Challenge - burn $100 bill

[LessIsLess]

Yes, the challenge is to burn a "benjamin."  Not out of disdain for the value of $100 bill, but to show that money doesn't mean much.  Life is about fun, happiness, and laughter.  Money is a means to an end.  You want to acquire wealth, but are also willing to let it go, to prevent it from owning you.

I think one burning ceremony is enough to prove the point.  If you're a couple, you may burn two bills so each will get the experience.  Any takers?

[MOD NOTE: 3-day ban issued.  I'd delete the thread, but some of the replies are so nice.]

[lexde]

Yes, the challenge is to burn a "benjamin."  Not out of disdain for the value of $100 bill, but to show that money doesn't mean much.  Life is about fun, happiness, and laughter.  Money is a means to an end.  You want to acquire wealth, but are also willing to let it go, to prevent it from owning you.

I think one burning ceremony is enough to prove the point.  If you're a couple, you may burn two bills so each will get the experience.  Any takers?

Hard pass. That sounds horribly wasteful. Counter challenge: use that $100 to buy gallon zip bags or drawstring backpacks, socks, bottled water, granola bars, single laundry soap packs, $2 or $3 in quarters, mouthwash and jerky. Assemble bags and keep them in your car, make it a goal to pass them all out over the course of this week to the homeless.

If money doesn't mean anything to you that's one thing, but if I were in need and saw people literally burning money that could put food in my belly or help me stay warm or clean it would just rub salt in the wound.

Why not do something useful with it? Wounded warriors, your local pet shelter, a dog or cat rescue, or hell just give that $100 to a server at your local restaurant. You could change someone's week or month.

[I'm a red panda]

Hard pass. That sounds horribly wasteful. Counter challenge: use that $100 to buy gallon zip bags or drawstring backpacks, socks, bottled water, granola bars, single laundry soap packs, $2 or $3 in quarters, mouthwash and jerky. Assemble bags and keep them in your car, make it a goal to pass them all out over the course of this week to the homeless.

If money doesn't mean anything to you that's one thing, but if I were in need and saw people literally burning money that could put food in my belly or help me stay warm or clean it would just rub salt in the wound.

Why not do something useful with it? Wounded warriors, your local pet shelter, a dog or cat rescue, or hell just give that $100 to a server at your local restaurant. You could change someone's week or month.

Agree. I like your challenge way better.

Burning $100? Just because you have so much money it doesn't even matter? That's baffling.

[geekette]

Agree.  If you don't need that $100, there are people who do - send it to the Red Cross, the ACLU, SPCA, or whoever you think could most benefit from it.

[sol]

This is the worst thing I have ever seen posted to this forum.

This person belongs on Rich Kids of Instagram, not mmm.  $100 would buy 50 children's books for a public library, or microchip ten animals so they can be adopted, or plant 100 trees to offset your carbon footprint, or vaccinate 75 children against measles.  I agree with sentiment of embracing the abundance mindset by letting your money go free, but please set it free to do good in the world instead of "free" to go up in smoke.

Here's another idea: donate that Benjamin to the Harvey relief fund or the red cross.  There are people in Texas today who have literally lost everything, and you're burning money to make yourself feel better?  Trust me, you might also feel better if you help some of them instead of being a jackass.

[solon]

I'm struggling with "money doesn't mean much".

I'm pretty sure I don't agree. Money is your life energy. Money is the means to so many ends. Money can do all the things already mentioned in the thread, and so much more. I'm not hurting financially, but I would still be better off with an extra $100.

To deliberately waste it is something not even rich people would do.

To imply you're so rich you don't need $100 is to imply you don't understand what money is.

Sorry to keep piling on, but... no I'm not.

[LessIsLess]

Giving money away is not the same as burning it.  On the contrary, it is just like spending it, with the difference being the spending is for someone else, as opposed to for oneself.

The "benjamin" is conjured out of thin air by the central bank.  When you vaporize it, you return it to its original state.  The point of the exercise is to grasp the intrinsic value of money.  Your unwillingness to let your "benjamin" go to "poof" means you still have too strong of an attachment to it.  Perhaps even an unhealthy obsession!

[UnleashHell]

The idea that you would burn money to prove you aren't attached to it instead of using it to help others is abhorrent and I believe shows questionable moral standards. Have a word with yourself.

[lexde]

Giving money away is not the same as burning it.  On the contrary, it is just like spending it, with the difference being the spending is for someone else, as opposed to for oneself.

