Besides my general needs of food and shelter, and saving to go to grad school, there is little else that I need. A friend of mine told me that a supervisor of his, who makes $20,000 more annually than him is living from paycheck to paycheck, even though she does not have children or own home, while he manages to save a few hundred a month on his moderate pay. I have seen it with friends also who make double what they did a few years ago, now $100,000, and are still working paycheck to paycheck and are no less happy than they were before. Some are even more unhappy.
More possessions in U.S. Homes today, but Less Happiness
Statistics show that we have more stuff now than we did 20 years ago, but we are not any happier. Many times, people covet and want to earn more money so they can buy more items, be they furniture, larger homes, clothes, cars, knick knacks, etc. Therefore, we all need to examine why we want more money. For people who want to earn more because they are not making ends meet with their families, it is a different story, but even they need to examine how they spend their money because there are many things that we can all cut back on.
Ideas for Gift Giving
I also want to add that we need to examine gift giving. Many times we want to give people exactly what they want, even if we cannot afford it to please them. There is at the heart of every human the desire to feel accepted and approved. However, the spirit of giving should be done with what you are able to give, and if someone truly cares about you, they will understand. Holidays have become quite commercialized, and if people insist on giving me items, I ask them not to get me clothing or items that I don’t need. I try to give and receive items that are truly necessary and which can truly help the person, and the world. Another name brand sweater is not helping anyone. My birthday present that I request this year will be a solar garden, so I can save money on herbs, use to cook for my boyfriend and I as well as friends and family when they come over, and even help the environment by growing locally and improving the air in my apartment. I have been known to give my mom coffee makers, vacuums and other items that she would actually use and that helps make her busy life easier, than a sweater or the like. The only non functional things that I do get loved ones are things that encourage their hobbies and causes, such as an Om pendant and necklace for a friend of mine who is trying to find balance in her life by meditating because it will be a reminder to her in stressful times. If you can make something nice for a friend if you cannot afford a gift, I think that is a great idea also, where you use your creativity and give your time in making the gift, which makes the gift personal and special.
In terms of wants, sometimes we covet things, and dwell on things that we desire, but it is really important to not desire things and think about them, even things that we may really need. There is no benefit that comes out of thinking about things that we want, only wasted time on those thoughts, and less contentment as you are not thinking about what you have, but what you want.
Giving to the less fortunate brings even more wealth to the giver.
If you have a lot of stuff in your home that you are having trouble letting go of, but is excess of what you need to keep your life abundant, think about if there is someone out there who would benefit more from it and actually use it. This is especially significant for items you have not used in a year or more as it is just wasting space and could actually be used by others. In the spirit of giving, think about donating these items to charity or good will stores. Some like to sell it, but I prefer giving away items that cost me less than $100 because I feel that I earn more in the feeling of helping others in need or people who just need to stay employed such as at Goodwill than the fraction of money that I may get for the item. It also saves time to just donate it, rather than have to wait for a buyer and such. Also, you may not feel the necessary loss of the item as much when you sell it because you get money for it. I feel that at times we need to feel a loss for items by just donating them because it makes us realize how many unnecessary items we buy. So if you are able to donate, I encourage you to do so.
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