When
it comes to money, there are those who save, those who are stingy, and then
there are cheapskates. How far will you go to save some cash? What is the
motivation for those cheapskates?
I
must say I was a little curious about the programme when the trailer first
appeared on TV so I sat down to watch the first episode. Before long, I was
grimacing. It’s unbelievable the length some people are willing to go and the things
they are willing to do or give up to deny themselves the little pleasures of
life. And it’s not like these people are destitute or anything. Some are rich,
some are even millionaires and yet they choose to insult themselves by depriving
themselves. I find it really sad and appalling. Don’t they think they deserve
better? Don’t they love themselves more to indulge a little? Or do they think
so lowly of themselves that they don’t think there’s anything wrong with their self-neglect?
If you treat yourself right, you will feel great. How can anyone feel great if one
walks with holes in his socks even though he can afford a new pair? If you don’t think you deserve it better, if you think you’re not worth spending on, then you’re right. You’re not worth it.
Mummy’s
advice to me was not to be stingy with myself and not to insult myself by
denying myself especially when I have worked hard for my money anyway. Because
what’s the point of slaving oneself over work only to have the hard-earned
money be enjoyed by others when you die? I will leave some assets and money
behind for my dad, sister, my nephew and nieces and maybe half-brothers when I die
but before I die, I too want to enjoy what I slog for. In Islam, we believe in
this: Work for your worldly life as if
you would live forever, and work for your Hereafter as if you would die
tomorrow. To me, that applies to life too. Live your worldly life as if you
would live forever, and yet live for your Hereafter as if you would die soon.
Look,
I’m a bargain hunter and there’s nothing I love more than finding great deals
but to me that’s getting the most value out of my spending. I studied accounting
and I know the value of money and like most rationale consumers, I would not
willingly pay more for something in store A if it’s offered at a lower cost in
store B. That’s just trying to be a rationale and smart consumer, not a
cheapskate. I also look at the quality and I don’t mind paying slightly more
for quality than for a shoddy item which will more likely than not require
replacement. In the long-run, it’s more economical to spend more on quality
than to spend a little on something that doesn’t last.
~~~~~~~~
It’s
31 July today. A month since the transfer window officially opened and we have
come no closer to signing anyone (except for Sanogo). I don’t know the reason
behind this reluctance to spend, not when we no longer have the stadium to
blame. Not when we have renewed deals with our sponsor. Not when we have a deal
locked in place with PUMA for the next season’s kit. Not when Ivan himself had
said that we have the dough and that we would spend it. So where is the action
then? Where is the statement of intent or action of intent? Where is the
ambition?
Look,
I can dig and appreciate nurturing, developing and protecting talents. But there’s
no denying we need reinforcements. We’re just an injury away from a defensive
nightmare, we’re short in midfield and we need alternative strikers. I don’t
think it’s too much for me to say that Arsenal are making a joke of themselves,
being egoists and arrogant for thinking we can survive with as little
reinforcement as possible, like this is a team made of Supermen, all players
made of steel and all that. Because, hey, even Superman has his Achilles’ heel
too, his weakness. There will come a time when players become too exhausted to
play on, when it’s no longer wise to continually play them (ever heard of
fatigue and burnout, Arsenal?), when some get injured and some suffer wear and
tear of their tendons and muscles. You can’t play the same players week in,
week out in four different cup competitions. It’s just not sustainable. You need
many players who can play and challenge for as many cups as possible. The fans
want new blood, the players themselves want new reinforcements and yet the
person who holds the decisions and the purse-strings seem strangely reluctant
to share this view. Stop being so stubborn and myopic already.
Twenty
thousand leagues under the sea, hundreds of football leagues from Asia to
Europe to North and South America, even Australia, the upper divisions, the
lower divisions and whatnot and yet we can’t find anyone good enough that we
can potentially sign. And this is the club which signed jokers, egoists and arrogant
buggers (think Eboue, petit pute, Ade, NB52...) but can’t seem to find anyone
now. So we want to spend only on quality? Good on you. But there’s no one good
enough left to sign? Fie on you. Even Citeh who just have a new Manager have
signed players.
Surely
they understand the importance of investment at Arsenal? After all, the same
people built the new stadium. They believed in investing for the future. So why
this great reluctance to spend, this lack of urgency in conducting and concluding
our business, this dragging of feet? Or are we the running contenders for the
most Extreme Cheapskates ever?
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