Tagged: modest living
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Anonymous 1 year, 11 months ago.
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Hey guys,
I am thinking alot about my future lately and the more I think about it and the more end up telling myself: Possessions won’t make me happier.
I own:
-computer
-laptop
-cloths (one 3 pieces suit)
-microwave
-blender
-kitchen stuff
-tons of books
-sports equipmentsAfter thinking about it I tell myself… what else do I need to be living comfortably?
A house or a condo is the first thing that pops out but… is this really necessary ? Do I need a house to be living comfortably? I can rent a room and be completely okay with this… why would I want to buy an overpriced block of cheap materials?
My perspective is a perspective of a student soon to graduate and who will make much more than over national average salary. I don’t want you guys to think I want to live minimaly because I lack the ressources, because I won’t.
What do you guys need to be living comfortably? Why would I want to buy more things than what I own right now?
Anonymous42having your own home weather or not it’s a trailer or a mansion sure is befitting of independence and security. I can and will do WHATEVER THE F~~~ I WANT! NO LAND LORD OVER ME!
Having your own space is important, and if you can afford land then its usually a good thing to do as land usually increases in value over time. If you cant, then having a place you can do your own thing and not have to share or deal with others is a great thing in my opinion as not everyone shares our own values which can make living together difficult.
As long as you can afford to pay your bills, eat well, live comfortably and be able to pursue the hobbies and interests that make your life fun then you’re doing well. After 45 years on this planet, i can honestly say that work/life balance is extremely important. Keep your overheads low and give yourself plenty of time to get away from work and do things that you really enjoy. Just my two cents. Cheers 🙂
Buying land and renting land is no different in our society. You don’t technically own in, even in the USA. You bought it with federal notes so it’s legally still owned by the government. The UK, Australia, Canada, ect is even worse. Literally all land is rented from the Queen. So honestly there is no difference. The perceived security of owning your own house is mostly in your head. The bank can take it at anytime, the government could raise taxes or boot you out with some bogus mineral claim. It happens all the time. Look at all the illegal foreclosures the government and banks made a killing off. A lot of them were fraudulent and some where even down right owned by people and were still taken. I learned a long time ago that my possessions were never going to bring me happiness. Is it fun to drive a 4×4? Sure. But it’s not real joy like having a heart to heart conversation with someone or helping someone in need. I get more joy from the little things like that than I ever did from my Audi’s or house. My 2 cents.
I was down to a medium sized backpack filled with dog food and tools when I left the USA 🙂 Happiest day of my life walking out the door.
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Owing a lot of stuff is a pain in the ass when you move around. For me, I’d rather own as little as possible before I find a place that I have decided to live at for whatever time I have left. I’m thinking a 3-4 bedroom house with a few acres to grow food on. My room, a guest room, gym, and a room to throw some drums into. Or maybe a room for the dogs I’d like to get eventually.
Think about what your hobbies are and really where you’d like to retire at. Different parts of the world all have their pro’s and cons.
Personally? I don’t need much. I have a couple of computers, a bed, a desk, and some side tables. That’s about it. I just bought this adjustable Sleep Number bed:
https://www.sleepnumber.com/sn/en/beds/Innovation-Series-Beds/p/i10
It was about $7,500 with the adjustable base that raises and lowers the head and foot. It has a massage feature, heated feet area, and I can turn my lights on and off with the wireless remote.
Does it make me happy? Not really. But I get MUCH better sleep now so I’m able to do more things that make me happy when I’m awake.
I was in the same spot as you a little over a year ago. Broke student living mostly off loans.
Since graduating and making a six figure income for the last year (which i am guessing you will do too) not much has really changed about my standard of living. Other than renting a slightly bigger house and a few little indulgences here and there, i don’t blow my money. In fact, most of my after tax income goes towards paying off those same loans.
Once i accomplish that i will continue my minimalist lifestyle, but will save or invest my extra money instead. Eventually i will cut back how many hours i work, so i wont lose as much to taxes, and will be planning an early retirement in the Philippines. It’s a lot easier to save money when you dont get married or spend anything to try to impress women.
A standalone house is the best option.
Far less people can enter your house legally. You rent, the owner can let in cops or utility people or whatever. They also can dictate some of the things you cannot have in their building that are legal but they exclude them. Further you do not share walls with other noisy people (noisy neighbors are less noisy than those with a common wall) and they will not drill holes into your wall and spy on you.
Further you do not deal with neighbors taking parking spaces that are yours or having access to a shared garage area and stealing your s~~~ or messing with your car. Also you do not have to live in a building with smokers or others who may burn down their place and everyone elses at the same time. Even if you don’t lose your place the building will be unliveable for a good period of time so you are out to make other arrangements.
Further you don’t have to deal with unreasonable rent hikes for no improvements or s~~~ty neighbors the property manager tolerates because they do not live next to him.
Also if you want to do woodworking at 2 am you can without others bitching about your power saws.
Being able to do these things improves your mood and quality of life.
