Cee’s Share Your World questions this week had a question about would you rather receive $10,000 for your own use or $100,000 to give away to charity or a stranger.
I have been thinking more and more about that question ever since I saw the post. Sure we want to be the kind, caring person and take the larger amount to give away, but I have to look at reality. I am nowhere near the top 1% as Obama likes to call a group of people, heck I am probably not even in the top 40%,or 50% so $10,000 could really help me out. I could pay off a car loan, I could use it for various repairs that have been put off because of the lack of money, as I mentioned in my post yesterday I could even use it to help my son with part of his college tuition, I don’t think that is being greedy, wanting to take the money for me. If I went and spent the money on frivolous things or used the money as a down payment on a fancy car that I don’t really need, then yes I can see how that would be considered greedy, however using the money to make it easier financially for one month for me, I don’t think that is being greedy, I call it reality.
I know there are people who have less than I do, and I am not trying to dismiss their needs or say my needs are more important. I am saying faced with that choice, I have to look out for the needs of my family, no one else is. I am in the forgotten middle class. On paper everyone says I earn to much to qualify for anything, but in reality I barely make enough to make ends meet each month. I am not complaining, I am not looking for any ones sympathy, it’s just the cold hard facts of life and this economy.
So back to Cee’s question, after thinking about it for a couple of days, I would have to say I am taking the cash for myself. If that offends anyone, I am sorry but I believe that if any of us was faced with that choice in real life, a majority would do the same thing.
Muses from the front range of the Rocky Mountains
FrontRangeScribbles 
I respect your honesty! Being in that forgotten middle class myself, I have to admit I would have to think long and hard about passing up the $10,000. It would come close to paying off the loan we had to take out to cover my husband’s medical expenses. Heart attacks are expensive. So are teenagers….
Tell me about teenagers, I have two teenage boys. I just might as well buy a grocery store. I can’t keep enough food in the house.
Good for you!!! Sometimes we need just a little help, and $10,000 can go a long ways. Honestly I was going back and forth too. Chris wanted to keep the money for herself, too.
There are months a little help would be great, but I am thankful for everything I do have.
FRS – I would do the same for pretty much the same reasons. For example, I have to cancel my health insurance – I can no longer afford it. Being only a 1 year+ cancer survivor, that is a scary thing to do, but the outgo is way more than what I get from unemployment. With 10K I could pay off the car loan and then keep the insurance. But oh well, what can you do?
So sorry to hear about the insurance, I wish the best for you.
Thank you – it is just one of those things I guess.
Take the money and run! It doesn’t say you can’t donate a little here or there, or even your time. Our society on a whole is in a sad state of affairs but your family should come first and you shouldn’t have to apologize for feeling that way!
Exactly family will come first me. I would take the money and run. Now if I could just get the money 🙂
What a brave, and honest post. It’s easy to give when you have a ‘surplus’, much harder when you are one of the not-so-well-off yourself. I think this moral question is cruel because those who have lots of money, but no compassion, wouldn’t even be bothered by it, while the rest of us get to feel bad. 😦
So true. It is easier to give out of excess.
I read this post for the first time yesterday and I read your original post before that. Greedy wasn’t a word that came to mind when you had first answered the question. It just struck me as an honest answer to the question that had been asked.
Thank you.