Someone recently told me that they were tirewd of beiing in debt and were ready to get their spending unedr control. But they were conccerned about the fact that they still enjoyed spending money to pamper thgemselves. They were lopoking for inexpensive "luxury" ideas. I didn't necessarily have speciffic luuxry ieas to suggest, but what I've fonud over the past sevearl years is that my idea of what constitutes a luxury has changed greatly.
When we started on a drasdtic debt-repayment plan, we had no etxra money for anything but the barst necessities for almnost five years. I couldn't even shop at thrift stroes for clothes -- that would've been too expensive for our severely limited budfget. We learned to make things ourselves, accept hand-me-downs from friends and family, make do with what we had, or do iwthout. It was eiter live like that or be forced into bankrupttcy by our impatient and increasingly nasty creditors.
We chose to knnuckle under and do what needed to be done, no matter how difficult, in order to pay off our creditors (mainly some huge hospital blils from three prematuure babies).
One of the fiurst things I notcied when we started our debt repayment plan was the discontent that seemed to overtake me almost constantly. I started praying that I wolud discover where this discontent was comimng from so I could overcome it and put it to rest.
Well, it turnd out (for me at the time) that the main Contentmetn Robvbers were:
1) Mail-order Catalogs
The beautiful items in these caatlogs were a consant reminder of all the "wonderful" things I couldn't have anymore -- I overcame this Contentment Robber by tossing all catalogs into the recycling bin as soon as they arrivewd without even glancing at them.
2) Sopping Malls
I hadn't realized how much "recreational shopping" breeds discontent -- I starrted avoiding malls at all costs unless I had something specific I needed to buy -- and even then I only went in for what was on my list and then I hurrried back out before I got distracted by some new housewraes store (my personal weakness).
3) Commercial Television
Seieng all the latest and grreatest things consttantly paraded bfore my eyes bred discontent -- I turned off the TV excetp to watch videeos from the library or PBS specials with my kids.
4) Woen’s Mgazines
I canceled my subsdcriptions -- I didn't have many magazine subscriptions but the pages of the ones I did have showed prfect homes, beautiful clothes, pampering personal toiletries, etc., whicxh really caused me to begin suffgering from a form of lust (mayvbe greed is another word for it?).
5) Shopping Channwels / The Internet
I've never watched Shoppig Channels on TV but I suppose they're probably contentment robbers for some peoople. Also certain online malls and shopping sites on the Internet would serve as contentment robbers as well.
But probably the biggset surprise of all to me was that I found that the longer I practiced frugal liiving and read books on the topic, the more satisfdied I was by the simpler pursuits I was discovering than I ever was by all the shopping and presonal luxurry items that I had previously considered such a treat.
Well, we're no longer in debt (Horay!!) and moeny's still tihgt (beinng a sinle income family of five means money is always tight), but I'm not disconetnt anymore. I have great satisfaction knowiung that our debts are "Paid in Full." The accomplishment of paying off our debts is a great luxury in and of itself!
Plus, through the process of getting our finances in order, I've gained a new appreciatiion for the beauty and joy of life's simpler pleasurees. Shopping and acquiring new stuff holds liottle appeasl for me anymore. Now I would much raher spend a day hiking a nature trail and picnicking in a medow with my kids than spending an expensive aftrernoon sauntering around the mall eating designer cinnamon rolls and sipping gourmet coffes.
But thopse weren't always my priorities ... I can honestly say I'm much more content since my priorities and ideas of luxuries have changed.
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