10 ways Australia could save money without hurting the poor.
Tag Archives: money
The race that stops the nations or spends the nation?
Spend, spend spend…
Is the Melbourne Cup and Spring Carnival just an excuse for us to spend up big….?
It is estimated that we will spend $53 millions this year on fashion alone.
$140 million on food and drink.
$806 million on betting through the spring carnival. The average bet being $8.50. And it’s reported that during peak times a bet will be placed every 2 seconds.
It estimated that the average race goer will spend $1,200.
Overall $455 million will be spent.
This year the crowd at the Melbourne cup – was 104,000. This is approximately the same number of homeless people in Australia.
Just think what else could be done with that $455 million to improve the life of this experiencing homeless and disadvantage in Australia.
More money makes people greedy: true or false?
More money makes people greedy: true or false?
Another great post about money from Dumbo Feather…
Money
We’ve been thinking a bit about money.
Seeing Urban Seed is a not for profit, money is always an interesting topic. When it comes to to talking, thinking about and even asking for money we are not that good at it. Partly because it’s not what we often view as important or that matters. But without money we would not be able to do the things that we do. We don’t make money, we rely on the generous support of people to fund all that we do at Urban Seed.
In a recent conversation with a colleague we decided that money was a bit like blood and water. Perhaps money is similar to water and blood in that is ‘vital’. For without money one cannot live… But more importantly maybe money is like blood and water in the way that it works to sustain life. If our blood did not circulate we would not survive. If water stays still it grows stagnant. Blood and water must keep moving.
Maybe money is also like blood in the way that blood moves to where it is most needed in the body. It rushes to the parts of the body that need healing, flooding the broken hurt bits with the goodness needed to heal. Maybe we need to let our money circulate and move in this same way to the hurt and broken bits that need healing in the world?
The challenge for us then is how and what we do with our money. How do we keep our money moving so that it remains vital? And maybe just maybe by doing so we ourselves may become more healthy.
And so audaciously I will now ask if you can move your money to the work of Urban Seed so that we can continue to help the hurting and broken heal.
Conscious vs. unconscious money choices
Conscious vs. unconscious money choices
Another great post from Dumbo Feather.
Do you ever think about how you spend your money and where that money goes?
Ever been conned by a beggar?
Yesterday I bought some pizza slices on my way home from work. I had 3, for $5. Just enough to fill the hole before I get home. As I was just about to attack slice 3, a beggar came up to me in the street, and asked for money. I awkwardly hid my body language of a person about to take a bite of dinner, and smoothly transitioned it into an offer, of my last piece of pizza. Immediately the small silver stubbled man spoke from under his cap that he needed money for a place to stay tonight. Not pizza. Now I didn’t want to give money today. My daily account was a bit short, with only $20 left. Payday was 2 days away. I said no. He replied in disgust “I don’t know how you people can sleep at night… you can give money. you know you can. But you won’t. You just don’t give a shit”. I held back the temptation to inform the man i worked for an org that supported homeless people and instead awkwardly removed my self from the conversation, and continued home munching my pizza. it had gotten cold.
Today, after getting off the tram on my way to work, 15 minutes early, I stopped by the ATM to pull out my $20. Payday was tomorrow, and I was looking forward to my first coffee of the day. On the walk to the cafe, a new beggar, exclaimed a huge hello from half way down the street. He came happily over to me, and in an extremely needy tone, asked for some loose change. I replied that I could give him the coins I would get once I broke my note when I bought my coffee. He said great! and we proceeded to the cafe. A moment later he asked me, could he have $5 seeing as I was breaking a $20? I was caught off guard, and ummed and arred, he pounced on my hesitancy and the next thing I knew I had agreed.
I bought my coffee, recieved $16.50 back, and handed him the $5. He whipped out another $5, all crumpled and dirty. He said, can i give you back these two $5’s and get your $10? This $5 looks so dirty and It makes me look bad.
confused by the pace of his comments, and seeing the way he might be looked down upon with that $5, I passed him the $10 as he reached out to give me his two $5’s. But my hand returned with only one $5 in it… the dirty one. I looked up and he was out the door, with a cheeky grin of success on his face. I exclaimed after him, but there was no catching him… my last words were… “You’re good mate…” he actually thanked me, aware, that he was in fact, quite good.
And I was left standing there. In front of my regular barista, not just $10 poorer, but poorer in my sense of control. He had outwitted me. My pride a bit beat, I proceeded on my day with my last $6.50, off to my free lunch at Credo, most likely followed by another coffee or two, and a pay check at midnight. The thing is I can afford to get ripped off.
Why are we so afraid to be ripped off?
Is it really just our pride?