16/2008, -1/+5Agreed. The Rothschild family, for instance, has been estimated by some scholars to possess over half of the WORLD's total wealth.
    • diggrnumber1, on 07/16/2008, -1/+1who is then?
    • Carlix, on 07/16/2008, -0/+1Sultans of monarchic countries i guess.
  • NikkiA, on 07/16/2008, -6/+13#0 : be insanely ***** rich
  • swaxhog, on 07/16/2008, -8/+6There's a line between reckless spend thrift and miserly skinflint and he's well past that. And while Buffett now is donating most of his net worth to charity, the means to which he acquired it put thousands out of work and closed dozens of companies.
    • hivoltage815, on 07/16/2008, -1/+5Because rich people are always the bad guys to you people. I bet you could literally observe on a graph the effects of removing Buffet from our GDP.
    • bcars, on 07/16/2008, -0/+4What are you even talking about? His investments almost certainly put more people in work than it out of it. When his companies are growing by leaps and bounds, how do you think they satisfy the demand for more workers?

      Sure, sometimes cuts are necessary. If you don't like it start your own goddamn company and never fire anyone. Good luck.

      Rich != evil
  • MrFurious2k, on 07/16/2008, -18/+52I love it when disgustingly rich people say things like this. When you're struggling to pay for gas, it's hard to stop and say, "Gee, I just want to stop and smell the roses and live the simple life."

    Buried.
    • drikle, on 07/16/2008, -6/+2So you blame rich people right?
    • Tribis, on 07/16/2008, -5/+2Forgive him for being successful.
    • geardosdotnet, on 07/16/2008, -2/+8People are struggling to pay for gas because they have gas-guzzling monsters they bought on credit, and they are used to driving them to stores to buy big TVs and other items on credit. If the price of gas going up breaks the bank, then you are doing something wrong. I live in Canada and gas has been 4$ a gallon for ages, and people are fine (at least the ones who aren't overflowing in debt).

      The trick is to drive less.
      • Iztikeit, on 07/16/2008, -0/+1American wages are stagnant, the economy is on the brink of depression, jobs are scarce for multiple reasons, inflation, war, bubbles, famine, etc, etc......

        And you are saying it's all the persons fault? Dude, I'm as much a libertarian than anyone but this isn't solely the individuals fault. There ARE forces working against the average American right now. FAR more forces working against the average Canadian.
    • josereyes0, on 07/16/2008, -0/+5I don't think that's the point he's trying to make. Life is tough, especially when you're struggling financially but the idea is that if you do live a simple life, slow things down and put your heart and soul into something you love you will in turn find success in it, and even if you don't you'll be happy because you did what you wanted to do and what you enjoyed, therefore putting you in a better place to bounce back and try again. It's tough to step outside of our point of views, especially when we are struggling in numerous ways, but the fact is the problems we face individually are minuscule when compared to the rest of the world, we just have to realize it and simplify it, therefore removing the emotion and frustration in your personal situation and instead helping you make logical and smarter decisions.
    • widman, on 07/16/2008, -0/+2The guy does live a quite simple life for being the most successful investor in the last few decades while not carving in evil investment practices like corporate raiding, betting against weak currency, or media control. He acts just like he speaks.

      (No, I didn't say he was an angel, just that he plays quite clean finance-wise, his investment in China stock is quite unethical IMHO, for example.)
    • darkciti2, on 07/17/2008, -1/+2I bet you can't pay your gas, but you wear a really trendy Abercrombie t-shirt that cost $30.

      Here's a hint guys: The kind of girl that you'll want to be with won't be one that likes you because of your trendy clothes or neat car.

      Real women (the fun ones) dig guys that are thrifty, drive economical cars and are thoughtful.
  • wizbor, on 07/16/2008, -2/+33Did he discover these secrets Before or After he had all this money?
    • Nonplussed, on 07/16/2008, -0/+7Well considering he's giving it all to charity, you could argue both.
    • bbart3d, on 07/17/2008, -0/+2Before.
    • darkciti2, on 07/17/2008, -0/+2Before, which is WHY he has all this money.

      The formula is simple: Spend less than you bring home: A LOT less.

      I cut coupons and I stock up on buy one get one free stuff at the grocery store (durable goods: deodorant, body wash, shampoo, etc) because it's basically free money. It's the exact opposite of credit: It's buying something once and getting it twice.
    • clsslc, on 08/07/2008, -0/+1If you actually read the article you wouldn't have to ask that question.
  • Myrko, on 07/16/2008, -0/+5Simplicity (in contrast to complications and conceptualizations) and living from the inside-out are the main themes here. Simplicity not as in a short-sighted way, but as the natural and obvious right thing to do :)

    Great article.
  • ohhoe, on 07/16/2008, -3/+8ugh i'm so tired i thought the title said jimmy buffet
    • hivoltage815, on 07/16/2008, -2/+137 secrets of living happy
      1) Margaritas
      2) Cheeseburgers in paradise
      3) Margaritas
      4) Margaritas
      5) Cheeseburgers in paradise
      6) Margaritas
      7) Did I say Margaritas?
    • rpgFANATIC, on 07/16/2008, -0/+2I would've been more interested had it said Jimmy.

