Thread: A rich life with less stuff

Originally Posted by wjblaney

Originally Posted by Black Heart

We don't know when it will be.

That's why we should always be grateful for what we have.

Many aren't.
Without consciousness or connections.

Those whom mindlessly accumulate the most, unnecessarily, will be considered the winners.

So it is.

Originally Posted by thaimeme

So it is.

I think I think it should be that way. I'm not sure I think so but I know I should think so, in other words, because the way it is is the way it should be.

good Zen thought for the day, innit?

Originally Posted by wjblaney

That's why we should always be grateful for what we have.

Exactly ,, thats the way I look at it , what I ( we ) have as opposed to what we haven't got .

^But is that a males thing, or have you known equally content women?

Its good to save things in case they come in handy later.....I just put the top off an empty super glue tube into the draw for just that reason..

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Originally Posted by wjblaney

That's why we should always be grateful for what we have.

Exactly ,, thats the way I look at it , what I ( we ) have as opposed to what we haven't got .

Precisely Nig and WJ.

People spend far too much time whining about what they don't have or how bad it is. Interesting human dynamic.

Originally Posted by OhOh

But is that a males thing, or have you known equally content women?

I've known a few, but they are an uncommon breed in consumer cultures.

Had a friend who had just retired and had big plans as to what he would do. All cut short by a very nasty cancer that killed him in 3 months after diagnosis. I visited him in a hospice just before he died and the last words he said to me are " You never know what life will bring, if there is something you want to do do it now"

Those words brought me here and I still try to live by them, within budget.

Depends what you want to do on how much doing it costs and where your priorities lie. For me I live on between 20 and 30K a month and save for trips to where ever.
Have done 2 to NZ, 1 to OZ, one around the UK, 3 to Lao and one to Cambodia as well as many around Thailand.
Now it is camping in the national parks as often as possible something that is very cheap, 30b each to get in, 30b for the car and 30b per night to camp. We take most of our own food which the lady boss cooks.
Base camp is in a small central town, rent of 3 bed 2 bath house 3000b per month, power and water are minimal but internet hurts a bit, eat Thai food mostly at home when here, when we eat out it is rarely more than 30 to 45b each. Dont drink or smoke so can get away with living on not a lot and still have what to me is a great life.

Originally Posted by birding

Base camp is in a small central town, rent of 3 bed 2 bath house 3000b per month...

Just wondering if that rent would be typical for your average two-horse town?

Originally Posted by birding

Had a friend who had just retired and had big plans as to what he would do. All cut short by a very nasty cancer that killed him in 3 months after diagnosis. I visited him in a hospice just before he died and the last words he said to me are " You never know what life will bring, if there is something you want to do do it now"

Those words brought me here and I still try to live by them, within budget.

Depends what you want to do on how much doing it costs and where your priorities lie. For me I live on between 20 and 30K a month and save for trips to where ever.
Have done 2 to NZ, 1 to OZ, one around the UK, 3 to Lao and one to Cambodia as well as many around Thailand.
Now it is camping in the national parks as often as possible something that is very cheap, 30b each to get in, 30b for the car and 30b per night to camp. We take most of our own food which the lady boss cooks.
Base camp is in a small central town, rent of 3 bed 2 bath house 3000b per month, power and water are minimal but internet hurts a bit, eat Thai food mostly at home when here, when we eat out it is rarely more than 30 to 45b each. Dont drink or smoke so can get away with living on not a lot and still have what to me is a great life.

You seem to have it sewn up mate ,, well done , its always good to hear of happy endings , there is plenty of negativity on here

Well done Birding - respect, have a green

Originally Posted by birding

Had a friend who had just retired and had big plans as to what he would do. All cut short by a very nasty cancer that killed him in 3 months after diagnosis. I visited him in a hospice just before he died and the last words he said to me are " You never know what life will bring, if there is something you want to do do it now"

Those words brought me here and I still try to live by them, within budget.

