THIS APPEARED ON CRAIG'S LIST!!!

"What am I doing wrong?

Okay, I'm tired of beating around the bush. I'm a beautiful (spectacularly beautiful) 25 year old girl. I'm articulate and classy.I'm not from New York. I'm looking to get married to a guy who makes at least half a million a year. I know how that sounds, but keep in mind that a million a year is middle class in New York City, so I don't think I'm overreaching at all.

Are there any guys who make 500K or more on this board? Any wives?
Could you send me some tips? I dated a business man who makes average around 200-250. But that's where I seem to hit a roadblock. 250,000 won't get me to central park west. I know a woman in my yoga class who was
married to an investment banker and lives in Tribeca, and she's not as pretty
as I am, nor is she a great genius. So what is she doing right? How do I get to her level?

Here are my questions specifically:

Where do you single rich men hang out? Give me specifics - bars,restaurants, gyms -What are you looking for in a mate? Be honest guys, you won't hurt my feelings -Is there an age range I should be targeting (I'm 25)? Why are some of the women living lavish lifestyles on the upper east side so plain? I've seen really 'plain jane' boring types who have nothing to offer married to incredibly wealthy guys. I've seen drop dead gorgeous girls in singles bars in the east village. What's the story there?

- Jobs I should look out for? Everyone knows - lawyer, investment
banker, doctor. How much do those guys really make? And where do they
hang out? Where do the hedge fund guys hang out?

How you decide marriage vs. just a girlfriend? I am looking for MARRIAGE ONLY

Please hold your insults - I'm putting myself out there in an honest way. Most beautiful women are superficial; at least I'm being up front about it. I wouldn't be searching for these kind of guys if I wasn't able to match them - in looks, culture, sophistication, and keeping a nice home and hearth."

* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with
services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 432279810

THE ANSWER

"Dear Pers-431649184: I read your posting with great interest and have thought meaningfully about your dilemma. I offer the following analysis of your predicament.

Firstly, I'm not wasting your time, I qualify as a guy who fits your bill; that is I make more than $500K per year. That said here's how I see it.

Your offer, from the perspective of a guy like me, is plain and simple a crappy business deal. Here's why. Cutting through all the B.S., what you suggest is a simple trade: you bring your looks to the party and I bring my money. Fine, simple. But here's the rub, your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity...in fact, it is very likely that my income increases but it is an absolute certainty that you won't be getting any more beautiful!

So, in economic terms you are a depreciating asset and I am an earning asset. Not only are you a depreciating asset, your depreciation accelerates! Let me explain, you're 25 now and will likely stay pretty hot for the next 5 years, but less so each year. Then the fade begins in earnest. By 35 stick a fork in you!

So in Wall Street terms, we would call you a trading position, not a buy and hold...hence the rub...marriage. It doesn't make good business sense to 'buy you' (which is what you're asking) so I'd rather lease. In case you think I'm being cruel, I would say the following. If my money were to go away, so would you, so when your beauty fades I need an out. It's as simple as that. So a deal that makes sense is dating, not marriage.

Separately, I was taught early in my career about efficient markets. So,I wonder why a girl as 'articulate, classy and spectacularly beautiful' as you has been unable to find your sugar daddy. I find it hard to believe that if you are as gorgeous as you say you are that the $500K hasn't found you, if not only for a tryout.

By the way, you could always find a way to make your own money and then we wouldn't need to have this difficult conversation.

With all that said, I must say you're going about it the right way. Classic 'pump and dump.' I hope this is helpful, and if you want to enter into some sort of lease, let me know."

I believe the respondent will make a fine monger some day, if he isn't one already! And, we all know what the OP already is.

That place is BS-central.  And given that you don't have to reveal your email address in a Craigslist posting, there are even more aliases floating around there than here on TER.

-- Modified on 10/6/2007 7:18:06 PM

-- Modified on 10/6/2007 7:24:50 PM

No, but whoever wrote that response clearly has a firm grasp of the financial world, so even if his income isn't really in the half a mill range, I'm betting its up there somewhere.

That response was a hoot though!!

I also have a firm grasp of the financial world, because I was a finance major in college.  Trust me, my income isn't even close to half a mil.  Not even in the same ballpark.  Not even in the same neighborhood.  Not even in the same country.  

She said she's looking for possibly an investment banker.  Unfortunately for this woman, most junior investment bankers, or "analysts" as they are called (not to be confused with research analysts who issue buy, sell and hold recommendations) don't make anywhere close to half a million dollars a year.  They toil for two to three years making between $50,000 and $175,000 salaries (plus a bonus which can sometimes equal their salaries, depending on business conditions).  In order to do this, they often have to work six days a week, for up to 18 hours a day.  The work is difficult and unrewarding.  After they do this for a few years, they either get an offer to be a "real" investment banker (called an "associate") or they go to get their MBA and try again in two years.  Or they quit the business altogether.  There's a high attrition rate in this industry.  She might be looking for cash in all the wrong places.  Now hedge funds and private equity funds, on the other hand... $$$$$$$$$$

-- Modified on 10/6/2007 8:35:30 PM

but 500k a year really isn't that much nowadays. I couldn't imagine living in a city as expensive as NYC and making much less than that. I do agree that trolling CL in search of a millionare probably isn't the most fertile of fishing grounds. lol

Money matters aside, I agree with our sinful friend, the response was classic.

