Millionaire Footbalers Who Lose Everything

[Gandalf]

Yes, it is definitely a problem that hits those at the top and bottom, but living paycheck to paycheck seems to be an almost endemic way to live in modern consumer societies. There seems to be the thinking in the mind of ordinary folk that there will always be a safety net and they have that attitude of 'It's mine and I want it NOW!' and that really should be discouraged early on in life. Children are spoiled and grow up thinking it normal to be so, they really have no idea what conditions are like for the majority of people on this globe. There really should be classes in school on financial management as debt is almost a natural state of affairs with students loans and 'free' credit etc and then the life of mortgages, credit cards and other fluff designed to keep a man enslaved. Nobody needs that expensive car, 3 children (was one really never enough or even two?), a mortgage with crippling interest rates, 2 holidays a year etc etc. There seems to be almost no self restraint and consideration that maybe you are responsible for your own future and that maybe that tiny government pension isn't going to subsidise your end days in any degree of comfort. That's my attitude towards middle earners who cannot wind themselves in, so obviously the super rich get none of my sympathy.

Actions have consequences and your life is your responsibility. A tough situation should be a lesson learned and we have all been there. There is no reason why a football player cannot learn from his mistakes and join the real world. That's why I respect someone like Joe Calzaghe (a boxer strangely enough) who clearly managed his money fairly carefully. You don't need to live like a monk, but just have a little foresight.

For people way below average incomes it is probably very hard to get by, but for others doing moderately well, they live on the edge largely because they make choices that really don't have to be made. Holyfield with the million room mansion or the middle income family with several children or the banker who fluffs it all on the dogs. Well, you made those choices and have to live with it.