You cannot beat a standalone house with a clear title of ownership.
Women want everything, but want responsibility and accountability for nothing.
I was in the same spot as you a little over a year ago. Broke student living mostly off loans.
Since graduating and making a six figure income for the last year (which i am guessing you will do too)
Average for my field is 85 000$ so not quite 6 figure income.
Buying land and renting land is no different in our society. You don’t technically own in, even in the USA. You bought it with federal notes so it’s legally still owned by the government. The UK, Australia, Canada, ect is even worse. Literally all land is rented from the Queen. So honestly there is no difference. The perceived security of owning your own house is mostly in your head. The bank can take it at anytime, the government could raise taxes or boot you out with some bogus mineral claim. It happens all the time. Look at all the illegal foreclosures the government and banks made a killing off.
This right there is what makes me hesitate to even consider buying a house/condo. Taxes in canada( quebec where I live) ARE RIDICULOUS. We are the most taxed people in north america and we have to pay , on top of that, the municipal and school tax when you already own your land that can range from 2000$ to 4000$ per year. Won’t feel like I own ths place… and taxes/regulations can change in a blink of a time.
What do you guys need to be living comfortably?
I own my condo…its cheaper than renting.
I own my car…work weird as f~~~ hours and don’t live in a city so public transit is out.
A computer.
A dog.
Basic furniture…sofa, desk, chair, bed.
Simple wardrobe.
Basic kitchen stuff.Don’t really need anything else. I had the same amount of stuff when I was making 40k-ish a year working my way through college as I do now. I think if I figured out my average spending per month this year it would be under 2k per month. I literally pay more in income taxes than I spend to live, and all the rest just gets thrown in the stock market so I can retire early.
Why would I want to buy more things than what I own right now?
Don’t know. When I didn’t have money I always thought I wanted more stuff. Now that I have money all that stuff just means I’d pay more taxes, more stuff to spend time and money to maintain, and more of my life I’ll have to waste punching a clock. A corvette and a house seemed like a great idea 10 years ago…now its just like meh…more taxes, more maintenance, and more years of my life I’ll have to work. If someone asked what would you rather have…a corvette or a 2 year long vacation…I think most would opt for the two year vacation? Now look at the number of expensive cars you see driving around…most people end up taking the car now vs the vacation just because the vacation is deferred in the form of early retirement…its all about choices and planning ahead.
We are the most taxed people in north america and we have to pay , on top of that, the municipal and school tax when you already own your land that can range from 2000$ to 4000$ per year.
5000 a year or whatever in taxes is a bargain if the alternative is you pay 14,000 a year in rent, never build any equity, your land lord is paying that 5000 a year in taxes anyhow, plus he’s making a profit off you. Ideally you’d just move to a lower tax area…but if your stuck with a job or whatever its not always possible or beneficial if you can’t get as good a job elsewhere.
It was about $7,500 with the adjustable base that raises and lowers the head and foot. It has a massage feature, heated feet area, and I can turn my lights on and off with the wireless remote.
Does it make me happy? Not really. But I get MUCH better sleep now so I’m able to do more things that make me happy when I’m awake.
The way I look at it when I make a purchase big enough to actually put some research and thought into is its generally something I’m going to have for a while and get a lot of use out of. For as frugal as I am…sometimes it just doesn’t make sense to go cheap on things.
Buying land and renting land is no different in our society. You don’t technically own in, even in the USA. You bought it with federal notes so it’s legally still owned by the government. The UK, Australia, Canada, ect is even worse. Literally all land is rented from the Queen. So honestly there is no difference. The perceived security of owning your own house is mostly in your head. The bank can take it at anytime, the government could raise taxes or boot you out with some bogus mineral claim. It happens all the time. Look at all the illegal foreclosures the government and banks made a killing off. A lot of them were fraudulent and some where even down right owned by people and were still taken. I learned a long time ago that my possessions were never going to bring me happiness. Is it fun to drive a 4×4? Sure. But it’s not real joy like having a heart to heart conversation with someone or helping someone in need. I get more joy from the little things like that than I ever did from my Audi’s or house. My 2 cents.
Yeah sorry mate thats not true at all. When you move house and you rent you dont get any of the increased value of the land from the sale of the house, whereas you do if you own it. Sure you have a mortgage for a while but once youve paid it off or in my case you have a small mortgage, the increased value of the land increases your retirement fund for when you sell it if you wish to downsize etc. EG I bought my house in 99 for $95,000 and its worth $450,000 today.
I’ve been feeling similar. I don’t a house or land yet, but I like the idea of owning land. I live in Northern NJ so I’m seeing NYC begin to encroach. We’re basically the suburbs of Manhattan this point. Either way though, personally I think I’ll save and invest a little more before buying land. A house? Eh.. Not necessary for me right now. I don’t mind renting and I make enough where I’m not feeling pinched too much.. Just my 2 cents.
