...money clarifies one's speech greatly, while no one listens to the poor

I had a bit of an unforeseen three figure expenditure today. It breaks my heart to see my bank account disappear bit by bit, just like that. Especially knowing that it takes me so hard to earn my insignificant sum of income. Slaving weekdays from 8.30am till 5.30pm, acting indifferent to office politics and bitchy comments, but actually taking all of it to heart, dealing with demanding clients, sending endless e-mails and crunching tiresome computations...

Is this the consequence of a proper education at school and later, university? Did we waste our youth studying for exams, writing papers and assignments only to be subjected to the dull monotony of office life and torture of modern slavery? What makes my situation even worse is the infinitesimal compensation and benefits that I am currently generating from my employment. What kind of life is this if you work so hard, every day, yet at the end of the month, you are unable to afford the things that you like? Shoes, clothes, perfume, books...

It sure as hell is demotivating. Working to make ends meet. I work just to have some kind of sustainability in life. I envy people from rich families, there I said it. I even resent their wealth which presents them with infinite opportunities and possibilities. Travels abroad, designer clothes and bags, spacious houses, huge cars, dining out at fancy restaurants...never ever having a financial worry. They do not have bills to pay, instalment payments to meet and other financial obligations and expenses (e.g. bare necessities such as bread, cheese, milk, laundry detergent, petrol, car servicing fees, parking fees etc).

And it's these people that dare to question my quality of life..."Why do you never go anywhere, why don't you buy this and that, why did you buy such a small car, why don't you buy a house..." As if money will just fall from the sky and into my hands. I do not have disposable income to make unnecessary purchases. I make sacrifices, like limiting myself to RM15 per day for 3 meals in order to buy some shoes that I like (but I will probably dislike in 3 weeks time). Until I receive a lucrative salary, I will continue to budget and live within my measly means. I will not fall to the evil traps of consumerism where people are being conditioned to believe that the more that they purchase, possess and own, the better of a person they are! We are not defined by the purchases that we make with money that we do not have!