Ask:
OK, I REALLY need help on this. I have a hard time appreciating the material things that I already own. I do have nice things but for some reason I always want more!!! This feeling comes and goes, but it does not help when I see commercials for neat gadgets and read magazines that show pictures of beautiful homes.
What are your tips for living the good life with out wanting more things!?!?!?
We are on a tight budget now that I no longer work. In my previous career I was an Interior Designer....sooo, my passion for beautiful things sometimes gets the best of me.
Answer:
Watching or reading about people who live in very poor countries and have several people crowded into a one-room shack makes me very grateful for all the things I already have. Also, stories about people living through The Great Depression (we had recent thread somewhere about that) can turn my "I want better stuff" thinking around in a hurry.
Answer:
I totally agree with Starlite, reading about the Amish lifestyle or what the people did to survive the Great Depression does put things into perspective. The Amish especially fascinate me that they are happy with so little material items. I highly recommend the book "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls.
Answer:
Visiting my mom. Who has so many nice thing that she really never uses. I know that there will be a time for me to have a nicer home and furnising. I would like nice things but I also know that other things are more important now.
I think about my homes previous owner who would have been a child during the depression. She raised 4 kids in our itty bitty home and lived here for 49 years. You look at all the older homes in my neighborhoon. They are not huge because people used to feel that 1000 sq ft was adequet
Answer:
I sometimes have pity parties for myself. Here recently I really wanted a new sofa. We ordered one and waited only to find out they were out of stock and wouldn't be making anymore like that. Well in the waiting period we needed money for this bill and that. So guess what? I won't be getting one anytime soon. We thought about going to a rent to own center but figured we would end up paying twice the amount that it was worth. My husband really does want me to be happy but I have to do the finances so I really don't want to be strapped down with another bill. Our solution was to buy a slipcover at Wal-mart. I got the one I wanted which cost around fifty dollars but it's prettier than the twenty dollar one at Fred's that I could of settled for. My husband nailed a solid board under the cushions for extra support. I am happy. I do love shopping and decorating my home. I find that if I rearrange things and maybe go to yard sales and goodwill or dollar stores for a lil' retail therapy it's better than spending alot somewhere else. I love watching decorating shows on t.v. especially the ones that take junk and make something special out of it. You could also store some things in rubbermaid containers for a few months and then "forget" them only later to find treasures in your own home. This works with kids also. We live on one income with two boys and I know what it's like to want something but feel guilty knowing that we can't afford it. Maybe you could get the things in your home that you no longer love and have a yardsale to make a little spending money to buy something you do? Just a thought. I hope this helps.