People I Can Look Up To...

According to this article on Themorningcall.com. "Travel company operator Hal Taussig buys his clothes from thrift shops, resoles his shoes and reads magazines for free at the public library.The 83-year-old founder of Untours also gives away all of his company's profits to help the poor -- more than $5 million since 1999. He is content to live on Social Security."

Apparently, he only takes a $6,000 salary from the company he founded. If he has any money left at the end of the month it goes to charity. He only takes a salary in the first place because the government thought he was trying to get out of paying taxes (ironic huh?). Most of his money goes to helping people with very low interest loans.

"While big corporations give away more money than Taussig, Cohen said, the donation could be ''one-half of 1 percent of profits while Hal gave away $5 million and that's 100 percent of his profits.''

In his own words he tries to make capitolists. ''They should be self-sustaining. You give them money and they run out and you have to give more. But if you give them a way to make a living, it's like teaching them how to fish rather than giving them fish.''

This is a guy I can get behind, this is the kind of giving I would like to see more of. But it's hard. I certainly wouldn't do it. At least not at my age. I don't have my house paid off, so there's that I have to consider. And I don't get Social Security (and personally if I had enough money at that age I wouldn't take it) so it looks like for the time being I have to consider saving money and paying for big expesive things like housing and retirement and all that fun stuff.

Although I'm sure at times Ben can see the relief in getting rid of money. While Ben is so busy with his final week of school, paying bills and balancing the check book are always hanging over his head. Sometimes, especially when things are busy, it would be nice to not have to worry about money.