How to feel rich — for $79

Before I tell you I'm gonna tease you a little, toy with you.

I mean, people do it to me all the time and what goes around should come around, right?

Wrong?

Oh.

OK then, let's cut to the chase.

But I can't do it just yet without relating when I first felt rich.

It was my freshman year in college, when my loan and scholarship package was sufficient not only to pay my expenses and bills but actually let me buy books I wanted to read.

You must understand that as a boy growing up in Milwaukee I didn't buy books.

I went to the library and occasionally received books as gifts but there was certainly no money available to purchase them.

And if there by some miracle was, it was always paperbacks.

So when I realized that I could afford any books I wished to read, well, at 18 years of age I felt I was a rich man.

That feeling has never really disappeared: if anything, it's deepened with the passing of decades as I can now afford hardbacks.

It is far better to feel rich than to be rich.

The reason: all it takes is a state of mind.

You don't have any anxiety about getting enough because — by definition — you have more than enough.

The pursuit of wealth, for most people I've known engaged in it, is a very stressful undertaking for the simple reason best summarized by Mae West, in another context entirely but it will do nicely here: "More is never enough."

Now to the subject of this post.

When, this past Februrary 2, I read an online letter from Jeff Bezos (below)

announcing Amazon Prime I signed up in about six zeptoseconds, as I noted in my post of February 3.

Because for a $79 annual fee you can order anything, no matter how small or inexpensive, from any of Amazon's stores and have it in two days with free shipping.

In the past week alone I've received, via this route, the following:

• Senseo Coffee Pods

• Mack's Ear Plugs

• Band-Aids

• 3M Document Wedge

That's besides the books and CDs that flow in all the time.

If you want it overnight you pay $3.99 — no ups, no matter how big or heavy.

It's like having a giant shopping mall that's open 24/7 and delivers to your front door for free.

And costs less than any other store around and doesn't charge sales tax.

It's the best $79 I've spent this year and maybe ever.

Because one of the little secrets of happiness is to do more of what you like and less of what you don't.

Just a slight nudging of the scales in your favor has a disproportionate effect on your mood.

So each trip I don't make to the store is time I can spend here with you.

No contest.

I guarantee that if you sign up you will love it.

Or I will refund every penny you paid me for this advice.

Not your $79, though: you've gotta ask Jeff for that.

I mean, I have to draw the line somewhere.

Don't I?

I don't?

Well, then....