The Urge to Purge!

In the car today, the kids and I were talking about money and houses. Joe wanted to know if some homeless people liked being homeless. I told him about a story I read in a newspaper about a man who absolutely preferred being homeless. He slept in his tent wherever he could, worked a little day job, had very few possessions. For some of us, that would be a nightmare.

I started thinking out loud about it...no rent/mortgage, no utilities, no home maintenance, no car, no gas, insurance or maintenance...If I cut those things out of my life, I could live on a lot less money! The kids were concerned that I was suggesting that we start living on the streets. As if. While I at times dreamed of a nomadic lifestyle, it never crossed my mind once I had children.

Still, I reminded the kids that money is just green pieces of paper with dead presidents on it, and while we need it, we need to keep our perspective about money and things we buy with money. Our basic needs of food, water, shelter and love can be met without a lot of expense. It's when we add all that other stuff in there that our budget begins to inflate. I need internet service...I need a new car...I need a computer...I need enough clothing to clothe a small nation (or for some women, shoes). Baaahhh! I say, Minimize! Economize! Don't buy unless it's a real need. And if it's a need, maybe you can trade something you have but don't need for something you don't have but do need!

I'm in a phase of purging and simplifying. I'm not done yet...not even close. But the "noise" of all the things around me and the "stress" of keeping them orderly drowns all the creativity and energy out of me. I want it back!!