People are to materilaistic

[canelaajena]

I don't really have much else to say about my title, except that People are just to materilastic and like the saying goes in Spanish "that why we are in the situation that we are in" It sounds better in Spanish.

[Happy Momma]

You are right- people worry way too much about having stuff they don't need.

[blessed]

YEs, I wish I would of thought about that sooner and really thought hard about it before I went so far in debt and now I have to go back to work and I loved being a stay at home mom.

[Aimee]

I like to have "things" but I definitely dn't rub it in people's faces or anything, I keep it to myself.  While it may be what I want, its probably not what someone else wants!

[yayamommy]

oh blessed, I feel for you. I am in a debt up the wazzoo! and my biggest fear is that I will have to leave my dream job to go back out in the workforce.  it's hard.  we've just recently made the decision to go back down to a one car family so that I can continue to stay home.  At this point I will give up anything but my time.

[Jo Ann]

and people always want to keep up with the Joneses, not knowing that the Joneses are deep in debt because of their materialistic lifestyle.

some of my friends send their kids to private school, talk about the high tuition fees. then u hear them later asking where they can secure loans. tsk, tsk, tsk... bad!

[Happy Momma]

I have some neighbors who are the classic example of trying to keep up with the Joneses.  They are constantly getting something new, redoing part of their house, having a new hot tub put in, getting a new deck, buying a new car.  How they can afford it is beyond me.  Must be tons of debt!

[Lynnae]

I completely agree.  The United States is a nation of excess.  My family rents a small duplex, gardens, line dries laundry, and doesn't drive new cars.  That's not to say we haven't made financial mistakes.  We just paid off our old credit card debt, and now we have to pay off our student loan.  But we make do on my husband's small salary.

My friends think I'm crazy.  They all have lots of stuff.  But I'm the only SAHM.    Frugality has it's benefits.

And despite all the stuff we don't have, we still have much more than people in developing nations, so we have a lot to be grateful for.

[Jo Ann]

Lynnae, that's true. In our country, a lot of people are having so much difficulty getting the most basic needs. But the economic divide is so great. A lot are so well-off (from where they get their riches, I would rather not say). And so many are so poor.

[SarahJewel]

That's why we moved out of the city.  Everyone was so concerned with having the best car, the nicest house, the best toys (meaning like dune buggies, RVs and junk - there are lots of sand rats in in So. California!), the "smartest" kids, etc etc etc.
It made me SICK on a regular basis - and they all have kids and are teaching them the same thing - STUFF = happiness.  UGH!

[Amy]

I completly agree!! What are you going to do with stuff you don't need. I mean we are struggling to just get the basic need's of our family. With the economy like it is. I mean do we want gas or food. It's not a decession alot of us like to make. But It's easier to make than having to make decession's on do we want rv's, boats, four wheeler's, etc... Why do you need it. At my house it would just sit until a week out of the summer anyway. It's just not worth it. I have a little house, a car, my husband has a truck. And we have food on our table. That to us is all we need. Everything else is not even worth it to us to spend on.

[Jane @ Kidzarama]

blessed & yaya, I've been in a similar situation, but because of my poor health, me working was never an option for us.

We seem to be over the hardest part of paying back our bills because hubby just got an unexpected promotion and we can now actually save.

We've been together for 11years and this is the first time we've ever had a 'holiday fund'. Not to mention saving towards a house!

It's hard doing without, but I'm really grateful for the practical knowledge I've gained. Like knowing how to shop for $150 less a week.

And I'm so proud of both of us for managing to change the way we think.

If we hadn't been through the tough times we have, we would definitely have ended up victims to "lifestyle inflation" and upped our spending with hubby's raise, instead of upping our savings first.

[Willow]

We ended up in bankruptcy a few years ago because of my husband being disabled from working and the rising medical costs with him.  It was the only way to keep our house and we've been in it way too long to give it up without a fight.  I know bankruptcy is an unpopular thing -- and we hated it -- but ours wasn't caused by excess living so much as all the medical stuff.  At any rate, it was a blessing.  We had to get rid of whatever credit we did have.  We had to pay off our one car loan and get current on the mortgage.  We have vowed to never -- unless it is life or death -- buy anything on credit again.  The only "loan" we have is for the house.  We do without a lot of stuff but it is so much nicer than lying awake at 2 a.m. wondering where you're going to find the money to pay off the creditors or being afraid to pick up the phone or open your mail.  The combination of hub's disability and the bankruptcy forced us into living more simply and I'm grateful -- it's been a wonderful benefit.

[Mom2ConnorRyan]

We do okay but it has been adjustment to be on one income.  I go to school full-time so my husband told I should quit my job and focus on that.  That has been great but we cut back on needless things, budget better, and overall try not buy something unless we really have the money and talk to each other first about purchases.  My son is 2 now but I want to send him to private school.  Right now he is not in pre-school and we actually made that decision based on our peditrician thoughts.  PLus, I can teach him about anything being a education major.  I also do not want him going just yet.  I think he is to young and always worry about strangers taking care of my son.  No one can do as best as me or my husband. Anyways, people are materielistic but we live in a world where you are not fitting it unless you drive a certain car, kids wear certain brand of clothes, etc.  It is sad but I have never conformed and refuse to on that issue. 

[Jane @ Kidzarama]

Anyways, people are materielistic but we live in a world where you are not fitting it unless you drive a certain car, kids wear certain brand of clothes, etc.  It is sad but I have never conformed and refuse to on that issue. 

I think it also depends upon the area you live in and the sort of people you manage to connect with.

I was shocked a couple of years ago when someone who will remain nameless (with 3 kids of her own) raved to me about a tracksuit that was on special for $80 a piece.

That's a $160 tracksuit, fergossake!

I spend like $20 on a tracksuit, and even if I was a millionaire, I still would.
And most of my friends are the same way, or I don't actually feel too comfortable with them...