MSN doesn't date a lot of their financial articles so this may be a repeat, but it bears repeating!
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/SavingandDebt/P43217.asp?Printer
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/SavingandDebt/P43217.asp?Printer
The hidden costs of too much stuff
- Thread starter Nords
- Start date
Terrific article!
Speaking for myself... I get some flack from a few friends of mine for the car I drive (rather small, and nine years old), and the furniture that I've owned since I graduated college (including two love seats that my parents gave me.)
Them: Get something nice! You can afford it!
I just shrug. It's good enough. So what if my clothes chest is particle board with a wood veneer? It does the job. Maybe it's because I'm an engineer, but as long as something continues to fulfill the purpose I bought it for adequately, I'm hesitant to get rid of it. When it no longer does, I will get rid of it and get something that does. And usually I try to sell it or find it a good home, instead of throwing it in the dumpster. (In fact, I've done that several times this past week.)
Plus it's more environmentally friendly than buying crap every week at Wally World and tossing it a few years later.
Speaking for myself... I get some flack from a few friends of mine for the car I drive (rather small, and nine years old), and the furniture that I've owned since I graduated college (including two love seats that my parents gave me.)
Them: Get something nice! You can afford it!
I just shrug. It's good enough. So what if my clothes chest is particle board with a wood veneer? It does the job. Maybe it's because I'm an engineer, but as long as something continues to fulfill the purpose I bought it for adequately, I'm hesitant to get rid of it. When it no longer does, I will get rid of it and get something that does. And usually I try to sell it or find it a good home, instead of throwing it in the dumpster. (In fact, I've done that several times this past week.)
Plus it's more environmentally friendly than buying crap every week at Wally World and tossing it a few years later.
BigMoneyJim
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Nords, good article.
Whakamole, I agree with you; if it ain't broke, don't fix it. who cares if it doesn't match or isn't the latest?
However, being an INTP I am a tool, book (reference books, essentially mental tools) and spare parts lover. So I tend to collect tools, spare parts and books that I may need someday; sometimes this works out great, but sometimes I think I may be accumulating too much.
I am able to make myself clear things out periodically, but I think I'm due again. Getting rid of books is the hardest; I used to imagine myself with walls full of bookshelves full of books, but that's too much stuff.
Do other tool lovers have this problem, too?
Whakamole, I agree with you; if it ain't broke, don't fix it. who cares if it doesn't match or isn't the latest?
However, being an INTP I am a tool, book (reference books, essentially mental tools) and spare parts lover. So I tend to collect tools, spare parts and books that I may need someday; sometimes this works out great, but sometimes I think I may be accumulating too much.
I am able to make myself clear things out periodically, but I think I'm due again. Getting rid of books is the hardest; I used to imagine myself with walls full of bookshelves full of books, but that's too much stuff.
Do other tool lovers have this problem, too?
BigMoneyJim
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Excuse me for posting twice in a row, but here's another log for the fire: nostalgia.
I've never been very nostalgic, but sometimes I'll hang on to something because I think I might be nostalgic a couple of decades from now.
Actually, this isn't really a problem for me since my nostalgia is a very small portion of my stuff, but I expect it's an issue for others.
I've never been very nostalgic, but sometimes I'll hang on to something because I think I might be nostalgic a couple of decades from now.
Actually, this isn't really a problem for me since my nostalgia is a very small portion of my stuff, but I expect it's an issue for others.
J
John Galt
Guest
I am relentless at getting rid of "stuff", usually
converting to cash. Sometimes I just wander through the house and garage thinking "What can I sell next?"
However, even I have a few things I can't bear to part with.
John Galt
converting to cash. Sometimes I just wander through the house and garage thinking "What can I sell next?"
However, even I have a few things I can't bear to part with.
John Galt
I have to confess. I like some nice stuff. I recently bought an oriental rug and paid way too much for it. I like nice furniture as well. I like my family's antiques both for nostagia and aesthetic reasons. I like books and buy lots of them. Sometimes even in hardcover. Fortunately, my husband doesn't care about stuff. It is hard to get him to even wear clothes without holes or stains on them. He won't waste money on a barber so I cut his hair. He drives a ratty old truck. Also fortunately, we live in a one bedroom apartment so I am significantly limited in what I can accumulate. I stick to a budget and the extras have to come out of what I earn, not from invested funds. I know exactly how many hours I had to work for that rug. I also know that once I retire, I will be using the library far more than amazon.com for books.
