Comments on: Resisting the Desire to Acquire http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/27/resisting-the-desire-to-acquire/ Encouragement for a Simple Home Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:48:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Lily http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/27/resisting-the-desire-to-acquire/#comment-550 Lily Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:04:00 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=538#comment-550 You know, I discovered the whole frugality thing at the beginning of the year - perfect timing I'd say - and I love it. Now I appreciate the things I own and never buy compulsively. I live much better and I save more. Where I live things are not going well, people are struggling financially but keep buying new expensive things and even make debt to do so. Saving? Living fugally? No way... We are too proud... ignorant and silly. Consumerism has taken the place of the real values and not only in the US, trust me. You know, I discovered the whole frugality thing at the beginning of the year - perfect timing I’d say - and I love it. Now I appreciate the things I own and never buy compulsively. I live much better and I save more.
Where I live things are not going well, people are struggling financially but keep buying new expensive things and even make debt to do so. Saving? Living fugally? No way… We are too proud… ignorant and silly. Consumerism has taken the place of the real values and not only in the US, trust me.

]]> By: Simplicity at home and justice for the world http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/27/resisting-the-desire-to-acquire/#comment-526 Simplicity at home and justice for the world Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:04:32 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=538#comment-526 [...] purchases. We live in a very materialistic society and it is easy to want to have it all. Lots of people are learning that less stuff is better. So how do we make sure we are spending money wisely? There [...] [...] purchases. We live in a very materialistic society and it is easy to want to have it all. Lots of people are learning that less stuff is better. So how do we make sure we are spending money wisely? There [...]

]]> By: smallnotebook http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/27/resisting-the-desire-to-acquire/#comment-549 smallnotebook Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:27:15 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=538#comment-549 Ukrainiac, well so far it's just been an annual tradition. I don't think we're quite ready for more at the moment. But hopefully we'll be ready for it again in July '09! Ukrainiac, well so far it’s just been an annual tradition. I don’t think we’re quite ready for more at the moment. But hopefully we’ll be ready for it again in July ‘09!

]]> By: ukrainiac http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/27/resisting-the-desire-to-acquire/#comment-548 ukrainiac Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:53:59 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=538#comment-548 This is a fabulous list. I so appreciate your links to articles or blogs that give additional insight or ideas. I'm proud of you on this July 31...that you've made it through the month. Well done. Wondering whether you've considered doing this at regular intervals throughout the year? This is a fabulous list. I so appreciate your links to articles or blogs that give additional insight or ideas. I’m proud of you on this July 31…that you’ve made it through the month. Well done. Wondering whether you’ve considered doing this at regular intervals throughout the year?

]]> By: Richard http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/27/resisting-the-desire-to-acquire/#comment-547 Richard Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:47:17 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=538#comment-547 This is great! Thanks for this list! I've used many of the things you list, and I found that it's sort of a re-programming thing, where the longer you do it the more you find fulfilling things to replace the desire to acquire. A couple of things that were helpful to me: turn off the TV, put down the magazines. These are both chock full of things to want. They begin to skew your thinking, and you rationalize purchases more easily. They're both part of our culture, but to the extent that you can do without, you'll be better off. I've cut down on both, and it's forced me to crack books more often. Thanks again for this post! This is great!
Thanks for this list!

I’ve used many of the things you list, and I found that it’s sort of a re-programming thing, where the longer you do it the more you find fulfilling things to replace the desire to acquire.

A couple of things that were helpful to me: turn off the TV, put down the magazines. These are both chock full of things to want. They begin to skew your thinking, and you rationalize purchases more easily.

They’re both part of our culture, but to the extent that you can do without, you’ll be better off. I’ve cut down on both, and it’s forced me to crack books more often.

Thanks again for this post!

