"Want Peace of Mind? Spend Prudently"

According to a column written by Ben Stein with this headline on May 5, 2009:

"I have seen immense changes in this country in the last 40 years . . . .But, I thought, there are some constants. Man's nature is a constant. Man is fearful, avaricious, cunning, shifty, and untrustworthy in many cases, and many of those men wind up on Wall Street. But man is also hardworking, daring, committed to innovation, and eagerly willing to help his fellow man--and one or two of those people wind up on Wall Street, too.

"However, the main reason I felt so worked up about being on Wall Street where I was 40 years ago (in a law firm) is because all those years have passed, so much of my life is over, and relatively little remains. And I have spent so much of my life worrying about money that it makes me want to weep. I didn't have to do it. . . . and this has largely to do with an immensely bad habit I have: I like to spend extravagantly. I scare myself with my extravagance."