"Lying flat," is one of the most popular internet terms in the past two years, and it is also the ultimate goal for everyone's struggle.
The idea is simple: work hard to make money, achieve financial freedom, and then "lie flat"!
So the question arises, when can one be considered financially free?
Many netizens say that when my bank deposit reaches 1 million, I will consider lying flat and waiting for the interest to support myself.
Is this really the case?
I specially interviewed the "rich people" around me, and the answers they gave were heart-rending and helpless.I. Helplessness from the "Wealthy"
Interview 1: Xiao Li, 29 years old, IT professional
Fortunately, upon graduating from university at the age of 22, I found a decent job that ensured I had no worries about food and clothing every month.
Advertisement
Due to my family's financial struggles, I've been frugal with my earnings and managed to save a million in just five years.
Even so, I still hesitate to dine out lavishly with my colleagues, and I rarely even order takeout. Some might say, "You've earned so much money and yet you're so reluctant to spend it. What's the point?"
Indeed, what's the point?
In the end, it's because a million doesn't amount to much in a big city. In the future, I'll need to buy a house and a car for marriage, provide a dowry for my future wife, and raise children...
When you calculate it all, a million really is a pitiful amount. It might not even be enough for a down payment on a small apartment in the city center, let alone other arrangements.Interview 2: Sister Zhou, 34 years old, clothing store owner
At the age of 17, she entered the society and has worked as a restaurant waiter and assembly line worker. Later, she switched to clothing sales. Feeling that working for others had no future, she borrowed money to open her own clothing store.
She has also experienced investment failures and stayed up all night worrying about the unsold clothes. Fortunately, she later found the knack, and the clothing store began to make a profit, and now she has two stores.
It took as long as 6 years to go from negative assets to a savings of 1 million yuan. Now, in the eyes of outsiders, she is a successful "career woman," but only she knows the pressure.
Online sales have a great impact on physical stores, and no one knows how her two clothing stores will develop in the future. Don't look at the 1 million yuan in savings, in fact, she lives harder than many people, for fear that the store will not be able to continue one day.
Interview 3: Brother Wang, 50 years old, sales
When he was young, he always thought that after saving 1 million yuan, he would quit the exhausting job and start traveling around the world, living on the interest.
Now at the age of 50, he has saved his first 1 million yuan in life, but he doesn't even dare to think about quitting, let alone traveling around the world.
Suddenly found that when he was young, he was too naive, thinking that with 1 million yuan, he could do nothing. With the bank's interest rate cut, the interest on 1 million yuan in savings is not high. In the era of rising prices, it can only maintain a basic life.Adding the monthly mortgage payments, the need to support elderly parents and a son in college, even taking a day off for rest requires careful consideration.
Even countless times, I have sighed with relief that I still have a job, otherwise supporting the family would be a problem. As I grow older, the fear in my heart becomes more intense, worrying about what would happen to the family if I were to fall ill one day?
No matter what profession one is engaged in, or regardless of age, it seems that everyone has their own troubles and worries.
The million-yuan savings in the bank account, apart from solving urgent needs, can't even buy a decent house. This is not selling anxiety, but the current state of life for many people.
In summary, with a bank deposit of one million, due to the influence of multiple factors, it is still not easy to just lie flat.
II. A million-yuan deposit, mercilessly "ravaged" by reality
For most ordinary people, having a deposit of one million yuan is a very difficult thing. To use a netizen's words, earning a salary of 3000 yuan a month, it's hard to even cover the food and drink for the whole family, let alone have any savings left. The difference in living costs makes a million-yuan deposit seem insignificant.
In first-tier cities, many people are overwhelmed by high housing prices, and even the cost of renting is outrageously high.At the same time, one must also face the costs of children's education and medical expenses. No wonder people say that there is only a serious illness between the poor and the rich!
If it were in a small city, a million yuan in savings could buy an affordable house, a regular car, and live a life of freedom with a car and a house. However, after buying a car and a house, a million yuan in savings can also be instantly depleted.
In recent years, inflation has been severe, and a million yuan in savings has also been continuously shrinking. Prices are rising year by year, but wages and interest rates do not seem to increase.
To let everyone understand the impact of inflation on savings more clearly, I will give an example for explanation:
Assuming an annual inflation rate of 3% (this is a hypothetical value for reference), then after ten years, the 1 million yuan in the bank card may only be equivalent to 740,000 yuan, and the purchasing power is far less than before.
Even if you do nothing and just put a million yuan in the bank, it will depreciate invisibly after a few years. It is unimaginable how the life of those who plan to "lie flat" with a million yuan in savings will be in a few years.