The "benjamin" is conjured out of thin air by the central bank.  When you vaporize it, you return it to its original state.  The point of the exercise is to grasp the intrinsic value of money.  Your unwillingness to let your "benjamin" go to "poof" means you still have too strong of an attachment to it.  Perhaps even an unhealthy obsession!

Just... no.

I get that you're trying to be "enlightened" or whatever but this is just misguided and totally contrary to the beliefs and values of this forum.

[I'm a red panda]

Giving money away is not the same as burning it.  On the contrary, it is just like spending it, with the difference being the spending is for someone else, as opposed to for oneself.

The "benjamin" is conjured out of thin air by the central bank.  When you vaporize it, you return it to its original state.  The point of the exercise is to grasp the intrinsic value of money.  Your unwillingness to let your "benjamin" go to "poof" means you still have too strong of an attachment to it.  Perhaps even an unhealthy obsession!

I'm very happy I spent my $100 today on a donation to the red cross.

I really don't think that shows I have an unhealthy obsession or attachment with my money.

Your desire to destroy money rather than help others with it is what seems unhealthy to me.  I think it would be less disgusting if you said you'd prefer to keep it in a vault so you can swim in it Scrooge McDuck style than donate it than it is that you'd rather just burn it.

[GuitarStv]

I don't entirely understand the point of this.  If you're rich enough that burning the 100$ won't leave you hungry and homeless then there's no real value to performing the action.  It's no different than buying 100$ Justin Beiber tickets and then going back to your middle class home for a nightcap.  You're just spending the 100$ on entertainment either way.

If it's your last 100$ in the world then there's real value and you're making a statement about your total freedom/independence from the constraints of money.  This style of asceticism has certainly been practiced by various groups in the past, but I'd still be interested in hearing more about it.

Which are you?

[Tass]

The "benjamin" is conjured out of thin air by the central bank.  When you vaporize it, you return it to its original state.

Currency might be a social construct, but we are social animals. Your prioritization of personal enlightenment over real improvements in desperate people's lives - enabled by, yes, paper printed by a central bank which has only the meaning we all agree to give it - is what's disturbing here.

The point of this community isn't to eschew money or even spending, but to channel it most effectively toward personal happiness and social betterment. Burning even $1 is contrary to this goal.

[dougules]

Troll?

[I'm a red panda]

Troll?

Based on post history, likely.

A good candidate for an ignore list.

[HPstache]

Have you ever heard of giving to charity?

[LessIsLess]

This is the worst thing I have ever seen posted to this forum.

Wrong!  This will likely end up being the post of the year or close to it.

This person belongs on Rich Kids of Instagram, not mmm.

Wrong again!  Just about anyone can participate.  It takes very little to earn $100 these days.  You can earn $25/hr just walking a dog.  Do that four times or walk four dogs one time, and there's your $100.

[LessIsLess]

Troll?

Thanks for contributing to the discussion.

[lexde]

This is the worst thing I have ever seen posted to this forum.

Wrong!  This will likely end up being the post of the year or close to it.

This person belongs on Rich Kids of Instagram, not mmm.

Wrong again!  Just about anyone can participate.  It takes very little to earn $100 these days.  You can earn $25/hr just walking a dog.  Do that four times or walk four dogs one time, and there's your $100.

Confirmed Troll. Move along, folks.

[LessIsLess]

Have you ever heard of giving to charity?

You are merely transferring the "benjamin" when you give away.  The "benjamin" isn't taken out of circulation unless you burn it.  If you are opposed to burning, you can put it in a shredder.  I suggested burning because it's more environmentally friendly -- by reducing landfill space.

[LessIsLess]

Confirmed Troll. Move along, folks.

How are you contributing to the discussion by throwing useless labels around?  People here have no problem with jumping off the FIRE cliff and giving up thousands of dollars a week in earnings, but when I propose destroying $100 bill, you all jump out of your seats to protest.  By not working, you burn so much more money -- without even realizing it!

Okay - ready to call me a "troll" again?

[Rufus.T.Firefly]

Confirmed Troll. Move along, folks.

How are you contributing to the discussion by throwing useless labels around?  People here have no problem with jumping off the FIRE cliff and giving up thousands of dollars a week in earnings, but when I propose destroying $100 bill, you all jump out of your seats to protest.  By not working, you burn so much more money -- without even realizing it!

Okay - ready to call me a "troll" again?

Troll

[Tyson]

Your unwillingness to let your "benjamin" go to "poof" means you still have too strong of an attachment to it.  Perhaps even an unhealthy obsession!

