When visited the Apple Store at the local mall for a laptop repair, I planned to check out the North Face store. Since most of my clothing is “survival, hiking and climbing” gear, I thought I might find something I liked.
Nope.
The store was fine. It had shoes, pants, jackets, coats, shirts and gear. But I don’t need anything. So Left after 3 minutes.
On my way home, I stopped at the grocery store for my weekly shopping. I went straight to the meat section, grabbed 8 packages of hamburger, 2 dozen eggs and was out in 10 minutes.
Now that I’ve stopped using dating apps, I won’t be going to restaurants or coffee shops. I prefer to cook for myself and I make the best Vanilla Iced Tea for just pennies.
Every time I think about signing up for Netflix again, I peruse the “what’s on Netflix” sites. Since I never find anything I want to watch, I don’t sign up.
I’d like to get a new Clothes washer. Mine is 20 years old and has a bent drum which makes it
walk” during the spin cycle. But it cleans my clothes well. New washers have jumped from $500 to nearly $700 in the past 2 years (see pandemic of excuses). I don’t need a new one badly enough to pay that much.
I could go on and on about items I’m not buying:
- More clothes
- Extra shoes for working out and hiking
- An extra nightstand
- Outdoor furniture
- House plants
- Japanese Red Maple Tree for my side yard
- Flower baskets for my front porch
- A new iPad
- Books
- New countertop
- New clothes dryer
- Nest Thermostat
- Tankless Water Heater
- More coats
These are all things I’ve thought about buying during the last 12 months. But I don’t need any of them. In most cases, and at most times, I don’t even want any of these things. What I have today is perfectly functional and acceptable.
I like having just enough of what I need. I like not having to search for something packed away in the back of the closet, the attic or the hidden recesses of a storage bin.
I like to throw items out when I replace them with something new.
For me, having less means freedom. Freedom from caring for stuff. Freedom from paying for things I do not need. Freedom from thinking about my belongings.
It’s enabled me to retire at 50, after a long career, a lifetime of debt and just a decade of peak earnings and diligent saving.
When people learn I’m retired, I imagine they think I came from a wealthy family, I got a big life insurance check when my wife died or I made millions from stock options during my tech career.
Nope.
I was a poor kid. My family was very poor and mismanaged whatever money we managed to get.
But I learned that I don’t need much to quite content. I learned that I can yearn for material things and never attain them and still be happy.
I learned to feel rich simply by having enough to buy groceries without having to put anything back because I don’t have enough money. I learned appreciate having the money to replace a dead car battery or fix a flat tire without having to borrow money until payday.
I learned to appreciate running water, Heat & AC, electricity and shelter.
The were good lessons. I still think I would have have been better off if I had a secure, loving, wealthy family and never had to worry about money.
But, like many other things I wanted, I’m able to be quite content without this too.