Sunday, March 22, 2009

Greed

How much money would you say you need to live comfortably from week to week? A couple hundred? A couple thousand? Well, the soon-to-be ex-wife of United Technologies Chairman, George David, thinks that number is around $53,000. Per week.

Just how is so much money necessary to maintain the lifestyle to which Marie Douglas-David has become accustomed? I'll lay it out for you:

Mortgages and maintenance fees for her several homes: $27,300
Travel: $8,000
Clothing: $4,500
Personal Assistant: $2,209
Horse Care: $1,570
Domestic Help: $1,480
Entertainment and Restaurants: $1,500
Health and skin care: $1,000
Dry-cleaning: $650
Flowers: $600
Trainer: $250

As those expenses amount to a little more than $49,000, I'll assume she has allotted herself personal spending money of a few thousand. (Are you throwing up yet?) But according to her statement, this is cutting back (poor thing). She and her estranged husband used to spend upwards of $200,000 a week.

Honestly, the thing that bewilders me most is not the obscene amount of money in play here, it's the fact that someone who spends $4,500 a week on new clothing needs to spend $650 on dry-cleaning. Dry-cleaning what? The cat? Because at $4,500 a week, I'm quite sure she has never worn the same outfit twice.

I think this is a prime example of why the love of money is the root of all evil. Money itself can be a wonderful blessing and can do great things. But when you are spending this much, or even thinking you deserve to spend this much all on yourself, there is a real problem. You'll note she doesn't have any weekly charitable contributions on the list. It's me, me, me, glowing-skinned and designer-clothed, all the way to her black little heart.

Of course, it's easy to say that if I had that much money, I would never spend it that way. But considering the fact that anything besides the dollar movie used to be an extravagance saved for a rare occasion, and now it's not all that unusual to hop up to Broadway for an evening, who is to say that I would never be blinded by that much wealth? None of us is immune to greed.

But seriously, I would NEVER spend that much money in a week. Or two weeks. Or ten. If I ever do, it better all be going to charity, otherwise I give you all permission to slap me silly. And ask me to buy your lunch.

3 comments:

Megan B ♥ said...

I find that kind of lifestyle to be insane. Believe it or not, I feel sorry for people like that who have so completely missed the boat on what life is all about.

kws said...

Where do you find these stories? You are now my official news source- I don't even bother with CNN anymore. I figure if it's worth knowing, you'll write about it. No pressure though.

Sara said...

Oh good grief. I'd quite happily take her personal assistant's salary. Because 2,200 a week is, what? Over $100k a year, and that's more than I'm making.

Although someone who needs to spend $650 a week on drycleaning is probably not the nicest boss in the world.