Martha
Martha
Lancelot
Full time employment: Posting here.
I came to Thailand with two suitcases (OK, they were big...)
And subsequently I bought a fan and reading light.
But I love living the "no stuff" lifestyle. Not for everybody but it sure works for me..... 8)
J
John Galt
Guest
I doubt I could ever attain a real "no stuff"
lifestyle. It's one of those goals you keep heading
for but never quite reach, at least it's so in my case.
Interesting how much pleasure I get from packing for
a long motorcycle trip and being forced to take along
only
the barest minimum. One might well ask why
this wouldn't work for day-to-day living. Indeed,
it does for a lucky few.
John Galt
lifestyle. It's one of those goals you keep heading
for but never quite reach, at least it's so in my case.
Interesting how much pleasure I get from packing for
a long motorcycle trip and being forced to take along
only
the barest minimum. One might well ask why
this wouldn't work for day-to-day living. Indeed,
it does for a lucky few.
John Galt
I've been doing that lately... went through my book collection and figured if I had the book ten years and still hadn't read it, or wasn't interested in the subject anymore, time to chuck it. Converted some other stuff I wasn't using anymore to cash too. Nice feeling
Bayfield40
Dryer sheet wannabe
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2004
- Messages
- 21
We are slowly beginning to get rid of all of our "stuff" in preparation to move aboard in 9 months. It's amazing the things you accumulate. We moved from a 3-bedroom house with a basement full of stuff to a 1-bedroom apartment 2 years ago and thought we got rid of alot then, but that's nothing like getting rid of everything! I'm getting very friendly with e-bay!
It's really very liberating. I walk around identifying which small things mean the most and deciding if they will fit the new lifestyle. Really the most difficult will be not accumulating more things from our new travels!
It's really very liberating. I walk around identifying which small things mean the most and deciding if they will fit the new lifestyle. Really the most difficult will be not accumulating more things from our new travels!
J
John Galt
Guest
"Liberating" is a good word to describe this
"dejunking" of your life. I am all for it, even though for me it is a never-ending process. There is an old nostrum
about possessions expanding to fill the available space....................something like that.
John Galt
"dejunking" of your life. I am all for it, even though for me it is a never-ending process. There is an old nostrum
about possessions expanding to fill the available space....................something like that.
John Galt
My father-in-law was a frugal, German extraction
farmer who collected everything. He was known
to stop on the road to pick up old tools, gimme hats
and anything striking his fancy. He augmented his
income with remodeling work which led to frequent
trips to the dump. He would always return with
something he might need some day.
Living on a farm, he would just build a new work
shed whenever the old one filled up. When he
passed away, we had to hire a dozer to dig a
big enough hole to bury most of it. This was after
an estate sale that brought in people from all over
North Texas.
Until I got married I could pack everything in my car
and move on a moments notice. Now, after 37 years
of marriage to a frugal, German extraction wife who
collects things, I wonder if I should get in the self
storage business.
Cheers,
Charlie (aka Chuck-Lyn)
farmer who collected everything. He was known
to stop on the road to pick up old tools, gimme hats
and anything striking his fancy. He augmented his
income with remodeling work which led to frequent
trips to the dump. He would always return with
something he might need some day.
Living on a farm, he would just build a new work
shed whenever the old one filled up. When he
passed away, we had to hire a dozer to dig a
big enough hole to bury most of it. This was after
an estate sale that brought in people from all over
North Texas.
Until I got married I could pack everything in my car
and move on a moments notice. Now, after 37 years
of marriage to a frugal, German extraction wife who
collects things, I wonder if I should get in the self
storage business.
Cheers,
Charlie (aka Chuck-Lyn)
Great topic!