Depends what you want to do on how much doing it costs and where your priorities lie. For me I live on between 20 and 30K a month and save for trips to where ever.
Have done 2 to NZ, 1 to OZ, one around the UK, 3 to Lao and one to Cambodia as well as many around Thailand.
Now it is camping in the national parks as often as possible something that is very cheap, 30b each to get in, 30b for the car and 30b per night to camp. We take most of our own food which the lady boss cooks.
Base camp is in a small central town, rent of 3 bed 2 bath house 3000b per month, power and water are minimal but internet hurts a bit, eat Thai food mostly at home when here, when we eat out it is rarely more than 30 to 45b each. Dont drink or smoke so can get away with living on not a lot and still have what to me is a great life.

Great post birding wonderful attitude to live by.

Originally Posted by birding

For me I live on between 20 and 30K a month and save for trips to where ever. Have done 2 to NZ, 1 to OZ, one around the UK, 3 to Lao and one to Cambodia as well as many around Thailand.

What currency 20k - 30k ฿ , $, £, € ?

The holidays are from this amount or elsewhere?

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...ampaign=FBPost

"I recently posed this question to my study abroad class, “Exploring the Good Life in Scandinavia,” at our last class meeting in Copenhagen. Over the course of two weeks, we’d heard guest lectures from experts on Scandinavian culture. The students conducted informal and structured interviews with residents, read research articles, compiled out surveys on happiness, and simply observed daily life.

Here are some of our observations and conclusions about a region that consistently scores at the top of life-satisfaction surveys:

There are different types of happiness.
Americans tend to value high-intensity forms of happiness—joy, excitement, euphoria. Danes and Swedes, on the other hand, experience lower-intensity versions—contentment and relaxation. They also don’t seem to obsess as much about happiness; it is simply the byproduct of a well-lived life.

Work-life balance is key.
Scandinavians take pride in their work, certainly, but their work lives are generally well-balanced with time spent with family and friends. “So, what do you do?”, a conversation starter so common in America, is seen as strange or inappropriate in Denmark and Sweden. Sports and leisure are much more common topics, reflecting the fact that people don’t define themselves primarily though their work but more through hobbies and personal passions. A 35-to-37-hour workweek is commonplace, and working overtime is generally frowned upon. The Swedish word lagom, which roughly translates to “good enough,” is applied to many things, including work. People know when to call it a day.

Modesty matters.
The law of Jante, based on a 1933 Danish novel, refers to a mindset that has worked its way into the Scandinavian psyche. In short, it reinforces norms of humility, modesty, even conformity. Believing you are better than anyone else, bragging about your accomplishments, or displaying signifiers of success, prestige, or wealth, is highly frowned upon.

Treasure nature.
Scandinavian weather is dramatic—with 20-plus hours of daylight each summer day, and almost constant darkness in the winter—and Scandinavians have a close connection with nature. Summer is a time for celebration, with Midsummer being the biggest holiday of the year. Danish and Swedish cities are famous for being among the most bike-friendly in the world, and commuting to work is taken as a given. Any chance for a picnic, hike, or weekend in a countryside cabin is a treat. However, the cold, dark winter isn’t just seen as something to suffer through. The Danish concept of hygge, which roughly translates to "coziness," involves creating an inviting environment that promotes interpersonal closeness and connection. The winter months are a time to connect and experience hygge with friends and family.

Some, but not all, of these things can be ours.
Recurring question in our group included: What can we bring home with us? and, Can the U.S. become more like Denmark and Sweden? Some key contributors that exist in Scandinavia on a broader, societal level are unlikely to come our way across the Atlantic. Access to universal health care, day care, education, and generous parental leave policies were frequently-cited contributors to well-being, but are challenging for many Americans to attain. Other factors can be built into daily life, however, and certainly could include valuing contentment and modesty, knowing when to declare the work day done, spending time in nature, and creating a warm, intimate environment with loved ones".

I'm buying stuff again.

Getting back into keeping Tropical fish.

No probs there though, If I'm over them they go straight down the shitter.

Originally Posted by terry57

I'm buying stuff again.

Getting back into keeping Tropical fish.

No probs there though, If I'm over them they go straight down the shitter.

so, obviously, you're rich.

Originally Posted by OhOh

One wakes up, one tells oneself, "Today I will be happy, content and enjoy it". Whatever one does during the day is part of this "state of mind". If one cannot "enjoy" a day one should reconsider ones lifestyle.

This is the Zen approach. OK, fine.

