Just when Internet became a huge thing in the Netherlands my friend had an ISP, making decent money...as in don't have to worry about being able to buy something expensive when needed.
Then the internet really took off and his silent investor sold his share for serious cash. The new investor aggressively bought out my friend for 4 million euro's (with current exchange rates that would have been close to 8 million USD).
Well, my friend's family increased by 500% overnight, coming over to his house to nag/beg him to death about helping them out...people that previously didn't gave him the time of day suddenly acted as BFF's, banks started calling just as telemarketers do.
Financial "advice" from everyone around you (family, in-laws), every decision you make being questioned by those same people, putting a big strain on his relationship.
Worrying about losing money in the stock market, because your account manager at the bank doesn't buy or sell at the time when you want him to (this was still before online broker sites took off). He actually lost quite a lot of money that way.
After seeing all that, I couldn't help but thinking that (financial) freedom actually lies at the point where you have enough to buy something expensive without having to think you can afford it...while not being noticed by people/organizations/institutes of religion that are after your money, leaving you time to do your own thing.
Ah well, to each his own.
