debt snowball, debtsnowball
In the last post I talked about how much house do you need and extended that question to possessions. If you have enough space for your possessions then you really don’t need a bigger house or apartment. Removing unused possessions from your home will give you plenty of extra space and might lead you to get an even smaller space
I want to add something to this subject that is a bit abstract, beauty. All people want beautiful things. Seeing something beautiful makes everybody feel better. Each person decides what is beautiful for themselves. We all want beautiful things because those beautiful things make us feel better. Beauty in all forms is one of the most powerful forces in the universe.
Acquiring beauty is something we all do. There can be a difference between acquiring beautiful things in order to elevate our status and acquiring beautiful things to make us feel better regardless if anybody else knows about it. My mother liked to collect figurines. They were all pretty. She bought them for her pleasure. She didn’t get them to show others.
Diamonds are beautiful.
I really like sparkly colorful things. Diamonds do look beautiful, but; I have found that some quality cubic zirconium stones and even glass crystal stones look better than most diamonds. There are gem quality diamonds in my mothers engagement and wedding rings. Those are rare to find in todays rings. Most have near gem quality ratings. I also inherited some other stones that are not real diamonds yet they look better than the gem quality stones in my mothers rings.
Why is it that a more beautiful crystal or cubic zirconium stone in a ring is considered a fake diamond? They are perceived as less valuable than diamonds. If I were to give a woman a beautiful ring with a gorgeous stone in it she would get very excited. Then when I tell her it is a crystal and not a diamond will she loose her excitement and enthusiasm? I’m sure she will. Her crystal doesn’t have the level of status as a diamond.
As an aside, diamonds are really common stones. They are easily mined in many parts of the world. They have high prices because only two companies in the world run the diamond markets. The prices of diamonds are inflated beyond belief.
In my opinion buying a Rolls Royce automobile is about status. My Rolls Royce is a white 2009 Phantom Coupe. Of course it exists in my dreams only. I want one sometimes. It would be a purely status oriented purchase. The luxury and quality can’t be beaten. Will I ever get one? Probably not. I’m too practical. The model I like costs about $400,000.00. Buying such a car would confirm my financial status in my mind and externally to others who saw me driving it.
Can a Rolls Royce carry me any more comfortably or faster than a full size car that costs $35,000.00? Maybe it can. Is that slight difference in comfort worth $365,000.00 more for all those trips to the grocery store five miles away? Would a $35,000.00 car be that much better at taking me to a grocery store than a $10,000.00 car? These questions are the ones that prevent me from buying a really expensive car.
Each of us require some type of personal benchmark that proves to us we have succeeded in this world. Most people need physical items to convey that success. That item wouldn’t necessarily need to be a blatant demonstration of wealth. It could be anything. It could be a house, a car, a watch, a great shoe collection, or a happy family. The price of the item wouldn’t necessarily need to be expensive. It could be as simple as finally having a special toy that you’ve wanted since you were a child
Beauty doesn’t need to be owned to be enjoyed.
I have learned to observe beautiful things and not need to possess them. Everybody can do this. Most people already do this. Have you ever seen a great looking very expensive _______ and not bought it because it was too expensive? You were forced to not buy it and therefore admired its beauty without purchasing it. The difference between needing to have something and just admiring it is just a decision.
The way I do it is to just look at the thing for a while and imagine how I would use it. In my case this mostly applies to cars, motorcycles, and computers. The interesting thing is that while doing this with cars I realize how very little it would be utilized. Another thing I’ve noticed is that after a while the thing doesn’t appeal to me as much as before. There is always something newer and better that gets my attention not too far off.
One more thing you should ask yourself about newer beautiful things, will this newer more beautiful thing really make my life better than the similar thing I already own? Sometimes the answer will be yes. If you think the price is worth it then buy it. This doesn’t take away anything from living a simple lifestyle. Just sell or give away the older item in order to not be adding clutter to your life.
Is your beautiful thing worth the expense or debt it will bring you?
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