Balancing Consumerism and Life
Over at the 100 Thing Challenge Facebook page, Justin asked a really good question. Where should we draw the line when it comes to resisting the excesses of consumerism and yet still living life in an industrialized modern world? Can we ever upgrade our car? Should we go on vacation?
I’m grateful for the question because this is a topic that has been heavy on my mind of late. So let me share two thoughts, one a general observation and another a more personal experience.
Those of us who live in consumer-centric countries like the United States have this problem to deal with: we can want and even buy what we really should not be able to have. Consumerism and credit makes available to average folk like us what has traditionally been off limits. At least for now, for many of us, the only consumer restraint we experience is self-imposed. Perhaps this will not always be the case, as our teetering consumer economy seems to be indicating.
Is it okay to buy a new family car? Take the kids to Disney World? Well, for many of us, nothing is going to stop us except our own self-restraint. Do we have enough money in savings to cover unexpected emergencies like a loss of a job? Do we have enough money in savings to put our kids through college? Do we have debt that’s not paid off?
“But,” someone will say, “if we never get or do anything until all those things are taken care of, we’ll never have any fun!”
Uh, yeah. Yeah, that’s kind of true. It’s been the case for billions of people throughout human history that they have not been able to “have any fun” the way we think we’re entitled to have fun in our credit-infused consumer culture.
Well, what do we do? I have to confess that I don’t always live consistently in this area. For example, my wife and I will be attending Hutchmoot, a literary conference, again this year. Last year we couldn’t really afford it and this year we can’t really afford it, either. But we’re going. Dave Ramsey would not approve. And though I want to try to justify our decision to go, there’s no real way to do that from the perspective of responsible finances. Simply put: we made a compromise on this one.
The way I am approaching consumer decisions these days, though, to to err on the side of being a fuddy dud. I’d like to replace my 16-year-old car. I’d like a kayak. In fact, I’d like a boat. I’d like a bike. I’d like to do more backpacking. I would like some new clothes. And I’d like a band saw. All of these things and more are things I could get . . . if I compromised. But too much of my life has been a compromise where consumerism is involved. So I’m being a fuddy dud for a while, in most cases. I’m imposing self-restraint.
Should you get that thing you’ve been wanting? Should you go on that trip you’ve been dreaming about? You’ll have to make the decision. My recommendation, however, is to err on the side of “not having any fun” for a while. Experience life without the need for paid entertainment most of the time. You’ll create less bills and regrets, but more character and joy.
Comments
No you are not being a fuddy dud, you are being realistic and attempting to live within your means, which more of us need to do. However, there are situations when credit is appropriate as long as, you have properly planned the use of the credit, it is within your means to re-pay the loan quickly, the use of credit not strap your budget and other long-range plans you may have.
A older vehicle can quickly become a money pit (especially Jeeps – personal experience
) and can hurt your budget more than purchasing a newer vehicle on credit. If the repair bills for old vehicles are large enough and in succession it can play havoc on your emergency funds.
Sometimes taking a trip is needed to get out of a rut or because it can help increase either knowledge or is a business opportunity/or meeting other people in your line of work/interest – that will later help improve your budget, so a short-term debt is appropriate if the long-term investment is what will help you later.
The only thing I would say (after making every mistake in the book) is be conservative with credit as is possible. Otherwise it comes back and bites you square in the buttocks.
Posts like this on “practical minimalism” are very refreshing. Compromise is sometimes necessary (to maintain sanity if for no other reason), but after a while, “compromise” becomes a habit rather than an exception. Everything is a balance. Thanks for sharing this, Dave.
Having fun and enjoying life does NOT require money, though like most of us, I sometimes use money for that. I especially like adventures, like who can find the most interesting rock at the park. I also believe in making the things you MUST do fun, like cooking for example. More of my money goes toward making necessary things fun than flash-in-the-pan fun.
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, we need to spend some money and even buy some stuff for necessities and even non-necessities. One thing I don’t want to do in my life or encourage others to do is to become too literal with minimalism. The goal is to be free from consumerism. But if we get free of consumerism only to get trapped by minimalism, well that’s not good either.
I am a 20 year old university student living in college in central west NSW. I can honestly say I live a life with less than 100 things. I dont own a laptop and I live with the following items.
1 x pair of runners
3 x pairs of socks
1 x pairs of R.M William boots
2 x pairs of jeans
1 x pair of trousers
5 x shirts
3 x T shirts
5 x shorts
1 x car
1 x can of deoderant
1 x bed (belongs to college accomodation as does linen)
1 x bar of soap, at any time
3 x jumpers
1 x coat
6 x underpants
I have many internal conflicts with myself on this issue of consumerism and life. Writing this as I pack my family for a 3 week vacation, a vacation we have not had in 5 years. We really need one and I think our children will truly have a blast. However, I am constantly worried about $ and whether it is necessary to have experiences like these (which cost a bundle). At the same time, I say, life is so brief and my kids are growing up really fast. It is nice to have these special times with them.
O @ http://www.ordermatters.com/blog
Great post! Thanks for addressing my question, your answer really hit home. In college I relied WAY too much on credit to have a good time, and fortunately my schooling paid off (pun intended). As my wife and I were paying off the debt we accumulated in college we learned how scary it could be.
There is a balance that must be maintained, we still have student loans and a car loan left, but overall we’re chipping away at that as well and are learning to live a minimalist life early on. Our income goes to living expenses, paying off debt, and travel predominantly.
When I say travel it’s not only in the sense of let’s go to Disney World, it’s more let’s go experience another culture, and use the money spent as an investment in education.
Dave, you’re 100% correct, everyone’s circumstances are different but as long as you’re living with consumerism in mind and achieving core goals the rest is up to you. Thanks again for your hard work, and I look forward to continued enjoyment!
Just started reading your book on the train this morning. I wanted to shout at you to shut up late in chapter five as you talked about how we buy stuff to cover up old wounds or create worlds around the fictional versions of ourselves. Gah! Who needs the truth so early in the morning? I would wax poetic about that big ol’ butter churner I bought (‘cuz I’m gonna have a fabulous country life right here in downtown Long Beach, CA, right?), but I’ll spare you.
ANYHOO, you’ve hit something that really bugs me in this post–this sense of entitlement we all carry around. As if doing “without,” (ha! HA! like any of us typing away on computer screens have any real notion these days of doing without) in all our glorious excess, is somehow unfair, punishing or will lead us down paths of even more excess. Most often, I think the root of my excessive consumption is this sense of entitlement. It irks me and I’m beginning to see all this crap I’m surrounded by as an extension of it.
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Hmm, i have always struggled to straddle the line that you mention.
Not having money to do all of it and then preaching minimalism is one thing, and having all the money in the world and still leading a humble, modest, minimalist life is another. Though, in the latter case, the question would be “whats wrong if i have the money and i am not getting into debt to do what i want to do”. Is there a real answer for this?.