12th April 2024, 12:07 PM
(This post was last modified: 12th April 2024, 12:09 PM by Delphinoid_. Edited 1 time in total.)
The first thing I want to mention is that we should dismiss the just-world hypothesis. People are quick to assume that those who are poor, broke, homeless, etc. are that way because they somehow "deserve" it. Maybe they "wasted all their money on dumb stuff they don't need". Maybe they're "too lazy to work". This is an all-too-common cognitive bias that really bothers me.
With that out of the way, I tend to have pretty low expenditures. I don't eat much, and when I do I make meals myself, I never eat out. The clothing I like is simple and cheap, honestly I can't remember the last time I've had to buy clothes. The only stuff outside of bills and groceries that I really spend money on is medication, hygiene products, haircuts and public transport. In particular, I feel lucky that this sort of lifestyle is sustainable and just works for me. I don't feel like I'm making sacrifices by living this way; for instance I avoid eating out not because of the cost, but because I just don't like going out / eating in public much (or those awkward interactions with delivery people). The only stuff that's on the more expensive side are probably hygiene products like shampoo and conditioner.
That said, in the past I did used to withhold myself from buying non-essential stuff that would make me happy. I've recently been trying to get out of this habit, allowing myself to buy stuff like the occasional game from G2A so I have something to play with friends. At some point I'd also love to get a pet if I can afford it (maybe a ball python or some kind of sighthound like a borzoi or greyhound). A lot of the things that make me happy / content are things that money can't buy though (for better or worse).
There are also so many things that I'm thankful for on this topic. I feel fortunate that I live in a country with universal health care. I feel fortunate that I live in a country with safe, functional and relatively cheap public transport (you can actually save a lot of money here by forgoing things like car ownership, and I hate driving anyway). I feel fortunate that I live in a country where higher education course fees are subsidized by the government. Most of all, I also feel fortunate that I wasn't born into poverty, because it can be really tough to climb out.
I think if you have a craving for chocolate or ice cream, you think it'll make you happy and it fits within both your monetary and dietary budgets, then you shouldn't be afraid to buy it. I don't think it's wise to let your happiness depend on some totally arbitrary sense of a perceived bargain. Your happiness is one of the most important elements of your life, and I think taking advantage of those little pleasures that you can afford matters a whole lot when it comes to your mental well-being. Don't stress out about money more than is necessary to live comfortably.
With that out of the way, I tend to have pretty low expenditures. I don't eat much, and when I do I make meals myself, I never eat out. The clothing I like is simple and cheap, honestly I can't remember the last time I've had to buy clothes. The only stuff outside of bills and groceries that I really spend money on is medication, hygiene products, haircuts and public transport. In particular, I feel lucky that this sort of lifestyle is sustainable and just works for me. I don't feel like I'm making sacrifices by living this way; for instance I avoid eating out not because of the cost, but because I just don't like going out / eating in public much (or those awkward interactions with delivery people). The only stuff that's on the more expensive side are probably hygiene products like shampoo and conditioner.
That said, in the past I did used to withhold myself from buying non-essential stuff that would make me happy. I've recently been trying to get out of this habit, allowing myself to buy stuff like the occasional game from G2A so I have something to play with friends. At some point I'd also love to get a pet if I can afford it (maybe a ball python or some kind of sighthound like a borzoi or greyhound). A lot of the things that make me happy / content are things that money can't buy though (for better or worse).
There are also so many things that I'm thankful for on this topic. I feel fortunate that I live in a country with universal health care. I feel fortunate that I live in a country with safe, functional and relatively cheap public transport (you can actually save a lot of money here by forgoing things like car ownership, and I hate driving anyway). I feel fortunate that I live in a country where higher education course fees are subsidized by the government. Most of all, I also feel fortunate that I wasn't born into poverty, because it can be really tough to climb out.
(11th April 2024, 9:07 AM)Master Raiden Wrote: Sometimes, I don't get why people buy stuff like chocolate and ice cream when it's not discounted. They aren't essential, and you can probably survive without it for a week or two, so paying up to 2x as much as you could get it for doesn't make sense to me. And yeah, it's only a matter of a few dollars each time, but think about this: if you could buy everything at half price, you effectively have twice as much money.
I think if you have a craving for chocolate or ice cream, you think it'll make you happy and it fits within both your monetary and dietary budgets, then you shouldn't be afraid to buy it. I don't think it's wise to let your happiness depend on some totally arbitrary sense of a perceived bargain. Your happiness is one of the most important elements of your life, and I think taking advantage of those little pleasures that you can afford matters a whole lot when it comes to your mental well-being. Don't stress out about money more than is necessary to live comfortably.
