Money & consumerism is a big worry of mine. Seriously though, I really worry about how the world thinks and understands about money & value as well as expectations. I waste my money (I know I do) on things I won't utilize enough to justify the cost but its a hard habit to break and often I'm not aware of when, why or how much I really waste.
Knowing people think this way, seriously or jokingly makes me wish I could share some of my experiences & maybe help ease consumerism in the world.
I read a post on girl,guy,globe about a couple who taught english in Thailand & how it taught them to be happier with less that I found a lot of similarities with (minus living in Thailand).
We began to realise how accustomed we are to consumerism we’re so used to in the West. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at the advertisements on daytime TV: Buy a new car! Buy a new iPad! Buy a new sofa! Don’t have the money? Put it on your credit card! Debt up to your eyeballs? We’ll help you pay it off! Michelle and I weren’t mean with our money and we didn’t make a conscious effort to save, but little by little we spent less and less on what we didn’t want and more and more on what we did. SCUBA diving, travelling, going out with friends, eating nice food and replaced the need for things like candy, satellite TV, fancy cell phones or new computers.
I like to think I've always been a bit of a minimalist. Even when I was younger my siblings & friends tell stories of my frugality. example: I would buy a cheap surprise 'grab bag' of candy with several pieces rather than spending more on one single thing I knew I would like. attribute this to my frugality/ my inability to make small decisions but either way its been a habit of mine since I was young. Its come with a few lessons like getting something I sorta want for less than what I really want for more or quality vs. quantity.
In the past year I've really tried to focus my spending on things I expect to have for a long time or will pay for themselves through use. While taking a buddhism class this last spring I was given some new insights to money/wealth/and 'profitable spending'. While I am by no means as learned in saving or not spending as I'd like... I have recognized changes in how I look at consumerism and what is worth my time/money.
Have you ever seen the movie Maxed Out? I watched a couple years ago & found myself surprised at the reported numbers but at the same time not all that surprised. It layed some foundation of my monetary habits only to be further expanded upon. Keep in mind its one extreme of the financial spectrum but worth thinking & reflecting on.
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ABC article on Maxed Out Maxed Out website
I recently wrote a post on how some of my spending practices have changed, here.
I think it would be a healthy practice for just about anyone and something I would like to continue even if my expat life doesn’t last forever.
Last weeks post on happiness also kinda touched on the concept of love vs. money and was a HUGE factor in my wanting to earn a degree in something I loved and was passionate about as well as living a life doing what made me happy and excited to be alive.
I googled for quite a bit on financial articles & spending habits as well as tips for saving but didn't find much I felt was very helpful. Do you have tips, ideas, websites or articles you'd reccomend?
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