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The lockdowns taught me how much money I was wasting each month. After the first month I had enough left in my bank account that I panicked and briefly thought
by cronix 5y ago
The lockdowns taught me how much money I was wasting each month. After the first month I had enough left in my bank account that I panicked and briefly thought I missed a mortgage payment or something. No, it just turned out that going to restaurants, bars, coffee shops, malls, etc., was just a lot more money than I was mentally tracking. I've completely cut them out of my life and have been putting an extra $700/mo into my Roth. It made me realize just how much of the economy is unnecessary and really just convenience-based, and largely invisible if you're engaged in the habitualized behavior. After looking at things through that lens, I just spend a heck of a lot less than I used to as I basically now categorize everything into "necessary" or "unnecessary." I don't see that changing. I now really enjoy cooking for family and friends and my freshly burr-ground coffee is perfect, every day, without a line.
- basedgod 5y agoAh yes, let's all stay home all the time and hoard money. Experiencing life isn't worth it and the only thing that matters is dying at age 97 with an extra $3 million in our bank accounts.
- aaomidi 5y agoI think you're both right. Theres ways to experience life that doesn't mean consumerism hell hole that doesn't actually satisfy anything. It could mean saving up for things to do DIY with, it could mean taking classes, it could mean starting your book collection, or just it could mean meaningful conversations with people. The idea of you have to spend copious amounts of cash to enjoy life is one rooted in capitalism and consumerism, and generally leads to depression and lack of any substantive impact on one's life. For me I saved up for 3D printers, read over 100 books, made new virtual friends and had deep conversations with them, and explored my sexuality safely with others. Most of which didn't really cost me a ton of money.
- steelstraw 5y agoAmericans have massive amounts of high interest credit card debt. Maybe after they pay that down we can worry about saving too much...
- cronix 5y agoQuite the contrary. I was out in the forests all last summer (over 2 solid months) exploring forest roads, camping, fishing and doing work at night via starlink. I haven't experienced that much life in a long time. Made for some fun and comical work zoom calls with my fishing pole in the background. It's funny, and odd, you categorize it as "hording," as if there is some social contractual obligation to spend money on stuff you don't really need. I haven't been this active since my 20's and if I had to estimate, my quality of life has increased 10x. As it turns out, if you cut out stuff you don't need, you have a lot more time and resources for the things you actually want and enjoy doing.
- DarylZero 5y agoMost people can't afford that shit anyway yet they still manage to experience life.
- edoceo 5y agoHow can you put extra into the Roth? I thought the cap was like $6000/yr (500/mo)