You probably mean living in Manhattan as opposed to the outer boroughs but my point stands.  A lot of people prefer living in the outer boroughs because it's cheaper and sometimes, the neighborhoods are nicer.  In other instances, like Williamsburg in Brooklyn, residents have turned parts of it into another kind of "East Village".

If you need close to $500k to for minimal living in New York City, you're looking for a specific kind of lifestyle which I suspect costs about the same everywhere.

As long as you make $70k and above you'll do fine here.

I've lived in Manhattan and even though I can afford a better place than the one I used to live in, I'm over that whole Manhattan thing.

No, trust me, most junior I-bankers don't make anywhere near 500k.  There's a lot of poor people in NYC, but some of them wouldn't be poor if they had the same salary in another city.  But check the statistics: the average income in NYC isn't even close to 100k, let alone 500.  Those who live in Manhattan often rent with a roommate if they can't afford it, or they live in northern Jersey and commute.  Plus there's always Brooklyn and the other outer boroughs, some parts of which are still almost affordable.  Still, even Hoboken and Downtown Brooklyn have become yuppie-heaven these days.  Working people are moving farther and farther away in search of cheaper housing.  That's why you'll sometimes read stories in the papers about 40-somethings who still live with roommates or their parents, or working people who travel 4 hours each day to commute to the city.  It's rough here.  And the taxes?  Fuhgeddaboudit!  LOL

"I also have a firm grasp of the financial world, because I was a finance major in college."
+++++++++++++++++++++
hahahahahahahahahahaha
That gives you a firm grasp of the univerity environment, not the financial world - sorry dude, but that's the truth ...  hahahahahaha

To be able to own, not rent, a nice place, save for retirement, hobby a couple of times a week, and basically live a good life style you've got to be making at least 3-400k a year.

I agree that most junior I bankers don't make 500k, but for anyone that puts there mind to it, and has a little sales skill to bring in the money, 500k really isn't that much nowadays, don't get me wrong 500k is still 500k, but there are more people making that kind of money than you might realize.

He did paste & post all the mails exchanged with her and is pretty interesting stuff to read.

ie that she's delusional.   Classy people don't make the claim.

This is good.  I'm looking for the same thing.  

Let's see if she started providing -  3X a day at $500 X 25 days a month X 12 months = $450,000.00

Then she can buy any rich guy she wants...

Giggle,
TS Jamie  

God - I WISH I could make that kind of $$.  

and get a job. Many women make their own $ and work hard at it. Women with a vision, other then fairy tales are a turn on.

Before I read anyone elses response, let me say this is VERY TRUE. I couldn't agree more. I just had a dispute with some women over this topic.

Some women just don't get it.  Maybe it's the lack of strong father's in the household.  There needs to be mutual respect.  If you have a man who loves you for you, love him for him, not is money or his career.

also true.

Interesting to read her wants and needs. Reverse  it, Make it an older male with income over 500,000. Where can he get what he wants?

You should try the Whiskey Blue on lexington...Another one of my favorites is Tao on 58th and Nobu on Hudson...Good luck with your search!

stupid values, and mom is every bit as responsible as dad.

The major malfunction of this ditz is exclusive focus on digging that gold.  She thinks she has brains and class, when in fact she has neither.

I don't think any woman can avoid the issue, because if her man isn't economically stable, she's not going to have normal kids, and that is a MAJOR issue.   So I don't mind women asking, how are we going to pay the bills?

What *I* mind is their insanity.

I think what I meant to say was that knowing some basic financial terminology doesn't make you the Wizard of Wall Street.  Do I have a more profound understanding of financial markets than, say, the average Sociology major?  Yes.  Does that make me Gordon Gekko?  No.  What else can I say?

first,
she should MOVE - COL in other locals allows her to broaden her seach criteria.
Second,
the men that make that kinda $$ do not read Craig's list, no matter what the respondant says.  
Third,
As he has stated, she is a depreciating asset.  the lease option seems to be very attractive from both their perspectives.
Fourth,
She is hung up on material wealth and creature comfort... and guys... Well, we just want to get some.  she seems to not understand that.

right here in Silicon Valley and she can snuggle up to some MBA venture capitalists who has never done anything in his life except go to the "right school" and hang with the "right people."  VC's make stupendous money - even jr. partners.  Often in excess of $1M a year even in small funds.

And they don't work very hard - sit back and tell the entrepreneur that everything he is doing is wrong.."Here do it this way and we'll give you money."

I seriously dislike them.

How 'bout the fact that she might not be economically stable, as anything could happen.

What if his old age has him dead before her, then what ?  Would she be the proverbial fish outta water ?

I LOVE the guy's response. He put her in her place. I appreciate her candor but she is definitely the kind of woman to avoid.
This is the kind of woman whose situation cries the word "prenup"

I was listening to Howard Stern today, and they are working on getting this girl in the studio.  Maybe the guy who wrote the response too.