I have been fighting the good fight for 2 years! And that is, the wife, along with her co-conspirator MILAW, have so far, unsuccessfully, been trying to persuade me to put up a storage shed in the back yard. HA! Double HA! HA! This is my "line in the sand"! The Alamo! The last stand against overconsumption! To me, it is more symbolic than the WOT!(just kidding!) For I know what it would mean should I eventually lose this battle. Whether the shed would be a std 6' x 8' wooden shed or one the size of a wally world super center would not matter because the 2 of them would have it packed like a sardine can with more useless "stuff" before the paint dried! Wish me luck! Still fighting!
I have been fighting the good fight for 2 years! And that is, the wife, along with her co-conspirator MILAW, have so far, unsuccessfully, been trying to persuade me to put up a storage shed in the back yard. HA! Double HA! HA! This is my "line in the sand"! The Alamo! The last stand against overconsumption! To me, it is more symbolic than the WOT!(just kidding!) For I know what it would mean should I eventually lose this battle. Whether the shed would be a std 6' x 8' wooden shed or one the size of a wally world super center would not matter because the 2 of them would have it packed like a sardine can with more useless "stuff" before the paint dried! Wish me luck! Still fighting!
cute fuzzy bunny
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Well, two big dogs and three cats cured me of wanting to spend a lot of money on rugs or furniture, or anything that in the presence of dog teeth and cat claws wouldnt be purty no more.
My old mcmansion had a huge dry crawlspace and a huge attic. I never threw ANYTHING away. Everytime I bought something, I kept the box, the receipt and the books and put them under the house. Anything broke, hell I might fix it some day, under the house. Old electronics, up in the attic.
Then I moved into my new house, half the size, no crawl space and limited attic access (although I have a sheetrock saw and someday soon there will be a new hole in my attic ceiling...).
Five very large hauling trucks worth of stuff to the dump. 36 big trash bags of stuff to charities. Three large trucks full of stuff to a needy friend that runs a full time yard sale in her front yard. And then there was a two car garage side sized yard sale we had here a few weeks ago.
I still have two bedrooms festooned with stuff.
Its getting smaller though. Next step is untangling a 3' diameter ball of miscellaneous wiring and cables, and going through 20 boxes of old computer parts and hucking half of it or selling it.
Then I'll only need a 1200-1400 square foot house and I can move again...
My old mcmansion had a huge dry crawlspace and a huge attic. I never threw ANYTHING away. Everytime I bought something, I kept the box, the receipt and the books and put them under the house. Anything broke, hell I might fix it some day, under the house. Old electronics, up in the attic.
Then I moved into my new house, half the size, no crawl space and limited attic access (although I have a sheetrock saw and someday soon there will be a new hole in my attic ceiling...).
Five very large hauling trucks worth of stuff to the dump. 36 big trash bags of stuff to charities. Three large trucks full of stuff to a needy friend that runs a full time yard sale in her front yard. And then there was a two car garage side sized yard sale we had here a few weeks ago.
I still have two bedrooms festooned with stuff.
Its getting smaller though. Next step is untangling a 3' diameter ball of miscellaneous wiring and cables, and going through 20 boxes of old computer parts and hucking half of it or selling it.
Then I'll only need a 1200-1400 square foot house and I can move again...
J
John Galt
Guest
In 1998 I got a divorce and eventually moved into a
600 sq. ft. apartment (I did have a garage). I managed
to keep everything on site until I remarried in 2001.
Our present house is about 1000 SF and more than adequate. I know lots of people who just accumulate
ad nauseum. I am not built that way.
John Galt
600 sq. ft. apartment (I did have a garage). I managed
to keep everything on site until I remarried in 2001.
Our present house is about 1000 SF and more than adequate. I know lots of people who just accumulate
ad nauseum. I am not built that way.
John Galt
C
Cut-Throat
Guest
I never really got into accumulating lots of stuff. I am a thrower out of junk!
I am really into Fly Fishing. Some folks I know have 40 fly rods and reels. I have half a dozen. But some of the reels cost over $500. So I tend to value quality over quantity. And if I don't fish with it, I sell it! - I am not a collector. Because as you said, stuff takes space and maintenance.
I also tend to value experiences over stuff.
Like an African Photo Safari vs. a Boat or Lake Cabin.
