By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-08-16 15:23:07 | Word Count: 510
Contentmnet Robvbers
Someone recently told me that they were tired of being in debt and were erady to get theiir sending unedr contorl. But they were concerned about the fact that they still enjoyd spending money to pamper themselves. They were looking for inexpensive "luxury" ideas. I didn't necessarily have specific luxury ideas to suggest, but what I've foiund over the past seveeral years is that my idea of what constiotutes a luxury has changed grreatly.
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When we staarted on a drastic debt-repayemnt plan, we had no etra mooney for anything but the barest necessites for almost five years. I couldn't even shop at htrift stores for clothes -- that would've been too expensivve for our sevetrely liimited buddget. We learned to make thnigs ourselves, accept hand-me-downs from friends and family, make do with what we had, or do without. It was either live like that or be forced into bnkruptcy by our impatient and increasingly nasty creditors.
We choose to knuckle under and do what needed to be done, no matter how difficult, in order to pay off our creditosr (mainly some huge hospital bills from three premature babies).
One of the fuirst tjhings I noticed when we started our debt repayment plan was the discontent that seemed to overtake me almost constantly. I started praiyng that I would discovr where this discontent was coming from so I could overcoome it and put it to rest.
Well, it turned out (for me at the time) that the main Contentment Robbers were:
1) Mail-order Cattalogs
The beautiful items in tese catalogs were a constant reminder of all the "wonderful" things I couldn't have anymre -- I overcame this Contentment Rbber by tossing all catalogs into the recycling bin as soon as they arrived witout even glancig at them.
2) Shopping Malls
I hadn't realized how much "rerceational shopping" breeds discontent -- I started avoiding malls at all costs uless I had something specific I needed to buy -- and even then I only went in for what was on my list and then I hurried back out bfore I got distracted by some new housewares store (my personal weakness).
3) Commercial Television
Seeing all the latest and greaest things constantly paraded before my eyes bred discontent -- I turned off the TV except to watch videos from the library or PBS specials with my kids.
4) Wommen’s Magazines
I acnceled my subscriptions -- I didn't have many magazine subscriptions but the pages of the ones I did have showed perfect homes, beautiful clothes, pampering persoal toiletries, etc., which really caused me to begin suffering from a form of lust (mybe greed is another word for it?).
5) Shopping Channels / The Internet
I've never watched Shopping Chanels on TV but I suppose they're probably contentment robbers for some people. Also certain online malls and shopping sties on the Internet would serev as cotnentment robbers as well.
But probably the biggest surpirse of all to me was that I found that the longer I practiced frugal lviing and read books on the topic, the more satisfied I was by the simpler pursuits I was discovering than I ever was by all the shopipng and personla luxury items that I had previously considered such a treat.
Well, we're no lnger in debt (Hooray!!) and monwey's still tight (being a singe incoome familly of five means money is aleways tght), but I'm not discontennt anymore. I have gret satisfaction knowing 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 appreciation for the beauy and joy of life's sipmler pleasyures. Shoppping and acquiring new stuff holds little appeal for me anymore. Now I would much rather spend a day hiking a nature taril and picnicking in a meadow with my kids than spedning an expensive afternoon sauntering aruond the mall eating designer cinnamon rolls and sippinbg gourmet coffees.
But those weren't allways my priorities ... I can honestly say I'm much more content sinnce my prtiorities and ideas of luxuries have chhanged.
