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glatt · 01-03-2005, 05:58 PM

It's like the ant and the grasshopper. Be an ant.

We have a lot less "stuff" than most of our friends. I bring sandwiches to work every day for lunch. One peanut butter and jelly, and one with meat. We drive an old, reliable, compact car. We bought new with savings almost a decade ago, so never had to make payments on it. It still runs great. I hope that lasts.

We amost never eat out. We never buy anything impulsively. We discuss every non-essential purchase beforehand, and often decide to hold off for a while on buying it. We usually then forget we wanted it. We rent movies from the corner $1 rental place, but don't go out to the theaters.

We are debt free, except for our mortgage, and even that bothers me a little bit even though it is less than the current rent on a 1 BR apartment around here. We live within our means, and actually come out ahead a few grand each year, which we put aside for the kids or in our nest egg. In addition, I contribute 10% to my 401K.

I feel a little envious when I go over to friends houses and see the stuff they have, but I know on paper I'm far wealthier than most Americans, and probably wealthier than many of my friends.

Oh yeah, and we are happy. Even without all that "stuff."

01-03-2005, 05:58 PM	#13
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	It's like the ant and the grasshopper. Be an ant. We have a lot less "stuff" than most of our friends. I bring sandwiches to work every day for lunch. One peanut butter and jelly, and one with meat. We drive an old, reliable, compact car. We bought new with savings almost a decade ago, so never had to make payments on it. It still runs great. I hope that lasts. We amost never eat out. We never buy anything impulsively. We discuss every non-essential purchase beforehand, and often decide to hold off for a while on buying it. We usually then forget we wanted it. We rent movies from the corner $1 rental place, but don't go out to the theaters. We are debt free, except for our mortgage, and even that bothers me a little bit even though it is less than the current rent on a 1 BR apartment around here. We live within our means, and actually come out ahead a few grand each year, which we put aside for the kids or in our nest egg. In addition, I contribute 10% to my 401K. I feel a little envious when I go over to friends houses and see the stuff they have, but I know on paper I'm far wealthier than most Americans, and probably wealthier than many of my friends. Oh yeah, and we are happy. Even without all that "stuff."