A few of the best things I ever got rid of were my snowblower and lawnmower, when I moved into an association.
I am really into Fly Fishing. Some folks I know have 40 fly rods and reels. I have half a dozen. But some of the reels cost over $500. So I tend to value quality over quantity. And if I don't fish with it, I sell it! - I am not a collector. Because as you said, stuff takes space and maintenance.
I also tend to value experiences over stuff.
Like an African Photo Safari vs. a Boat or Lake Cabin.
A few of the best things I ever got rid of were my snowblower and lawnmower, when I moved into an association.
unclemick
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Unfortunately, we are and must fight the 'creeping plague of stuff accumulation' every so
many years - with varying degree's of success.
The thought of moving 15 years or so of stuff in 92 to a new job was a large part in choosing ER(1993) - we liked where we and didn't want to move - let alone the hassle of packing.
many years - with varying degree's of success.
The thought of moving 15 years or so of stuff in 92 to a new job was a large part in choosing ER(1993) - we liked where we and didn't want to move - let alone the hassle of packing.
J
John Galt
Guest
About a year ago (but before we owned any Texas
property) I put the house up for sale in preparation
for our move south. Got an offer pretty quickly, but after I accepted it reality set in. We had a mountain of stuff to dispose of or move, and no place to
go. I was up at night chugging Pepto-Bismol and
tranquilizers. The buyer backed out. He did me a large
favor.
John Galt
property) I put the house up for sale in preparation
for our move south. Got an offer pretty quickly, but after I accepted it reality set in. We had a mountain of stuff to dispose of or move, and no place to
go. I was up at night chugging Pepto-Bismol and
tranquilizers. The buyer backed out. He did me a large
favor.
John Galt
BigMoneyJim
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Between moving to a smaller place and having his mother pass away, my dad--then single/2xdivorced--wound up renting 3 storage units to keep stuff in. That was at least $120/month, and I know that stuff wasn't worth over $1440/year to keep! I didn't know until later, but he kept paying to store that stuff for at least 3 years; heck, he may still be paying to this day.
trumpeting_angel
Full time employment: Posting here.
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2004
- Messages
- 526
I know this is a practical crew, but another interesting aspect of the "stuff" issue is, I guess the word is, spiritual.
I find that the time I spend buying and using, cleaning and sorting, TRYING TO FIND, maintaining and repairing. . . STUFF. . . is a huge distraction from another task. The other task being, figuring out what is important to me and making sure that I focus on that.
What is true for me, individually, I think is true for our society, collectively, when we become so stuff-obsessed. We run out of time for reflection, contemplation, simple pleasures of listening to each other, spending time with loved ones, making dinner together. And the emptiness we feel must be filled (or so the TV commercials tell us) with more STUFF.
Pardon my soapbox, er, pulpit. It's just something I'm trying to make sense of in my own life. And change.
Anne
I find that the time I spend buying and using, cleaning and sorting, TRYING TO FIND, maintaining and repairing. . . STUFF. . . is a huge distraction from another task. The other task being, figuring out what is important to me and making sure that I focus on that.
What is true for me, individually, I think is true for our society, collectively, when we become so stuff-obsessed. We run out of time for reflection, contemplation, simple pleasures of listening to each other, spending time with loved ones, making dinner together. And the emptiness we feel must be filled (or so the TV commercials tell us) with more STUFF.
Pardon my soapbox, er, pulpit. It's just something I'm trying to make sense of in my own life. And change.
Anne
wabmester
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2003
- Messages
- 4,459
My practicality tells me that "spiritual" is the wrong word. I prefer the word "human."
You've confirmed a hypothesis I've always held about why shrinks become shrinks
Didn't someone (perhaps George Carlin) make some observations that we accumulate enough stuff to fill up our apt's, houses, garages. When we fill these up, we have to get bigger apt's, houses, garages. And then we fill up the bigger spaces, and the vicious circle begin a new.
I use to find myself constantly saying to my wife, "Can I throw this out?". Now I just wait two weeks, and every other Thursday or Friday night she says, "Man, we need to clean up this place." And on saturday morning, I make sure all the trash cans are nice and empty for the ensuing cleaning hurricane. I also "conveniently" take the kids out to parks or on loooong walks on saturday mornings. As long as my clutter toleration levels are above my wife's, I'm good.