      If Warren Buffet wasn't happy, I'd be more apt to care.
  • wowsah156, on 07/16/2008, -13/+8I dont need to be patronised to by a senile industrial psychopath in Warren Buffet. His decisions have helped to make the world a worse palce. ***** him.

    Buried.
    • mfc5200, on 07/16/2008, -4/+8Yea, ***** him for donating pretty much his entire fortune after he dies to worthwhile charities.

      That man has done more good for the world in this one life than I would guess you could do in 100x. Stop being an ass.
      • pmrx, on 07/16/2008, -2/+2After all the damage he has caused to the people he has shut out, he NEEDS to donate his vast fortune to correct his bad karma.

        I respect his money. That's about it. He is still a scheming geezer who, if you look at how he made his millions, is as dirty as the rest of us.
    • Nonplussed, on 07/16/2008, -2/+2Total ignorance.
    • hivoltage815, on 07/16/2008, -2/+2typical far-left wing - captilism is evil.
    • stoli7188, on 07/16/2008, -1/+2i think somebody's jealous....
  • mlvassallo, on 07/16/2008, -6/+10If number 1 isn't "Have more money that God" then I am burying this list.
  • ILoveBoobies, on 07/16/2008, -7/+2He's boring. If I had that much money I would surely enjoy the finer things in life!!
    • IronDonut, on 07/16/2008, -0/+0He has a jet and a younger french woman. I just sayin.
  • tomatogoodness, on 07/16/2008, -6/+1Amazing article.
  • demiurgency, on 07/16/2008, -5/+9This man just became my hero.
    • Iztikeit, on 07/16/2008, -0/+0You need a new hero then.....might I suggest....

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug

      Instead of just making a bunch of money and donating it (like thousands before him) he has actually saved about 1,000,000,000 human lives.

      What has Warren done, again, that warrants such a title? I mean I respect Warren because he's certainly more human than most other billionaires but that doesn't automatically put him in the front of the pack, does it?

      I live in a time where it takes a little bit of money and a few pretty words to impress people.......*sigh
      • darkciti2, on 07/17/2008, -0/+1It depends on the productivity of those lives. If he saved 1 Billion lazy people that will burden society more than help it, it's a net loss.
      • Iztikeit, on 07/17/2008, -0/+0Humanity has fallen very far if you mean what you say.

        Lazy people? He's mostly helped third world starving people.

        And you may want to ask yourself what you have done for society before remarking about the inferiority of others.
  • bundwallah, on 07/16/2008, -3/+23I didn't say the advice wasn't any good. It's just that people are so gullible to believe anything some talking head puts out there. People worship this guy for his money and his ability to make it, he comes around with these seven little ditties that basically say "hey! it's not about the money" its' about life. Money doesn't buy happiness blah blah blah....etc etc etc.

    This is like a fat guy telling starving kids, that not eating a lot is actually better for you.
    • WhiZa, on 07/16/2008, -3/+3I tend to agree. In #4 he says, “I want to be able to explain my mistakes. This means I do only the things I completely understand.” Which makes sense when you've already put the work in and are close to retirement. But it's human nature to want to be a better person and the only way to do extraordinary things. If just did what we understood, we'd still be cavemen right now.
      • kinerry, on 07/16/2008, -1/+2human nature to want to be a better person? get a clue
      • WhiZa, on 07/17/2008, -0/+1Well, I know you still live with your parents. How's that?
    • Nonplussed, on 07/16/2008, -4/+1No this is a fat guy giving his billions to FEED starving kids.
      • Iztikeit, on 07/16/2008, -1/+1No he isn't....He donated it to a foundation that works with Malaria and other diseases. If you want to talk about a guy that has actually FED billions of people....

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug

        There's someone worthy of respect and praise.
    • fognozzle, on 07/16/2008, -1/+3Umm, he may have billions of dollars, but it's all pledged to charity and he himself lives on somewhat less than his $100k salary.
      No mansion, no Bentley. Get your facts straight.
      • Iztikeit, on 07/16/2008, -0/+1That doesn't automatically make him the best thing since the Buddha though.
  • xavier2, on 07/16/2008, -4/+14life is easy to make simple when you have all the money in the world.

    Try living check to check and see how simple life can be.
    • kcdstudios, on 07/16/2008, -4/+3well, stop living check to check and see how simple life can be.