Why not just burn all your benjamins?  Then you really, really won't have an unhealthy connection with them, because you won't have any.

[dycker1978]

This is the worst thing I have ever seen posted to this forum.

This person belongs on Rich Kids of Instagram, not mmm.  $100 would buy 50 children's books for a public library, or microchip ten animals so they can be adopted, or plant 100 trees to offset your carbon footprint, or vaccinate 75 children against measles.  I agree with sentiment of embracing the abundance mindset by letting your money go free, but please set it free to do good in the world instead of "free" to go up in smoke.

Here's another idea: donate that Benjamin to the Harvey relief fund or the red cross.  There are people in Texas today who have literally lost everything, and you're burning money to make yourself feel better?  Trust me, you might also feel better if you help some of them instead of being a jackass.

Sol is right here, this is the worst post in a string of really bad posts on this site.  If you don't want the connection to money give it all away. 

Also, we are not "burning money" by ERE,  we are suing the savings that we have to buy time.  Time and energy to give to whomever we want.

[NoraLenderbee]

Why don't you just set fire to 4 hours of your own life (at $25/hr, 4 hours = $100)?

[WhiteTrashCash]

This is the worst thing I have ever seen posted to this forum.

This person belongs on Rich Kids of Instagram, not mmm.  $100 would buy 50 children's books for a public library, or microchip ten animals so they can be adopted, or plant 100 trees to offset your carbon footprint, or vaccinate 75 children against measles.  I agree with sentiment of embracing the abundance mindset by letting your money go free, but please set it free to do good in the world instead of "free" to go up in smoke.

Here's another idea: donate that Benjamin to the Harvey relief fund or the red cross.  There are people in Texas today who have literally lost everything, and you're burning money to make yourself feel better?  Trust me, you might also feel better if you help some of them instead of being a jackass.

Sol is right here, this is the worst post in a string of really bad posts on this site.  If you don't want the connection to money give it all away. 

Also, we are not "burning money" by ERE,  we are suing the savings that we have to buy time.  Time and energy to give to whomever we want.

Yeah, what the Hell is the OP talking about? The entire point of MMM is that money actually is important if you learn to handle it correctly and put it to use in reaching your life goals.

$100 is significant because you can invest it and get closer to your goal of true financial freedom. When you are financially free, you can spend everyday volunteering for a charity you believe in. You can get more involved politically without fear of financial repercussions from people who disagree with you. You will have the flexibility to help a whole lot of people.

I've been really concerned about this forum lately, because people seem to be losing focus on the meaning of Mustachianism. Mustachianism is about putting money to work for you so you can be empowered. When you are empowered, it prevents other people from being able to impose their will on you. If you have the money, you can blaze your own trail and not have your life dictated by others.

So don't burn that money. Invest it. Take control of your life.

[FrugalToque]

Kinda torn here, fam.

I try not to moderate wherever I post, for such is the slippery slope of diabolical web tyranny.  But I want to both respond to this idiocy AND wield the Moderator's Hammer.

Toque.

[FrugalToque]

Kinda torn here, fam.

I try not to moderate wherever I post, for such is the slippery slope of diabolical web tyranny.  But I want to both respond to this idiocy AND wield the Moderator's Hammer.

Toque.

You can do both and get in.the last (very wise) word ;-). But seriously this terrible terrible idea from the OP has inspired me to send some cold hard $100s off to Texas ASAP. Maybe it'll inspire others to do something similar.

It's like he doesn't quite get it, or like he's pretending to not quite get it.  Our goal isn't to divorce ourselves from money as if it were dirty or we're some kind of monks.  The idea is to control money well enough to set yourself free, as opposed to letting it control you.

This is like ... having children and then declaring yourself "free" by abandoning them.

It's just ... irresponsible.

Toque.

[Free Spirit]

I remember reading a blog post somewhere that suggested doing this, the author even suggested that if you couldn't bring yourself to burn the cash you had an unhealthy relationship with money. Hmmm...
OP, maybe next time try to come up with something more original.

+1 to GuitarStv's post. You're not setting yourself (or your money) free, you're just spending $100 for a few minutes of entertainment.

[sol]

Three day ban issued, you're unlikely to get a response for a bit.

[FrugalToque]

Three day ban issued, you're unlikely to get a response for a bit.

I think we received more flags on that post that on anything to date.  Not even spam gets flagged that many times.  I had to put something up at the top to stop the flow.

Toque.