Frugality, Life Satisfaction, and Stress

[Khan]

What does it take to get on your give away list?

Not asking.

I find the 'broken birds' on my own.

Though you might have a step up if you can figure out the above reference.

 

[Dawg52]

Sorry Dawg, only teetotalers need apply...

Med's! And it keeps this broken bird flying high.

 

[growing_older]

he could never be sure that he would make the right choice to buy the optimal product.

Why would this be a source of stress to the unfortunate hypothetical rich person? Sure, nobody likes to feel like they have been taken advantage of and foolishly paid much more than they should have for something, but only to some degree. If I find I have been overcharged $100 for a Ferrari would I care? I doubt it. Likewise, I cannot see being overwhelmed with strees to learn that all the in-people at the club prefer Bentleys, so my faux pas will be mortally embarrassing. I don't believe that the rich have extra stress because they have extra choices. I don't see the conclusion that making optimum buying decisions is a necessary element to happiness.

I do believe that people can to some extent (not completely) control the stress in their life, or at least their own response to situations that make things stressful. I know people who moan about the pressures of being seen in the right circles at their country club and fret about their fashion choices. I believe this stress is almost entirely self inflicted and were they less wealthy (or more wealthy) they would have something else on a different economic level to stress about. I know a woman with a serious case of cancer who will likely be bankrupt if she isn't already and may die before her children reach high school. She obviously has stress in her life, but she deals with it as best she can - and on the whole seems less concerned about it than my country club friends who worry about whether they are on the A-list or B-list for parties. I don't think they are more stressed because they have money and are plagued with optimal buying decisions. I think they are inclined to relate to the world in ways that create stress of their own choosing.

 

[W2R]

Sorry Dawg, only teetotalers need apply...

Hey, I'm a teetotaler...

 

[traineeinvestor]

Some people will get stressed over something whatever their financial position - it's just their nature to be stressed.

Personally, I find a large clean out of "stuff" to be one of the best ways to destress. Two years ago we gave away a lot of "stuff" to the Salvation Army (old clothes, books, toys my children had grown out of etc). It was a great feeling just to have a bit less clutter in the apartment. I'm trying to talk my wife and children into repeating the exercise.....it could take a while.

I also enjoy the annual task of weeding out and shredding old financial records. It's a great feeling stuffing a couple of folders of paper through the shredding machine.

 

[NW-Bound]

Why would this be a source of stress to the unfortunate hypothetical rich person? ... I don't believe that the rich have extra stress because they have extra choices. I don't see the conclusion that making optimum buying decisions is a necessary element to happiness.

I do believe that people can to some extent (not completely) control the stress in their life, or at least their own response to situations that make things stressful...

I don't think they are more stressed because they have money and are plagued with optimal buying decisions. I think they are inclined to relate to the world in ways that create stress of their own choosing.

A clarification is needed first. The book I referred to did not talk about the problems faced by the rich, but the dilemma faced by the average consumer in modern life. Wanting to buy a stereo, he goes to the store and stares at wall-to-wall of displays. What brand, what style, what size should he bring home? Likewise, going into a grocery store for some pasta sauce, our shopper ponders before shelves of all different cans of tomato sauce. I recall a scene in the movie "Moscow on the Hudson" with the character played by Robin Williams.

Of course all this stress is self-inflicted. If I remember correctly, the author of the book says that the solution is simple; it does not matter that much. And I found this to be true with me, most of the time. Whenever I spend less time in choosing a product, I tend to be more happy and concentrate more on getting the use out of it afterwards. If I devote a lot of time in the selection, afterwards I tend to second-guess myself and wonder if I made the right choice.

Anyway, it really does not have to do with being rich. It's my leap of logic to think that since the rich has more things or at least more expensive things to purchase, his dilemma gets multiplied from that of the common man. But then, like you said, it is all self-inflicted, and the stress is not at all unavoidable.

 

[happy2bretired]

I recall the scene in the movie "Moscow on the Hudson" with the character played by Robin Williams.

I enjoyed that movie...so true about too many choices...life gets much more complicated.

 

[Khan]

A clarification is needed first. The book I referred to did not talk about the problems faced by the rich, but the dilemma faced by the average consumer in modern life. Wanting to buy a stereo, he goes to the store and stares at wall-to-wall of displays. What brand, what style, what size should he bring home? Likewise, going into a grocery store for some pasta sauce, our shopper ponders before shelves of all different cans of tomato sauce. I recall a scene in the movie "Moscow on the Hudson" with the character played by Robin Williams.