Originally Posted by OhOh

Privileged in what way, how many Ferraris can you drive at a time, how many 5* restaurants do you want to eat at today? You appear to be equating "already privileged" with financial wealth. You appear to find the ability to purchase "happiness" the reason for working/stealing and equivalent to attaining happiness through creating the right situation oneself..

I hope these assumptions are wrong.

Yes, your assumptions are wrong. I meant by "already privileged" those, throughout the world, who have the "opportunity" to get a good job, which still most likely will require hard work and a higher education. You can define for yourself what a "good" job is. Just don't say everyone can get one because capitalism doesn't work that way. So is it possible to have a work-life balance without a good job or no job? That would be an oxymoron. But I'm not saying that, therefore, those "without" can not have a rich life. But that's not the point of discussion so I don't want to get into it.

The thread is about "A rich life with less stuff".

I took it as being "content" (good life) with less "stuff" (consumable or assets).

One can certainly have both with no job. If you have, or have been given, capital.

One can certainly have both, even without a "good job", however you define that phrase.

An example of a "life" in the US.





http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-0...ing-containers

1,000 US$/month, in LA. Whether it is considered, "good" is for you to judge. Many live in a lot worse conditions around the world but, considering what they had before, it may be a step up the ladder, who knows.

Some are sold on the "trinkets" one can accumulate/display, some exist with a rucksack of their possessions slung over their shoulder. Both can be "content".

Some here, at TD, have worked in manual labour jobs, some have been salesmen, some have used their intellect, along with earned or borrowed capital, to build successful business, some may even have worked as Financial Advisers. All have experienced good and bad times possibly.

A lot of billionaires travel the world trying to buy "contentment" by handing out money. Some contented souls travel the byways picking up a day or twos work, some food and company, but moving on as they please.

Originally Posted by wjblaney

But that's not the point of discussion so I don't want to get into it.

The requirements you specify to ensure contentment are not necessarily the only ones which work.

Originally Posted by OhOh

The requirements you specify to ensure contentment are not necessarily the only ones which work.

Absolutely. Nice post.

I'm leaning towards Tel on this one.

You need your own space and kit to create things - hobbies are what separate us from the beasts. You need projects to bind people together and have things to talk about - sitting around just beering and cod-philosophising and "existing" and you'll end up like Jeff "..." .

"so it is".

Originally Posted by Stinky

Living without stuff is the luxury of the childless, as long as you've kids to look after stuff will happen regardless.

Absolutely.
All this collective cognitive dissonance about having little sounds a little unconvincing to me... once you've got peace of mind, and some kind of security, you can afford to be all world-weary and sanctimonious.
When (like most people) you're stuck between potentially crappy choices like rent v mortgage (or homelessness) and job v contracting (or unemployment) and having all your time planned for you as you slowly decay and watch time fleet by, trapped with people you don't want to be with and away from people you do want to be with, your life a blur of busy subsistence and dodging bullets, without the time and space to pull out bits of memorabilia and contemplate life, the idea of torching it all - things hold memories and it is the memories that people get attached to, I think.

There are two categories of stuff in this... the disposable ephemeral gadgets and fashion items that you can't or don't attach emotional significance to; and the stuff that is part of your memories - the teddy bear, or that lucky spoon etc...

Can you throw away a picture your eldest drew of you when they were three? (Wouldn't you at least keep a scan? Would it mean as much as the real thing... the paper with the marks and imperfections in it?) Favourite old books or toys? A trusty butter knife or schoolwork from your own childhood? Yeah, you can burn it all, I suppose, but it's in human nature to collect mementos, talking points etc...

Originally Posted by boloa

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

A rich life with less stuff

Stuff you ( I ) Absolutely need to live somewhere long time

1# Someone to love and someone that loves you.
2# Somewhere to live ( even nicer if you own it out-right )
3# Basic food, water and utilities ( electric )
4# Local Medical care in case you get hurt or fall ill
5# Stuff to cook food with, somewhere to store it (fridge, due to heat), somewhere soft to sleep
6# Washing machine ( thats for me ,the wife is more that happy to wash her clothes by hand )
7# Basic everyday clothing
9# Internet , TV and a Phone
10# Transport of some kind ( I have a Honda Wave but public transport is so cheap in Thailand if you need to go any distance.)
11# And lastly funds or a source of income to pay for the above

Anything else that is not on that list you don't strictly need IMHO.......but it can strongly contributes to quality of life you want to lead.
I've been watching Kevin McCloud's Escape To The Wild....which only goes to show that some people don't need shit-loads of stuff to be happy

12# Peace and time alone for yourself sometimes - for your sanity?
All those things cover is subsistence... we are not machines...

