Ever had your confidence shaken about your SS lifestyle?

[Wifezilla]

I love my crappy wood floors and will take that over carpet any day! Only one room left with carpet in it. As soon as the budget allows, that is getting either tile or wood laminate (got some free from a neighbor but need more).

I HATE carpet!

It's a dirt magnet! One of the cats always barfs on it and hubby and son drag in dirt all the time.

If it isn't wood, stone, tile, or leather, or I can't throw it in the washing machine, I don't want it. It will just be a big pile of germs in a few seconds around here.

 

[freemotion]

Anyone who is so small and shallow as to judge you (or me or anyone else who chooses to live more ss....and more GREEN! Use green, it is a popular buzzword nowadays!) is someone whose opinion is worth poo.

Ooops, not poo, poo is very valuable here as compost for the gardens! How about....their opinion is worth dirty fastfood wrappers found on the side of the road....the worst, useless junk.

 

[TTs Chicks]

hwillm1977 - your shack is beautiful ! We now live in a double wide trailer - it is only a couple of years old and I love it. It is exactly what I wanted and way cheaper than building a house. People act like I shouldn't be perfectly happy to live in a trailer, but I am. I don't like perfect, imperfections give character.

 

[FarmerChick]

I have a nice clean spotless home. I can't do nasty. It is literally just me......this is in no way a jab to anyone, but I can't handle a home that is not what I want in the way of decorating or neatness. I will not allow animals in my home.

Growing up our home was nice and clean and Mom said to take pride in your home so I do. Your home is probably the most expensive purchase you will ever make in your life, so taking care of it is very advantageous in the long run. And feeling comfortable in your home is key. If it is what you want, however it is, and you feel fine and happy in your home...then you are set.



I love brand new homes....I love nice furniture. I like nice things but don't always get them.


If you are unhappy with your home do a few small changes. Just improve a few things that made you horrified and you will feel better.

I know the feeling you mentioned and I took a few steps to make sure I never felt like that again. Now anyone can come to my home and I feel wonderful entertaining. It is my level of comfort in my home. I think when anyone hits their comfort level you are "truly home".

 

[TTs Chicks]

How about....their opinion is worth dirty fastfood wrappers found on the side of the road....the worst, useless junk.

eta I completely agree with you.

 

[Nifty]

Very interesting thread. It should be called "keeping up with the Jones's"

We live very modestly... it's kinda the only option with a single income family in the SF Bay Area.

We've usually been really good at not being sucked into the comparison game, but sometimes it gets hard. When I was working at a startup in Silicone Valley all my co-workers (literally) had really nice BMW's, Mercedes, Lexus, etc. Most also had pretty nice houses. It was sometimes difficult to be odd man out, but I just had to remind myself that most of them had spouses that worked and I'm guessing many were considerably in debt.

I'm definitely on the far side of the scale with regard to frugality and lack of aesthetic sensitivity (I'm function over form 100%).

I always wonder if they are really making tons of money and have fantastic savings, etc. or if they are in debt to their eyeballs. On the outside the two would look exactly the same. Sometimes I think it would be cool to have 100% insight into the financial situations of all the people around me.

I hope to have nicer things and expect that in time I will... but I won't do it until I can guarantee that when I do so I'll still be living well below my means.

 

[Wifezilla]

When I was working at a startup in Silicone Valley all my co-workers (literally) had really nice BMW's, Mercedes, Lexus, etc.

When my hubby was a stock broker, all his coworkers drove fancy cars. Guess who had to keep giving them rides because their fancy cars were all in the shop?

I know they picked on him for having an ancient volvo, but he didn't have payments and it RAN!

I always wonder if they are really making tons of money and have fantastic savings, etc. or if they are in debt to their eyeballs.

They are OVER their eyeballs in debt!

%$%$%$% <------ debt

(o) (o) <------- eyeballs
u

I hope to have nicer things and expect that in time I will... but I won't do it until I can guarantee that when I do so I'll still be living well below my means.

Smart cookie!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I always wonder if they are really making tons of money and have fantastic savings, etc. or if they are in debt to their eyeballs.

I had wondered the same thing about my inlaws. Ya'll have heard me moan and whine about how they seem to "have it all" and do a great job of making us feel worthless and like dirt.

Well, turns out, they don't/didn't have money, have been living well beyond their means, and now the bottom is dropping out on them.

Their bills are going to collections (we know this because the collection companies have called our house and we have to ask to be removed from the call list). They no longer own their home, they are back to renting.

Their lives are very shallow, and I imagine filled with stress.

I know what that stress feels like, E and I used to have the same stress...more debt than income coming in, wondering how you are going to make the house payment and the car payment and the insurance and all those credit card payments.

Being out of debt, not worrying about "keeping up with the Jones's" and not driving the newest car or having that fanciest new gadget is liberating.

I often wonder if we're the only people left in the world who doesn't own a cell phone.

And we've never stood in a line for the newest electronic gadget, either.

 

[Wildsky]

I have a nice clean spotless home. I can't do nasty. It is literally just me......this is in no way a jab to anyone, but I can't handle a home that is not what I want in the way of decorating or neatness. I will not allow animals in my home.

I seriously don't enjoy living without an animal in my home, they're not dirty or nasty at all, they're part of our family.
Right now we only have fish, a cat and a dog (snoring on the couch) in the house, but I wouldn't have it any other way. At various times you could find a duck or chicken in the house that needs nursing care.

Before we had any animals in our house it felt cold and lifeless.. now I'm always tripping over one of them!

 

[Nifty]

I often wonder if we're the only people left in the world who doesn't own a cell phone.

YOU DON'T HAVE A CELL PHONE!?!? Don't talk to me ever again!





I want to be clear, I'm by no means not wanting all the cool, nice stuff, but my practical / risk adverse / "I'll call the shots" side will always win out over the "I want xxx yyyy and I want it NOW!" side.

I often am confronted with situations testing my resolve, but I'm fortunate that I have friends that respect my decisions and conservative nature.