Hubby and I were watching Suze Orman's show the other night.

I have to say that I am NOT a materialistic person. I do not have 40" high definition plasma TV. I do not go to concerts or sports games. I do not have HBO. And I do not have a cell phone.

Compared to my other colleagues, I am a SAINT. I do not go to $80 hairdressers to do hair or colors, do not go to manicures/ pedicures/ facial/ tanning sallon, I do not go to Starbucks/ Tim Hortons/ or Dunkin Donuts for coffee, I drive a cheap Korean car of 2002 and I pack my own lunch to work every single day.

But this Suze Orman is WAY TOO CONSERVATIVE  for my taste.

The thing started with a 44 y/o lady, who has a steady income and a retirement account of $340,000. LET'S REPEAT. A 44y/o lady with a retirement account of $340,000. She called in to her show to request an "approval" for a $6,300 pool she wants in her backyard. Suze turned down the request.

NOW, COME ON, Suze. This lady sounds like she has been saving all her life to have a retirement account of $340,000 by the age of 44. My justification is that if she can not have a pool now, then when can she have one anyway?

I sarcastically asked Hubby, "Maybe Suze will approve it when this lady reaches her 60's. Nah, 70's. Nah, 80's..." I went on and on, figuring Hubby has no good answer for it anyway.

But really. If I was this lady, I would like to have a pool when I AM ABLE TO enjoy it. Let's say, I would like to chill out by the pool drinking, entertaining or simply having the kids playing safe in the pool while I can watch them closely in the house. What am I going to do with a pool when I am 80 years old?

So the timing is NOT right. But is there a correct timing to enjoy life?

"It all depends on what you want from life," Hubby said. Good question. But what if I do enjoy a big screen plasma TV? Some people choose to pay for their kid's education instead of having a student loan. I know a lot of Chinese parents use their whole retirement money to fund for the children's education. Is that supposed to be a right thing to do then?

Then next day we brought up the same question to my father in law. Thought as wise and old as an 86y/o, an Italian immigrant, and a self employed builder all his life, he must have had something to say about life and money.

"...You CAN'T have what you want from life. That's it," he said. All of a sudden the argument stopped between Hubby and I.

HMMM. I definitely would like to build a pool in my backyard by 44.