My Sims seldom have more than 25,000 Simoleans in their household funds. I use Bienchen's 'Donate More to Charity' mod whenever my Sims become too flush with cash. Donating to charity also gives their reputation a nice boost. I enjoy taking my Sims through the lean times when they're just starting out and have small homes with cheap furniture, then as their finances improve they buy nicer things. Once upon a time I often cheated by giving my Sims everything right from the start, but when I did that, I lost interest in playing those families because there was no challenge left. They all live comfortable lives; they own nice homes, they go on family vacations to Sulani or Mt.Komorebi, or spend time fishing and camping in Granite Falls. They stay very busy with various activities, and don't get hung up on the idea that having a lot of money is the main goal in their lives. Of course there are the occasional dramas to deal with along the way just to keep things interesting, but all in all I prefer to keep their finances on the conservative side.
