I have a confession to make. The day before I wrote my last post titled, 5 Undeniable Benefits to Living in a Small Home, my husband and I were talking about buying a larger home and a larger car.
We flirted with the notion of how nice it would be to have some extra rooms in our home, a bigger yard, and a car with third-row seating (such are the romantic conversations you have once you have kids, right?).
The truth is that those things would stress our budget, and truthfully, we do not even need those things. We’re simply suffering from not being content with what we have, and falling into the trap of consumerism.
Contentment equals financial security
So many times we look at our financial situation and tell ourselves things like:
■“If I only made more money, I would be able to get on track financially.”
■“If I just had a bigger house, I would be more organised.”
■“If only I had a nicer wardrobe, would I feel more confident in myself.”
■“If only I could afford better groceries, I would be able to get healthy.”
The desire for stuff creeps into every area of our lives. When we’re not content with what we have, it leads to spending more money. It causes us to go on shopping sprees to brighten our mood, to take last-minute pricey vacations to mend family issues, and to use loans for larger purchases because we think life would be easier and better with them.
In The Money Answer Book: Quick Answers to Your Everyday Financial Questions, Dave Ramsey,the author, says that the most important financial principle is contentment.
He says, “You can get out of debt, save money, and get on a budget, but until your intellect forces your emotions and your spirit to accept that stuff does not equal contentment, your finances will always feel stressed.”
How to be content with your finances
Wherever you are in your financial situation, learn to be content. Don’t wait for things to get better. This, of course, does not mean stop striving towards your financial goals. It simply means to be happy with the home you are in now instead of buying one you cannot afford.
Be happy with the dishes, home decor, or wardrobe you have now instead of buying new ones. Stop tying shopping to wants and pleasure.
Here are a few more ways to find contentment where you are today:
■Write down your blessings. Stop looking at what you have in a negative light and start thinking of them as blessings. So what if our house is only 950 square feet. We have a roof over our heads and a bed to sleep in. I need to continually remind myself that I have so much compared to many other hurting people in this world.
■Live within your means. Be honest with yourself when it comes to your finances. Are you living in a home that’s too large for you? Are you driving around a car that requires too much gas and maintenance costs? Can you really afford to buy a new top?
■Simplify your life. I’ve found that the more stuff I get rid of, the happier I am. When I had my closets packed full of things, I felt disorganised and stressed. I felt the need to buy more even though we already had too much. I slowly just eliminated the extra stuff and clutter. I stopped hanging on to items because of poor reasoning — i.e. it was a gift to my daughter, or it reminds me of my mom who passed away. It is as if the clutter in my mind has been thrown away too.
When I go shopping for essentials, I might spy a nice plate set on sale, but it’s easier to not buy it because I know there’s no need for it. Learning to be content is a lifelong journey. I truly think that contentment is the best financial tip anyone can learn.