- Alec
I use to find myself constantly saying to my wife, "Can I throw this out?". Now I just wait two weeks, and every other Thursday or Friday night she says, "Man, we need to clean up this place." And on saturday morning, I make sure all the trash cans are nice and empty for the ensuing cleaning hurricane. I also "conveniently" take the kids out to parks or on loooong walks on saturday mornings. As long as my clutter toleration levels are above my wife's, I'm good.
- Alec
cute fuzzy bunny
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
George Carlin - A place for my stuff
Actually this is just a place for my stuff, ya know? That's all, a little place for my stuff. That's all I want, that's all you need in life, is a little place for your stuff, ya know? I can see it on your table, everybody's got a little place for their stuff. This is my stuff, that's your stuff, that'll be his stuff over there.
That's all you need in life, a little place for your stuff. That's all your house is: a place to keep your stuff. If you didn't have so much stuff, you wouldn't need a house. You could just walk around all the time. A house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it. You can see that when you're taking off in an airplane. You look down, you see everybody's got a little pile of stuff. All the little piles of stuff.
And when you leave your house, you gotta lock it up. Wouldn't want somebody to come by and take some of your stuff. They always take the good stuff. They never bother with that crap you're saving. All they want is the shiny stuff. That's what your house is, a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get...more stuff! Sometimes you gotta move, gotta get a bigger house. Why? No room for your stuff anymore.
Did you ever notice when you go to somebody else's house, you never quite feel a hundred percent at home? You know why? No room for your stuff. Somebody else's stuff is all over the goddamn place! And if you stay overnight, unexpectedly, they give you a little bedroom to sleep in. Bedroom they haven't used in about eleven years. Someone died in it, eleven years ago. And they haven't moved any of his stuff! Right next to the bed there's usually a dresser or a bureau of some kind, and there's NO ROOM for your stuff on it. Somebody else's s--- is on the dresser. Have you noticed that their stuff is s--- and your s--- is stuff? God! And you say, "Get that s--- offa there and let me put my stuff down!"
Sometimes you leave your house to go on vacation. And you gotta take some of your stuff with you. Gotta take about two big suitcases full of stuff, when you go on vacation. You gotta take a smaller version of your house. It's the second version of your stuff. And you're gonna fly all the way to Honolulu. Gonna go across the continent, across half an ocean to Honolulu. You get down to the hotel room in Honolulu and you open up your suitcase and you put away all your stuff. "Here's a place here, put a little bit of stuff there, put some stuff here, put some stuff--you put your stuff there, I'll put some stuff--here's another place for stuff, look at this, I'll put some stuff here..." And even though you're far away from home, you start to get used to it, you start to feel okay, because after all, you do have some of your stuff with you.
That's when your friend calls up from Maui, and says, "Hey, why don'tchya come over to Maui for the weekend and spend a couple of nights over here." Oh, no! Now what do I pack? Right, you've gotta pack an even SMALLER version of your stuff. The third version of your house. Just enough stuff to take to Maui for a coupla days. You get over to Maui--I mean you're really getting extended now, when you think about it. You got stuff ALL the way back on the mainland, you got stuff on another island, you got stuff on this island. I mean, supply lines are getting longer and harder to maintain.
You get over to your friend's house on Maui and he gives you a little place to sleep, a little bed right next to his windowsill or something. You put some of your stuff up there. You put your stuff up there. You got your Visine, you got your nail clippers, and you put everything up. It takes about an hour and a half, but after a while you finally feel okay, say, "All right, I got my nail clippers, I must be okay." That's when your friend says, "Aaaaay, I think tonight we'll go over the other side of the island, visit a pal of mine and maybe stay over." Aww, no. NOW what do you pack? Right--you gotta pack an even SMALLER version of your stuff. The fourth version of your house. Only the stuff you know you're gonna need. Money, keys, comb, wallet, lighter, hanky, pen, smokes, rubber and change. Well, only the stuff you HOPE you're gonna need.
