Karl Rabeder grew up poor and thought that life would be wonderful if he had money. But when he got rich, Karl discovered that he was unhappy ... so he decided to give away every penny of his £3 million fortune:
"My idea is to have nothing left. Absolutely nothing," he told The Daily Telegraph. "Money is counterproductive – it prevents happiness to come."
Instead, he will move out of his luxury Alpine retreat into a small wooden hut in the mountains or a simple bedsit in Innsbruck.
His entire proceeds are going to charities he set up in Central and Latin America, but he will not even take a salary from these.
"For a long time I believed that more wealth and luxury automatically meant more happiness," he said. "I come from a very poor family where the rules were to work more to achieve more material things, and I applied this for many years," said Mr Rabeder.
But over time, he had another, conflicting feeling.
"More and more I heard the words: 'Stop what you are doing now – all this luxury and consumerism – and start your real life'," he said. "I had the feeling I was working as a slave for things that I did not wish for or need. I have the feeling that there are lot of people doing the same thing."
Do not become angry and do not judge me for this letter. I am simple in a stalemate is compelled to address.
Allow to address to me to you.?? become angry about me for this frank letter. I write to despair with tears in the face of. I to you will shortly describe the situation, and you draw the conclusion.The trouble can happen with any person.
I live in Latvia in the city of Riga. To me of 49 years. Last year at me the husband has died. He was 48 years old. I remained with 3 children. One daughter seriously ill (the cerebral paralysis since a birth) In our state of any help cannot be received and I was convinced of it when have visited establishments.? the answer have received only the condolence and pity. I in tears have come home and have decided to write you the letter. Probably with your kind help with your kind heart who that can financially help me a little. It is very difficult to me to live. At me a great grief and the sick child. I cannot earn money to provide children. I the decent person. I do not have money to pay study to children, to buy the necessary things. At us in the salary country very small. I in a month receive 400 dollars. I on this money cannot live month with children. I very much ask you do not become angry, help me with kind heart. My letter you can can show to kind men of means which in a condition to allocate for me a few money.Forgive me for God's sake for this letter. I about you read that you very kind person and understand difficulties. I have all documents on my difficult situation on hands and I can show any minute. Do not disregard my letter. I very much ask you. I have no place to address for the help. The help is very urgently necessary to me. Believe to me please, I have written all about myself in all honesty. The greatest pain for mother when its child.I you very much is sick I beg help me.
I for you will pray all life. To you it will be rendered for this noble help. God grant to you of happiness and that the trouble you has never concerned.
Forgive for bad my English, but I hope that you will understand that I have written.
My email: diara2@inbox.lv
With sincere respect and the best regards for you Tatjana
good or bad impact on our happiness, and depending on how susceptible we are to every one of them, the conclusion will go one way or the other (i.e. different from
person to person).
I recently made an effort to provide a more comprehensive picture of what these ad- and disadvantages are. I invite you to have a look at Money and Happiness
and tell me what you think!
Thank you,
Nick
1)The maximum of my personal wealth was about Euros 3,5 million some years ago.
2)During the last years I supported orphan houses and developed agricultural education programs.
3)In the winter 2008/2009 I founded MyMicroCredit.org and spent some money for software development, lawers and other costs in connection with this.
4)The value of my villa in Tirol is Euro 1.519.000.- excluding furniture. This villa will be sold via lottery. I am selling 21999 raffles 99 Euros each.
5)There will be no additional costs for the winner of the lottery, the 99 Euros which he/she payed for the winning raffle will give him/her the villa.
Only European citizens are allowed to take part at the lottery.
6)Out of the money from selling all the raffles I will pay for lottery and other taxes, lawers, internet agency etc. and will pay back my mortgage for the house.
7)Then about 200000 to 300000 Euros will be left over which I donate to MyMicroCredit.org.
8)When my house in Southern France will be sold, there will be some money left over for supporting MyMicroCredit too.
9)In addition to this I am working full day ( and sometimes full night too ) for MyMicroCredit.org without any payment and will do this in future too as I am sure, that micro loans are the most effective way to alleviate poverty worldwide.
10)The same applies for all the members of our organisation, all of them are working for free, doing a great job.
11)All future supporters of MyMicroCredit.org are very welcome to join. There is so much to do, lets continue!
Greetings from sunny Tirol, Karl Rabeder
but it will for sure buy me a lot of things that make me happy.
after all who needs happiness when you got that kindda money