What's more, there are many years in the future of life, and there are too many uncertainties. Illness, accidents, and family changes, no one knows which one will come first, and any one thing will increase additional economic burden.
A very realistic problem, if you are really unfortunate to get seriously ill, do you keep a million yuan in savings or treat the disease?When that moment comes, most people would choose to be treated. No one would willingly give up their own life, especially when there is money available for treatment.
III. "Lying Flat" is a Life Attitude
Many people think that "lying flat" means doing nothing and resting at home with a million in savings, but in reality, there is a misunderstanding of the term "lying flat," and it needs to be re-understood.
"Lying flat" requires financial freedom, and there is still a big gap between a million in savings and financial freedom. Don't be deceived by the term "lying flat."
It can be understood that everyone wants to "lie flat" because life and work are really too tiring, often making people physically and mentally exhausted. However, the conditions required for "lying flat" are too many, and most people cannot meet them in their lifetime.
The reason why people have the idea of "lying flat" is, after all, due to the inner pressure and anxiety.
In this era of fierce competition and information explosion, everyone is busy running for life and fighting for the future, spinning like a top.
When you can't hold on, tell yourself, it's okay, after having a million in savings, you don't have to work so hard anymore.To put it bluntly, "lying flat" is a form of spiritual sustenance, a desire for people to escape their current life situation. However, dreams ultimately cannot overcome reality. Even with a million in savings, so what?
Instead of letting oneself be trapped in endless "anxiety," it might be better to change one's lifestyle, which could potentially be more comfortable.
"If you can't afford a house, then don't buy one! There are plenty of rental properties on the street, just choose a suitable one, and the pressure is instantly reduced by more than half."
"If you can't afford a good car, then choose a second-hand vehicle for transportation, as long as it can provide shelter from the wind and rain. If that's not enough, buy a small electric scooter, or take the bus or subway that rarely runs late."
"If you don't have money to travel, then sit at home and watch videos, enjoying the beautiful scenery filmed by others, and you can still see the magnificent landscapes of the motherland."
In fact, if you think about it, "lying flat" is not about giving up effort and pursuit, but simply changing one's mindset and way of life.
Having a million in savings, even if you lose your job tomorrow, you don't have to worry about not being able to afford food or housing; with a million in savings as a backup, you still have a chance to catch your breath when facing risks.
How to find the best balance between busyness and pressure? This is what contemporary people need to learn.When one can let go of unnecessary burdens and learn to release the pressure and anxiety within, life seems not as difficult anymore.
IV. Learning Financial Planning is Crucial
Everyone has responsibilities they need to bear. Since it's impossible to achieve a "lying flat" life, learn to plan well and let your million-yuan savings bring the greatest value.
1. Diversified Investment
With a million-yuan savings, remember not to put all your money in the bank to earn interest. Given the current environment, there are signs that interest rates may decrease, and keeping money in the bank is equivalent to devaluing it indirectly.
Try investing in some capital preservation projects, such as stocks, bonds, or real estate, and distribute your million-yuan savings across multiple channels. Firstly, this can effectively diversify risks; secondly, it can also maximize the benefits of your savings.
However, all investments come with risks. It's best to understand the investment projects in advance and make reasonable plans based on your own risk tolerance.
It's not easy to save a million yuan, so be careful not to invest recklessly to avoid losing all your money.2. Establish an Emergency Fund
Skilled investors will always set up a dedicated account in advance, called an "emergency fund." This money is earmarked for specific purposes, mainly to deal with unexpected events in life.
No one knows whether accidents or tomorrow will come first. Instead of being knocked down by accidents, it's better to save an emergency fund in advance and be prepared for unexpected events. The saying "prevention is better than cure" is the principle here.
Saving an "emergency fund" is still very beneficial, at least it will not change the current life status and will not have too much impact on financial conditions.
3. Continuous Learning and Improvement
Even with a million in savings, one cannot be complacent. Once the pace of effort is stopped, it may be overtaken by others, and then it will be difficult to get promoted and increased in salary in the future.
Therefore, always remember to continue learning and improving yourself. Only by becoming stronger can you deal with various difficulties encountered in life and increase sources of income.
It's a very simple truth: continuous learning = self-improvement = income sources = quality of life. There is a causal relationship between these things, which is the best weapon to deal with the uncertain future of life, more reliable than a million in savings.Conclusion:
Regarding "lying flat," everyone has their own thoughts, and it cannot be generalized. Whether it is ten thousand "lying flat" or a million "lying flat," it is also a choice that belongs to each individual, and outsiders cannot impose interference.
However, in this fast-paced society, "lying flat" is somewhat impractical to some extent.
What everyone needs to do is to adjust their mindset and find a way of life that makes themselves comfortable, which is the most important thing.
Leave a Reply