Now that I have quite a bit of money, I am surprised at how little I spend. Not that i am cheap, but I consider myself smart.
I don't spend money on things that I don't think are worth it. In fact, my lifestyle has barely changed since about ten years ago, when I was completely broke.
-I live in a 1 BR apartment and pay about $1000 a month including utilities
-I drive a used car, almost ten years old, but has a great V6 engine and is very fun to drive. Very reliable and has lots of options (power seats, windows, automatic climate control, side air bags, heated seats, traction control, cruise control, leather, etc.) I bought it for 11,000 about five years ago, and it still runs great. Worth about $4-5,000 now. I don't have to worry about it being scratched up, or scuffing it up when loading things in the trunk. If fact, it's so scratched up, I don't really care anymore.
-I own a used Iphone 4, which I got off of ebay. It's a great smartphone. I have a 7-11 speakout plan with data, which is only $35 a month.
-I don't have cable. Instead, have Apple TV, and use a friend's Netflix account. I can also watch broadcast TV for free with an antenna. I also watch a lot of videos on YouTube, and download movies via Torrent. Once in a while, I will splurge on a movie ticket if I really want to watch the movie on the big screen, or if the torrent quality is not good.
-My wardrobe is very plain and simple, and I'm happy with that. I buy nice clothes from the mall, but on sale, and very cheap. I buy Khaki pants from Old Navy for $20, and Tshirts (100% cotton) can be bought for about $10 each. I buy my socks and underwear at Wal-Mart.
-I buy almost whatever I want at grocery stores, and eat out whenever I feel like it (this, to me, is a nice luxury). I like to go to all you can eat sushi restaurants, and sometimes fast food joints. I'd say I spend about $400 a month total on food.
-My computer monitor, keyboard, and speakers, are 12 years old, and still working great. A few years back, I had to replace my computer for $300. The last one lasted me about 9 years or so.
-If I want a book, I can buy it, or go to the library, which is next door.
-Instead of a gym membership, I jog around the block, or lift weights in the house. I can do it whenever I want, and it's free. No expensive memberships, no wasting time driving to the gym, changing, etc...
I have no debt whatsoever, and have quite a bit in savings, which is earning me great returns, as I invested it in mutual funds.
I travel once in a while, but by coach, or drive, and stay at chain hotels, and find the lowest rate using hotel.com.
In short, although I could afford to live much more lavishly, I know that it is not worth it. I have driven VERY expensive cars (Lamborghinis, Ferrraris, Jaguars, BMWs). And my thought was, "Is that all?" Nice, but not mind blowing like I thought it would be. These cars are fast, but not THAT pleasant to drive. Why pay so much for depreciation, tax, gas, insurance, maintenance, repairs, and worry about every scratch and mileage? Why buy a house that is too big for me, and worry about all the things that come with owning a house, when I can rent worry free?
I have eaten at very expensive restaurants, and my reaction was: Nice, but I don't feel comfortable. I don't like that I have to tip $20 to someone who just brought me a dish and asked how my meal was. I love to cook, and cooking a great dish by myself at home is so much more rewarding, fun, and enjoyable. I can cook food that is restaurant quality, and love looking up great recipes on allrecipes.com, reading the reviews.
I have bought very expensive clothes, but they don't feel any better, or look that much better. They soon got stained and damaged and then they were almost worthless.
I could never see myself buying a $10,000 Rolex. Most of them don't look very good to me, and they are made of the same materials as my $500 Edifice, which is solar powered, and keeps time automatically.
I do think that if we live simply, we can save a lot of money, which we can invest and build up a large amount of savings, which will provide security and peace. Instead, I see too many people wasting their money on large houses in pricey neighborhoods, financing luxury cars at high interest rates, buying large flat screen tvs, the latest Iphone, Ipad, and laptops. They eat out at fancy restaurants, spend lots of money on wine, go on expensive vacations, send their kids to private schools, and buy expensive jewelery and clothing.
I think if you're VERY rich, then that's not really a problem. However, for most people, I can't see the justification in spending money like that. It seems such a waste. I think most of us are being brainwashed by corporations that want our money. We are trying to be cool and current, and trying to keep up with our neighbors, as it is embarrasing not to have a smartphone even if you don't need one.
This is just my thought, my way of living. I don't know about you, but I like to begin my morning with a cup of green tea at home (very cheap), then drive and wait in line at Starbucks, and spend $4 for a latte. I think it's all very pretentious, a waste, and simply not a smart way to spend money.
