SubscribeSun 23 Sep 2007
Frugality is often thought of being able to say no to things that one wants. I want to eat out at restaurants. Being frugal is denying myself that pleasure. Being able to restrain yourself from things you want is a important part of being frugal. However, there is a deeper frugality. The ideal way to be frugal is to actually want less.
Wanting less is difficult. Most people are ingrained with natural tendency to want more. We want more food. We want more house. We want more cars. How do you go about wanting less? I believe the strongest argument and most compelling reason to want less is a desire for simplicity. This desire for simplicity is an over arching theme in many personal finance blogs. JD at Get Rich Slowly indicated this to be one of his goals in a book review he had of Voluntary Simplicity. The Simple Dollar reflect Trent’s quest for simplicity in it’s name.
While I never had the debt trouble that either JD or Trent may had in the past, I struggle with simplicity more. I’m a “wanter.” I want things. I manage to be relatively frugal because I’m pretty good at good restraining myself, but I still want. I know despite not being a zenBuddhist that to not want is to have. I strive to get there.
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September 23rd, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Forgive the pun, but I think you’re absolutely on the money. It’s really hard not to want things when you can afford them. It’s even more difficult not to want things when you can’t afford them.
September 24th, 2007 at 7:42 am
Excellent perspective Dong. One of my favorite quotes: “Material blessings, when they pay beyond the category of need, are weirdly fruitful of headache.” ~Philip Wylie
September 25th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Great post. I totally agree with you and learning to love what you have and have it be enough is a wonderful tool that not only brings overall contentment but also helps with finances.
I am lucky that, aside from my obsession with fashion (which I don’t let myself act on most of the time, not by shopping anyway), I am not big into possessions and wanting a lot. Of course I want, but I am blessed with the inclination toward finding low cost or free things to want and with being satisfied with what I have and lower cost activities and experiences.
I always remind myself how much I have and can do rather than what I don’t have and want to do. It makes a tremendous difference in the mindset to look at things that way. While many are complaining to themselves about what they want and don’t have I am busy reminding myself how lucky I am to have all I have.
I think of how many in the world don’t have even a small fraction of what I have and have experienced. That’s when I realize my good fortune. I could view things the other way, but choose not to.
Also, knowing that the most important and rewarding things in life are not usually really those that cost money (aside from our basic necessities of course) helps a lot. Having a natural urge toward “simple living” and not liking clutter or excess also makes not wanting a lot easier for me.
Believe me there’s a lot I like and would like to have and do, much of it is expensive. But learning to change one’s focus is def. possible and doable, I belive. Here’s a post I wrote on that, if you’re interested.
http://cottoncandypink.blogspot.com/2007/08/one-i-feed-views-on-new-york-times.html
I wish you success in your efforts to want less of the types of things you want to want less of! : )
September 25th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
“Desire is the root of all suffering.” It’s true. I think the easiest way to wealth would be to quit seeking the appearance of wealth. Every time I calculate how much of my life was spent buying some piece of crap I can usually snap myself out of a really bad purchase (thanks to Your Money or Your Life). But it is tough. And I find it’s easier to not buy a new iPhone for $400 than it is to not buy a cup of coffee every day for a year for $1.25.
You could have a whole blog just about simplicity, but I think the best we can do is strive for it, not achieve it. Even Thoreau gave up and moved back to the city eventually.
September 27th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
I struggle with frugality because I’m afraid of the image people have of me. I don’t wear makeup or carry a fancy purse to work like many girls. I keep it really simple - carry the same Manhattan protage-like bag I’ve had from Gap the last few years, wear the same shoes and just keep my look easy. I also don’t have a car living in a big city. And people are always shocked I don’t have a car and I take the train/bus if I have to leave the city. But I ‘m really happy being frugal and buying and spending less.
I was at Macy’s and tried on a pair of black Coach pumps. They looked almost like the ones I bought at Banana Republic recently minus a lower heel. They were $200. I nearly swiped my card before I remembered that $200 could mean another vacation or a weekend getaway. I’ve never regretted buying those shoes!
October 5th, 2007 at 9:51 am
[...] article on wanting less is featured over at Money and Values. I didn’t make the first tier, but was kindly selected [...]
October 5th, 2007 at 9:51 am
[...] article on wanting less is featured over at Money and Values. I didn’t make the first tier, but was kindly selected [...]