Comments on: Is your stuff holding you back? http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html Financial independence, frugality, self-sufficiency, ecology, capitalism, and voluntary simplicity Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:01:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: SimplicityinKansas http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-1269 SimplicityinKansas Sat, 31 May 2008 12:40:11 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-1269 Like the post and thinking. I too have come to a very similar conclusion possession own you and it is not the other way around. It reminds me of the paradox of those who enjoy power only find it of pleasure in the chase and achievement is in fact entrapment. I have simplified, simplified and simplified again and again in an effort to keep only what is needed. While the farm house has many things for a farm, where I live and how I live now is minimized and simple which is total freedom. I like the lifestyle as it is indeed a form of freedom away from other's expectations and the entrapment of debt with a lifestyle. Like the post and thinking. I too have come to a very similar conclusion possession own you and it is not the other way around. It reminds me of the paradox of those who enjoy power only find it of pleasure in the chase and achievement is in fact entrapment. I have simplified, simplified and simplified again and again in an effort to keep only what is needed. While the farm house has many things for a farm, where I live and how I live now is minimized and simple which is total freedom. I like the lifestyle as it is indeed a form of freedom away from other’s expectations and the entrapment of debt with a lifestyle.

]]> By: Tina Su – Think Simple Now http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-548 Tina Su – Think Simple Now Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:47:36 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-548 Thanks for mentioning our post here. I appreciate. :) Love & Gratitude, Tina <a href="http://thinksimplenow.com" rel="nofollow">Think Simple Now. ~ Clarity & Happiness</a> Thanks for mentioning our post here. I appreciate. :)

Love & Gratitude,
Tina
Think Simple Now. ~ Clarity & Happiness

]]> By: lulugal11 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-261 lulugal11 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:27:57 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-261 I am holding on to my 'stuff' now. I did exactly what you talked about and got a 2 bedroom place because I wanted more space to spread my stuff out. I have lived in a 1 BR while in college and I recently started working...but I still have the same amount of stuff. I thought it all looked cramped in the 1BR so I got a 2BR to make it look better. I got most of my furniture for free and some of it is really nice so I did not want to get rid of it and then face a future where I would have to spend money to get more. I am now in a lease where I am paying almost $200 more than I would have if I had gotten a 1BR...all so I can hold on to my 'stuff'. Sigh. I am holding on to my ’stuff’ now. I did exactly what you talked about and got a 2 bedroom place because I wanted more space to spread my stuff out.

I have lived in a 1 BR while in college and I recently started working…but I still have the same amount of stuff. I thought it all looked cramped in the 1BR so I got a 2BR to make it look better.

I got most of my furniture for free and some of it is really nice so I did not want to get rid of it and then face a future where I would have to spend money to get more. I am now in a lease where I am paying almost $200 more than I would have if I had gotten a 1BR…all so I can hold on to my ’stuff’. Sigh.

]]> By: Jacob http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-255 Jacob Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:30:20 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-255 @anonymous - when I figure that out, I can rule the universe! :-) .. ok, it's mainly a question of selling an idea. Think the equivalent of 30-day free trial, money back guarantee, ... @moneymonk - still the average house size has grown a lot over the past 50 years in spite of decreasing household sizes. I think this extra space is eating away in our savings. Could this be the factor two that means that households now require two incomes to get by? @TFM - I'm planning a few posts on how to downsize. @brooke - Yup, I've read possum living - I think I read it in two sittings. It is very engaging. It's the ultimate in slacking and the worry free life. There's also Walden of course. Thanks for the affluenza suggestion. I did not know it was on youtube. @anonymous - when I figure that out, I can rule the universe! :-) .. ok, it’s mainly a question of selling an idea. Think the equivalent of 30-day free trial, money back guarantee, …

@moneymonk - still the average house size has grown a lot over the past 50 years in spite of decreasing household sizes. I think this extra space is eating away in our savings. Could this be the factor two that means that households now require two incomes to get by?

@TFM - I’m planning a few posts on how to downsize.

@brooke - Yup, I’ve read possum living - I think I read it in two sittings. It is very engaging. It’s the ultimate in slacking and the worry free life. There’s also Walden of course. Thanks for the affluenza suggestion. I did not know it was on youtube.

]]> By: Brooke (Dollar Frugal) http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-253 Brooke (Dollar Frugal) Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:24:28 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-253 I'm with you, Jacob. I keep forgetting to ask you if you've read "possum living". Once you get past the "backwoods-ishness," it's an interesting read. Here's a link to the e-book: http://www.f4.ca/text/possumliving.htm I read it in one sitting, over an 8-hour nightshift one time. Affluenza is another good one - it's old, but available on Youtube, broken into 10-minute clips - anything on PBS is my fave. I’m with you, Jacob. I keep forgetting to ask you if you’ve read “possum living”. Once you get past the “backwoods-ishness,” it’s an interesting read. Here’s a link to the e-book:

http://www.f4.ca/text/possumliving.htm

I read it in one sitting, over an 8-hour nightshift one time.

Affluenza is another good one - it’s old, but available on Youtube, broken into 10-minute clips - anything on PBS is my fave.

]]> By: Tight Fisted Miser http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-252 Tight Fisted Miser Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:41:02 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-252 Interesting that you should post about the cheaprvliving.com site. The owner of that site is a member of a Yahoo Group(vandwellers) that I belong to and there recently was a long discussion about his sample $1000 budget. That inspired me to post my own $1000 budget on my blog. I'm seriously considering moving into a van this fall. I'm in a studio apartment now but I'll still have to get rid of a lot of stuff. Interesting that you should post about the cheaprvliving.com site. The owner of that site is a member of a Yahoo Group(vandwellers) that I belong to and there recently was a long discussion about his sample $1000 budget. That inspired me to post my own $1000 budget on my blog.

I’m seriously considering moving into a van this fall. I’m in a studio apartment now but I’ll still have to get rid of a lot of stuff.

]]> By: moneymonk http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-251 moneymonk Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:14:12 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-251 Stuff also makes us comfortable. Jacob- most people have good reasons to have a bigger house and more rooms. A family of five may need a bigger sofa, more beds, etc Most people get bigger and better things because the family is expanding ie. ,more children, grandma moves in, father moves in whatever the reason. The point is that if you don't have the money to afford something don't get it. A lot of people can afford a modest 4 bedroom home, some cannot. Simply put - live off what you can easily afford!!! Computers, cooking wares, shoes, may all be suffient spending. The problem comes when you overdo it. Fancy shoes, top of the line blender ot toaster. Dell pc with 24 in flatscreen, huge memory, fast processor. Fast extreme internet service and so on. Stuff also makes us comfortable.

Jacob- most people have good reasons to have a bigger house and more rooms. A family of five may need a bigger sofa, more beds, etc

Most people get bigger and better things because the family is expanding ie. ,more children, grandma moves in, father moves in whatever the reason.

The point is that if you don’t have the money to afford something don’t get it. A lot of people can afford a modest 4 bedroom home, some cannot.

Simply put - live off what you can easily afford!!!

Computers, cooking wares, shoes, may all be suffient spending.

The problem comes when you overdo it. Fancy shoes, top of the line blender ot toaster. Dell pc with 24 in flatscreen, huge memory, fast processor. Fast extreme internet service and so on.

]]> By: anonymous http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-250 anonymous Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:50:05 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/01/is-your-stuff-holding-you-back.html#comment-250 How do you reconcile the fact that your DW isn't at the point that you are? How do you persuade her to down-size more? How do you reconcile the fact that your DW isn’t at the point that you are?
How do you persuade her to down-size more?

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