© April 2000 George Carlin
Actually this is just a place for my stuff, ya know? That's all, a little place for my stuff. That's all I want, that's all you need in life, is a little place for your stuff, ya know? I can see it on your table, everybody's got a little place for their stuff. This is my stuff, that's your stuff, that'll be his stuff over there.
That's all you need in life, a little place for your stuff. That's all your house is: a place to keep your stuff. If you didn't have so much stuff, you wouldn't need a house. You could just walk around all the time. A house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it. You can see that when you're taking off in an airplane. You look down, you see everybody's got a little pile of stuff. All the little piles of stuff.
And when you leave your house, you gotta lock it up. Wouldn't want somebody to come by and take some of your stuff. They always take the good stuff. They never bother with that crap you're saving. All they want is the shiny stuff. That's what your house is, a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get...more stuff! Sometimes you gotta move, gotta get a bigger house. Why? No room for your stuff anymore.
Did you ever notice when you go to somebody else's house, you never quite feel a hundred percent at home? You know why? No room for your stuff. Somebody else's stuff is all over the goddamn place! And if you stay overnight, unexpectedly, they give you a little bedroom to sleep in. Bedroom they haven't used in about eleven years. Someone died in it, eleven years ago. And they haven't moved any of his stuff! Right next to the bed there's usually a dresser or a bureau of some kind, and there's NO ROOM for your stuff on it. Somebody else's s--- is on the dresser. Have you noticed that their stuff is s--- and your s--- is stuff? God! And you say, "Get that s--- offa there and let me put my stuff down!"
Sometimes you leave your house to go on vacation. And you gotta take some of your stuff with you. Gotta take about two big suitcases full of stuff, when you go on vacation. You gotta take a smaller version of your house. It's the second version of your stuff. And you're gonna fly all the way to Honolulu. Gonna go across the continent, across half an ocean to Honolulu. You get down to the hotel room in Honolulu and you open up your suitcase and you put away all your stuff. "Here's a place here, put a little bit of stuff there, put some stuff here, put some stuff--you put your stuff there, I'll put some stuff--here's another place for stuff, look at this, I'll put some stuff here..." And even though you're far away from home, you start to get used to it, you start to feel okay, because after all, you do have some of your stuff with you.
That's when your friend calls up from Maui, and says, "Hey, why don'tchya come over to Maui for the weekend and spend a couple of nights over here." Oh, no! Now what do I pack? Right, you've gotta pack an even SMALLER version of your stuff. The third version of your house. Just enough stuff to take to Maui for a coupla days. You get over to Maui--I mean you're really getting extended now, when you think about it. You got stuff ALL the way back on the mainland, you got stuff on another island, you got stuff on this island. I mean, supply lines are getting longer and harder to maintain.
You get over to your friend's house on Maui and he gives you a little place to sleep, a little bed right next to his windowsill or something. You put some of your stuff up there. You put your stuff up there. You got your Visine, you got your nail clippers, and you put everything up. It takes about an hour and a half, but after a while you finally feel okay, say, "All right, I got my nail clippers, I must be okay." That's when your friend says, "Aaaaay, I think tonight we'll go over the other side of the island, visit a pal of mine and maybe stay over." Aww, no. NOW what do you pack? Right--you gotta pack an even SMALLER version of your stuff. The fourth version of your house. Only the stuff you know you're gonna need. Money, keys, comb, wallet, lighter, hanky, pen, smokes, rubber and change. Well, only the stuff you HOPE you're gonna need.
© April 2000 George Carlin
J
John Galt
Guest
That is good "stuff".
Leaving for Texas to pick up my motorcycle in about 2 weeks. The saddle bags are already full as it sits,
so just imagine what a small amount of "stuff" I can
take with me, having to fit it all on the bike for the ride home. Personally I find this forced paring of your pile
(even temporary) absolutely delicious.
John Galt
Leaving for Texas to pick up my motorcycle in about 2 weeks. The saddle bags are already full as it sits,
so just imagine what a small amount of "stuff" I can
take with me, having to fit it all on the bike for the ride home. Personally I find this forced paring of your pile
(even temporary) absolutely delicious.
John Galt