#ICETHEMOUT!!! #MANOUT!!! #HIDEYOURWEALTH #VAGINAISWORTHLESS
I’m married and our household is full of all manner of s~~~ I’d never have bought myself.
If I were single, I’d probably have bought a one-bedroom condo with basic furniture, kitchen utensils and dishes. I’d also have a TV, a laptop, a smartphone and basic clothes. I’d have a bicycle to get around with and a few other pieces of sports equipment. Basic home textiles such as carpets, curtains, towels (kitchen and bath). I’d use all those items until I was forced to buy new ones. By now, I’d most likely have paid off my mortgage and built up an investment portfolio worth five figures. I’d have traveled more but otherwise my expenses would have been much lower. I’d probably have a gym membership, though.
As a single man, I’d be less stressed, in much better shape and have no financial worries of any kind. I wouldn’t have a kid, which in some ways would be a minus. If the kid did not exist, I wouldn’t have put up with the nonsense from my wife and would’ve divorced her years ago.
I’m married and our household is full of all manner of s~~~ I’d never have bought myself.
If I were single, I’d probably have bought a one-bedroom condo with basic furniture, kitchen utensils and dishes. I’d also have a TV, a laptop, a smartphone and basic clothes. I’d have a bicycle to get around with and a few other pieces of sports equipment. Basic home textiles such as carpets, curtains, towels (kitchen and bath). I’d use all those items until I was forced to buy new ones. By now, I’d most likely have paid off my mortgage and built up an investment portfolio worth five figures. I’d have traveled more but otherwise my expenses would have been much lower. I’d probably have a gym membership, though.
As a single man, I’d be less stressed, in much better shape and have no financial worries of any kind. I wouldn’t have a kid, which in some ways would be a minus. If the kid did not exist, I wouldn’t have put up with the nonsense from my wife and would’ve divorced her years ago.
This to the nth degree – back in 2000, which was the last year that I wasn’t involved with any women, I made the equivalent of around $75K in todays dollars. Had my own house and investments, and never worried about money. Car was paid off (borrowed from my parents to buy the car, and paid them back over five years with interest). Only purchased what I needed, and my only extravagances were sports tickets, a couple of road trips to watch my favorite team, and a trip to Las Vegas (I don’t even gamble, just went out to sit at the pool, smoke cigars, and drink some alcohol).
Now that I’m married with kids, have a ton of crap that we don’t need, wife is always buying food that doesn’t get eaten, and her sister still owes us some money that she promised to pay back several years ago but hasn’t and probably won’t. I own my own business now, and only bring home enough money to pay the bills – the rest stays in the business account so she doesn’t see it. Also fully fund my pension and IRA and the kids 529 accounts so the funds are hard to access.
When I was single, never had any stress and money was never an issue. Like you, I wouldn’t have kids, which would be a minus, but then I’d also be single, which is a major plus. Now that I’m married, I have a ton of stress dealing with her moods and immaturity (can’t stand to be around her most of the time), and I’m stressed about money. I should get the hell out, but I can’t leave my boys.
I live real modestly right now. I have a cheap apartment and a mattress on the floor. My kitchen has a frying pan, a pot, one plastic tumbler, one plate, one bowl, one spoon, and one fork. The most expensive item in my place is a Martin acoustic guitar.
I have the image of someone who lives in poverty and I don’t care. Do you know why? No one is here to judge me! I live alone. No one nags me about leaving my clothes on the floor as I’m rushing to get ready for work.
I like the idea of saving up my money and having the ability to buy luxuries. I remember my dad talked about that idea. He told me it was a joy to be able to buy stuff–even if he didn’t spend his money. That’s what his life was like before he got married.
So I’m going to live modestly until I have enough money to buy land and get a house built just for me. If I can’t afford something, and it’s a luxury, I’ll try not to think about it too much.
I have a job and a place to live. That’s my starting point. I’ll gain more prosperity as I continue to make debt payments and look for new job opportunities. And since I’m not wining and dining women, it’ll be easier for me to save money.
"I saw that there comes a point, in the defeat of any man of virtue, when his own consent is needed for evil to win-and that no manner of injury done to him by others can succeed if he chooses to withhold his consent. I saw that I could put an end to your outrages by pronouncing a single word in my mind. I pronounced it. The word was ‘No.’" (Atlas Shrugged)
Great point by funintheSun,…don’t let someone else judge how you live.
I would love to get everything down to a few items and live in an RV. Summer in Wisconsin and winter in Texas. The problem being my hobby is working on cars and moving a whole garage full of tools is simply out of the question.
One day I will give up the cars and live on the road in an RV.mgtow is its own worst enemy- https://www.campusreform.org/
Anonymous38Eventually you’ll want your own paid-off place. You can still own a property and have it minimalist, it’s really cool actually. I find it helps keep the mind free of clutter.
If you’re gonna be staying in the same area I’d advise buying a place soon as possible and making it your castle. It’s crucial.
If you’re gonna be moving around with work then just rent a room/apartment while stacking up cash for the future.
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