]]> By: Leann http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/27/resisting-the-desire-to-acquire/#comment-546 Leann Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:06:45 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=538#comment-546 I just found your site and must say that I have a thing for totebags also. I admire your No Spend Month and am going to try to implement that with my family (there's only two of us so far). We really need to quit consuming and plan on getting rid of a lot of things in our storage unit--declutter--when we move out of our in-laws'. Yes, we're living with my husband's parents. Not fun, but necessary right now. That's why this idea is very important to me! I just found your site and must say that I have a thing for totebags also. I admire your No Spend Month and am going to try to implement that with my family (there’s only two of us so far). We really need to quit consuming and plan on getting rid of a lot of things in our storage unit–declutter–when we move out of our in-laws’. Yes, we’re living with my husband’s parents. Not fun, but necessary right now. That’s why this idea is very important to me!

]]> By: Shawn http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/27/resisting-the-desire-to-acquire/#comment-545 Shawn Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:12:10 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=538#comment-545 This is a great post. We've been talking about this this week because I'm starting work in three weeks, and we just learned my husband is getting a big bonus as well as a decent bump in pay thanks to a promotion of sorts. We've been suffering to the point of barely able to pay the bills -- but making it! -- and now we'll be used to that life and have a bunch of extra cash in our accounts. It's scary, really, all that I think about buying and wanting and needing and how easily we could waste that money instead of investing it properly and saving it. I like these ideas, and had been considering a no-spending month to start out our new way of life. Your challenge is a good one and Sept. might be our month to sit back and watch the savings' grow. Thanks for the inspiration. Great blog! This is a great post. We’ve been talking about this this week because I’m starting work in three weeks, and we just learned my husband is getting a big bonus as well as a decent bump in pay thanks to a promotion of sorts. We’ve been suffering to the point of barely able to pay the bills — but making it! — and now we’ll be used to that life and have a bunch of extra cash in our accounts. It’s scary, really, all that I think about buying and wanting and needing and how easily we could waste that money instead of investing it properly and saving it. I like these ideas, and had been considering a no-spending month to start out our new way of life. Your challenge is a good one and Sept. might be our month to sit back and watch the savings’ grow. Thanks for the inspiration. Great blog!

]]> By: smallnotebook http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/27/resisting-the-desire-to-acquire/#comment-544 smallnotebook Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:17:32 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=538#comment-544 You know, I just want to say how encouraged I am to read all of your ideas and testimonies about finding other things to do and not acquiring things. I really appreciate all of these comments. You know, I just want to say how encouraged I am to read all of your ideas and testimonies about finding other things to do and not acquiring things. I really appreciate all of these comments.

]]> By: Ashley http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/27/resisting-the-desire-to-acquire/#comment-543 Ashley Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:07:58 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=538#comment-543 Great thoughts! The thing that has helped me the most with not buying stuff is to just stay out of the stores. I used to always go walk around places like Target when I had time to kill, and all I did was wrack up a mental list of all the things we "needed" to buy. Now we go walk around the park or stop by the liabrary instead, and I don't feel bummed out about all the things I can't buy. The no spend month idea is really tempting me. I think my husband might panic though;) Great thoughts! The thing that has helped me the most with not buying stuff is to just stay out of the stores. I used to always go walk around places like Target when I had time to kill, and all I did was wrack up a mental list of all the things we “needed” to buy. Now we go walk around the park or stop by the liabrary instead, and I don’t feel bummed out about all the things I can’t buy.
The no spend month idea is really tempting me. I think my husband might panic though;)

]]> By: Andrea http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/27/resisting-the-desire-to-acquire/#comment-542 Andrea Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:22:14 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=538#comment-542 Rachel, I am so on board with this philosophy!!! We have way too much stuff already and in the quest to simplify my life I've been doing my best to really evaluate any purchasing decisions. Thanks for the great ideas and tips. Rachel,
I am so on board with this philosophy!!! We have way too much stuff already and in the quest to simplify my life I’ve been doing my best to really evaluate any purchasing decisions. Thanks for the great ideas and tips.

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