Less truly is more

I used to believe that I had to look a certain way, drive a certain car, or have a certain house to fit a certain part until I read The Millionaire Next Door. I realized that people in big houses driving expensive cars are probably as broke as a joke. The people that save their money and live modestly are the ones that are truly wealthy. Not only do they have the money in the bank, but they also have less stress trying to keep up with everyone else. Look at what’s happened to our economy. So many people felt they needed big houses and expensive cars and it has all come crashing down.

Now, just because I read the book doesn’t mean that I am a financial expert or that I changed right away. My husband wasn’t quite ready to make those changes and he brought home the bigger paycheck and took care of the bills. So, I let things go. I talked about it from time to time, but the changes didn’t begin to occur until last year when he lost his job. We realized very quickly that we couldn’t live the way we had been and survive. We sold things that weren’t necessary and cut back where we could. He found another job within six months that paid about $20,000 less per year. We have continued to find ways to cut back. Each time we cut out another expense we get really excited. It feels really good and there is a lot less pressure to find ways to pay for these things. This has encouraged us to save more money and be more cautious of every expense.
Why is this important? Because our lifestyle choices make a huge impact on our overall wellness. Again, I am no expert in this area. I just think we all need to take a look at the reasons we want things and re-evaluate. Are our choices making us happier and healthier or are they weighing us down? Just give it some thought.