Originally Posted by fishlocker

I found it strange some of the happier people Ive met really didn't have much stuff. The people around them didnt have the "stuff" either. I found it odd. So I gave them some stuff. Not alot. So they were still genuinely happy. When I exspire I plan to give some stuff to nieces and nephews and others. I never really thought about how this could cause unhappiness if some dont get some stuff and others do. I must rethink my exit strategy. Stuff can cause unhappiness I guess.

I don't think it's the stuff itself that causes unhappiness, but worry about maintaining it or lack of peace-of-mind about something happening to it. If you owned a house outright back in your country of origin, and left stuff there that mattered to you, then lived out here, you would not be thinking about stuff back there, and wouldn't have anything to cause you to feel unhappy - unless your house back there got burgled etc... I don't quite see how this is any different from worrying about your savings and having them evaporate due to some banking crime or disaster - money is still stuff... property rights tokens are still property.

Y'all kidding yourselves... if you don't want to be burdened by "stuff", burn your clothes, throw all your cash in the street, and sleep in a paddy field.

Originally Posted by CaptainNemo

Y'all kidding yourselves... if you don't want to be burdened by "stuff", burn your clothes, throw all your cash in the street, and sleep in a paddy field.

You keep the essentials, obviously.

But stuff which you have emotions or attachments invested in?
Good for personal development to let it go... be the Buddha on the road.

Originally Posted by fishlocker

I found it strange some of the happier people Ive met really didn't have much stuff. The people around them didnt have the "stuff" either. I found it odd. So I gave them some stuff. Not alot. So they were still genuinely happy. When I exspire I plan to give some stuff to nieces and nephews and others. I never really thought about how this could cause unhappiness if some dont get some stuff and others do. I must rethink my exit strategy. Stuff can cause unhappiness I guess.

This is true for me too. I readily point to the Aymara people who are an indigenous nation in the Andes and Altiplano regions of South America. They were there when the conquistadors overran and conquered the continent and they have been subjugated, both politically and economically, ever since. Many are subsistence farmers who live on small plots of land in the highlands. Many more fill the barrios of the cities. I have been to Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador many times and wonder at the simple happiness that seems to be at the core of these people. Believe me, it is a general rule. And they are not ignorant either. They know their history, as descendants of Inca nobility, and their language, Quechua, is an official language (along with Spanish) in all three countries. In Bolivia, they have fought for their civil rights and have elected an indigenous president (quite leftist, I might add). But it's hard not to equate poverty with happiness when you see these people. It's just as true to equate poverty with unhappiness when you see the people of the inner cities of other countries, like America. So there is some other factor at work here...

Originally Posted by CaptainNemo

I don't think it's the stuff itself that causes unhappiness, but worry about maintaining it or lack of peace-of-mind about something happening to it. If you owned a house outright back in your country of origin, and left stuff there that mattered to you, then lived out here, you would not be thinking about stuff back there, and wouldn't have anything to cause you to feel unhappy - unless your house back there got burgled etc... I don't quite see how this is any different from worrying about your savings and having them evaporate due to some banking crime or disaster - money is still stuff... property rights tokens are still property.

Y'all kidding yourselves... if you don't want to be burdened by "stuff", burn your clothes, throw all your cash in the street, and sleep in a paddy field.

I don't think we're kidding ourselves. Peace of mind is definitely a quest for many if not most people. Self-destruction, in the way you described it, is more likely manifested by the murderers of school children, movie goers, and church members. Why stop at

burn your clothes, throw all your cash in the street, and sleep in a paddy field.

So that's a small minority of people and definitely no one who has posted on this thread.

But the quest for peace of mind, body and soul continues...

While not needing a bigger boat I want one all the same. Well when the wave overtakes us I'll know I needed a bigger boat.