Of course all this stress is self-inflicted. If I remember correctly, the author of the book says that the solution is simple; it does not matter that much. And I found this to be true with me, most of the time. Whenever I spend less time in choosing a product, I tend to be more happy and concentrate more on getting the use out of it afterwards. If I devote a lot of time in the selection, afterwards I tend to second-guess myself and wonder if I made the right choice.

Anyway, it really does not have to do with being rich. It's my leap of logic to think that since the rich has more things or at least more expensive things to purchase, his dilemma gets multiplied from that of the common man. But then, like you said, it is all self-inflicted, and the stress is not at all unavoidable.

The other day I was at the local grocery store and marveled at all the types of potato chips.

 

[CuppaJoe]

....
I also enjoy the annual task of weeding out and shredding old financial records. It's a great feeling stuffing a couple of folders of paper through the shredding machine.

That's next on my to-do list, just need a way to make it seem like fun.

 

[haha]

That's next on my to-do list, just need a way to make it seem like fun.

My way is to put it into a couple shopping bags, load it into my pack and take it to Annabella the cute woman at the commercial shred-shop. I practicaly lust for some more crap to fill up my bags sooner.

Ha

 

[CuppaJoe]

My way is to put it into a couple shopping bags, load it into my pack and take it to Annabella the cute woman at the commercial shred-shop. I practicaly lust for some more crap to fill up my bags sooner.

Ha

You're way ahead oh me on this RE game. I've resisted having an office at home until now. The deep storage file cabinet is now deep in the back of the closet. Now that I got four pieces of furniture out, I'm planning on putting a functional office in the closet. My quarterly shredding takes only about a half hour after I retreive the shredder and re-arrange the furniture. Re-doing the closet could take weeks.

 

[W2R]

You are all so efficient! I need to work on sorting out what I can shred, or not (again).

 

[bbbamI]

Back in the daze, I had a shoe box for paperwork. Now, I have a four drawer filing cabinet.

 

[kcowan]

The other day I was at the local grocery store and marveled at all the types of potato chips.

I've fixed that problem. I don't buy any!

 

[Khan]

I've fixed that problem. I don't buy any!

I didn't. I do buy potato chips once a year or so.

 

[audreyh1]

It is true, that if you have the money to buy something, you then have to do the research to decide exactly what to buy.

But that is only stressful if you are in a hurry.

Now, I need to get back to populating my empty house.......

Audrey

 

[Major Tom]

I also enjoy the annual task of weeding out and shredding old financial records. It's a great feeling stuffing a couple of folders of paper through the shredding machine.

I'm doing this with over 20 years worth of financial records and wish I'd done it sooner. When younger, I saved all receipts and all real estate paperwork without giving thought to what could be tossed and what should be kept. I just kept everything. I'm now hanging on to the essential stuff and shredding everything else.

I'm looking forward to my tax returns becoming simpler as I age. It really is a good feeling to simplify!

 

[audreyh1]

Yeah, when we got rid of our house, I spent days and two shredders getting rid of so many old files! You always wish you had done it years ago!

Audrey

 

[RonBoyd]

Shredders, Pffft. What a waste of time and energy. Just throw it in the trash and enjoy a Margarita or something.

 

[Major Tom]

Shredders, Pffft. What a waste of time and energy. Just throw it in the trash and enjoy a Margarita or something.

I always shred anything that has my social security number on, and while I'm at it, often also shred other documents with personal information on too.

However I'm well aware that I do this mainly for my own (false) sense of security. With all the forms I've filled out over the years with my SS number and other personal pieces of information - who knows where those bits of paper are now? Maybe some of them have been shredded, maybe others were just thrown in the trash, perhaps some are lying in stacks in some office or warehouse somewhere. All it takes is a dishonest employee somewhere to go on a binge collecting other people's SS numbers.

So I shred things to make myself feel as if I'm doing my small part to protect my information, fully aware that it's probably not helping much

 

[RonBoyd]

So I shred things to make myself feel as if I'm doing my small part to protect my information, fully aware that it's probably not helping much

Okay. It's the same warm fuzzy feeling I get from a Margarita. Another prime example of YMMV.

 

[NW-Bound]

heh heh heh - the shear joy of being a cheap SOB has to be experienced to be believed. .

Finally, people are admitting that counting money can be more fun than spending it!

Many descendants and relatives of Scrooge McDuck here! We might be all related.

Sure are (Quack!)...

Frugality gives people the financial resources to be able to stand up for oneself even if it means you get canned.

More stuff can quickly become a problem. But more money?

As I get older I want less.

Money is much more exciting than anything it buys. -Mignon McLaughlin