I don't spend money on things that I don't think are worth it. In fact, my lifestyle has barely changed since about ten years ago, when I was completely broke.
-I live in a 1 BR apartment and pay about $1000 a month including utilities
-I drive a used car, almost ten years old, but has a great V6 engine and is very fun to drive. Very reliable and has lots of options (power seats, windows, automatic climate control, side air bags, heated seats, traction control, cruise control, leather, etc.) I bought it for 11,000 about five years ago, and it still runs great. Worth about $4-5,000 now. I don't have to worry about it being scratched up, or scuffing it up when loading things in the trunk. If fact, it's so scratched up, I don't really care anymore.
-I own a used Iphone 4, which I got off of ebay. It's a great smartphone. I have a 7-11 speakout plan with data, which is only $35 a month.
-I don't have cable. Instead, have Apple TV, and use a friend's Netflix account. I can also watch broadcast TV for free with an antenna. I also watch a lot of videos on YouTube, and download movies via Torrent. Once in a while, I will splurge on a movie ticket if I really want to watch the movie on the big screen, or if the torrent quality is not good.
-My wardrobe is very plain and simple, and I'm happy with that. I buy nice clothes from the mall, but on sale, and very cheap. I buy Khaki pants from Old Navy for $20, and Tshirts (100% cotton) can be bought for about $10 each. I buy my socks and underwear at Wal-Mart.
-I buy almost whatever I want at grocery stores, and eat out whenever I feel like it (this, to me, is a nice luxury). I like to go to all you can eat sushi restaurants, and sometimes fast food joints. I'd say I spend about $400 a month total on food.
-My computer monitor, keyboard, and speakers, are 12 years old, and still working great. A few years back, I had to replace my computer for $300. The last one lasted me about 9 years or so.
-If I want a book, I can buy it, or go to the library, which is next door.
-Instead of a gym membership, I jog around the block, or lift weights in the house. I can do it whenever I want, and it's free. No expensive memberships, no wasting time driving to the gym, changing, etc...
I have no debt whatsoever, and have quite a bit in savings, which is earning me great returns, as I invested it in mutual funds.
I travel once in a while, but by coach, or drive, and stay at chain hotels, and find the lowest rate using hotel.com.
In short, although I could afford to live much more lavishly, I know that it is not worth it. I have driven VERY expensive cars (Lamborghinis, Ferrraris, Jaguars, BMWs). And my thought was, "Is that all?" Nice, but not mind blowing like I thought it would be. These cars are fast, but not THAT pleasant to drive. Why pay so much for depreciation, tax, gas, insurance, maintenance, repairs, and worry about every scratch and mileage? Why buy a house that is too big for me, and worry about all the things that come with owning a house, when I can rent worry free?
I have eaten at very expensive restaurants, and my reaction was: Nice, but I don't feel comfortable. I don't like that I have to tip $20 to someone who just brought me a dish and asked how my meal was. I love to cook, and cooking a great dish by myself at home is so much more rewarding, fun, and enjoyable. I can cook food that is restaurant quality, and love looking up great recipes on allrecipes.com, reading the reviews.
I have bought very expensive clothes, but they don't feel any better, or look that much better. They soon got stained and damaged and then they were almost worthless.
I could never see myself buying a $10,000 Rolex. Most of them don't look very good to me, and they are made of the same materials as my $500 Edifice, which is solar powered, and keeps time automatically.
I do think that if we live simply, we can save a lot of money, which we can invest and build up a large amount of savings, which will provide security and peace. Instead, I see too many people wasting their money on large houses in pricey neighborhoods, financing luxury cars at high interest rates, buying large flat screen tvs, the latest Iphone, Ipad, and laptops. They eat out at fancy restaurants, spend lots of money on wine, go on expensive vacations, send their kids to private schools, and buy expensive jewelery and clothing.
I think if you're VERY rich, then that's not really a problem. However, for most people, I can't see the justification in spending money like that. It seems such a waste. I think most of us are being brainwashed by corporations that want our money. We are trying to be cool and current, and trying to keep up with our neighbors, as it is embarrasing not to have a smartphone even if you don't need one.
This is just my thought, my way of living. I don't know about you, but I like to begin my morning with a cup of green tea at home (very cheap), then drive and wait in line at Starbucks, and spend $4 for a latte. I think it's all very pretentious, a waste, and simply not a smart way to spend money.