      No one is making you live that way
      • Iztikeit, on 07/16/2008, -1/+0Says the kid who has never worked a day in his life. Not everyone has your opportunities. The sooner you realize that the less you will look like an ass.
      • clsslc, on 08/07/2008, -0/+0Agreed. People who use society as an excuse and try to insult people with things like "says the kid who has never worked a day in his life" deserve their situation, quite frankly. I hear this all the time, and statistics tells me that 99.99% of these people are lazy, overweight morons who have charge way too much frivolous crap on credit cards and are 100% at fault for the poor position they're in later in life.

        There are so many opportunities to improve one's situation in the world, if you've been working for more than a few years and still haven't been able to improve your situation significantly, you don't deserve any sympathy. People like you are the reason many average white-collar people don't try to help poor people at all, even though sometimes (rarely) there are people who actually need help for legitimate reasons beyond their control.
  • skyshock1, on 07/16/2008, -8/+3Buried for inaccuracy. Carlos Slim is currently the richest man in the world, not Warren Buffett - http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/03/news/international ...
    • gnomead, on 07/16/2008, -1/+3Fail. That's from August '07. This is from May '08 and according to Fortune, Warren is the richest man in the world.
      http://www.forbes.com/worldsrichest/
      • vbullinger, on 07/16/2008, -1/+1Fail. The Rothschilds are the richest people in the world. When you're talking about the Rothschilds, you're not talking billions.

        You're talking trillions.

        Go back to sleep, the Rothschilds don't exist. They don't control a major portion of every single central bank in the world. Nope, all is well with the world. They didn't create all of our monetary problems. No, siree!
  • known, on 07/16/2008, -0/+41Secret # 1 : Happiness comes from within.
    Secret # 2 Find happiness in simple pleasures.
    Secret # 3 Live a simple life.
    Secret # 4 Think Simply.
    Secret # 5 Invest Simply.
    Secret # 6 Have a mentor in life.
    Secret # 7 Making money isn’t the backbone of our guiding purpose; making money is the by-product of our guiding purpose.
    • digitallysick, on 07/16/2008, -0/+5Maybe he is buddhist? similar ideals
  • jthornburg1, on 07/16/2008, -10/+3ホーボーバジャイナ！
    • diggrnumber1, on 07/16/2008, -1/+1ნაკრები ერთ-ერთი მოწინავეა საერთაშორისო उन्हें मुंशी प्रेमचंद व नवाब مناطق متنوعة و شاسعة من العالم ممᐅᖃᐅᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᑕᐅᓲᖑᕗᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖏᑦ ལྦེ་ཁེ་རིག་མཛོད་ནི་ཧ་ཅང་གཟབ་ནན་གྱི་དྲ་ཚིགས་ཤིག་ཡིན་ཕྱིར་འକିପରି ଆରମ୍ଭ କରିବେ
    • po43292, on 07/16/2008, -1/+1Clayton Bigsby: Let's talk about Chinese people! With their kung-fu and their silly ching-chang-chong talk! We can't understand you! Go back to yer country!
      • whatdotcolor, on 07/16/2008, -1/+1that's japanese you ***** ignorant *****
      • po43292, on 07/16/2008, -0/+1sorry for being a '*****'. Like I know the difference. Do you call everyone a ***** that doesn't know your language?
  • sublimeslime, on 07/16/2008, -0/+26Warren Buffet is amazing. He lives walking distance from work, drives an 'economical' car and runs one of the most successful companies in the world while being looked to as a kind of market guru. There is a lot of truth to the old addage that money doesn't buy happiness and Buffet shows us why. His rules make sense and put life into perspective. He's happy when he works because he enjoys his work, not necessarily making the money but the work itself. Last time I felt like that I was 3 and my 'work' consisted of trying to get my damn toes into my mouth!
    • kprasad, on 07/16/2008, -0/+2i'm a big buffett follower and I agree. He's a really good person.
    • sockpuppets, on 07/16/2008, -0/+4As my toes are in my mouth at the moment I must dig you up.
    • thirteenthcor, on 07/17/2008, -0/+1Don't care.

      It's disgusting to see a single person worth this much money. Period
  • sublimeslime, on 07/16/2008, -6/+0Warren Buffet is amazing. He lives walking distance from work, drives an 'economical' car and runs one of the most successful companies in the world while being looked to as a kind of market guru. There is a lot of truth to the old addage that money doesn't buy happiness and Buffet shows us why. His rules make sense and put life into perspective. He's happy when he works because he enjoys his work, not necessarily making the money but the work itself. Last time I felt like that I was 3 and my 'work' consisted of trying to get my damn toes into my mouth!
  • CoMpUtErITGuY, on 07/16/2008, -10/+7Warren Buffett’s 7 Secrets for Living a Happy and Simple Life

    I'm sure I could too if I had a billion dollars.
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