Comments on: Quality of Life and Consumer Spending

By: steve

steve — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:48:42 +0000

I find it curious to focus on big ticket items, becuase being careful about big ticket items seems to come easy for me–it’s all so obvious that a purchase should be carefully considered in most cases if it is, say, $500 or more.

What’s not so obvious is the spending creep from the “creature comforts” like *habitually* getting coffee out and having lunch out when at work, whcih easily adds up to $500 in a month if it’s a 5 day a week habit.

By: Katy

Katy — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:08:51 +0000

Sure, what makes up your quality of life is a choice, but remember context. There is a difference between getting a coffee or eating out alone, or for no purpose other than it being easier, and doing these things with friends, coworkers, and family.

Having the freedom to go to coffee with a coworker rather than miss out on the socialization time because of money constraints IS a quality of life issue. Being able to go out to dinner with friends and spend an extra hour with them, instead of meeting them after dinner, adds to my quality of life.

Its not just about consuming, its about the context of the consumption.

By: AppleF

AppleF — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:36:49 +0000

Sarah, no apologies neccessary – so easy to misinterpret on the net! :)
“I do think I attribute things to the fantasy of what they might do for my life. Oh, if I had fancy china, imagine the dinner parties I would throw! If I had that designer dress, I would magically have a social life where I’d have somewhere to wear a designer dress! If I had nice cushhions, I wouldn’t leave folded laundry on them for days and the floor would also somehow magically be clean!”
Btw, you are not alone in doing this – we are ALL guilty of being susceptible to marketing and thinking if only I owned “X”, then all would be well. That’s what I meant about focusing on the “set” vs. the “play”. Sometimes things get put off because the setting is less than perfect, but it really is a case of substance over style when it comes to quality of life.

By: cookie

cookie — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:55:01 +0000

I definitely agree that it is up to each person to decide what is worth spending money on and to determine how his/her resources can be best used to improve his/her quality of life. While a small treat (e.g. takeout coffee) makes my work days bearable, I track how much I spend so that I can decide if these short-lived hits are worth wasting my hard-earned money on.

By: jeg

jeg — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:37:04 +0000

I played this flash games before. It was called tower defense. It was fun. But I’ve learned a lot about savings, budget and investments from this.
Some of you might have known this game. Anyway, here’s how it goes.
At the beggining of the game you are given a certain amount of money. You should spend enough of this money to buy towers(weapons) to be able to terminate waves(enemies). The rest of the money will be saved and would gain interests. As you move up to a higher level, the number of waves increases and they get tougher too. So you’ll have to buy tougher and more expensive towers. Sometimes the waves don’t get killed on the first round and would move on to the next round which would decrease your life meter. But you can spend some of your saved money to buy more life. Kinda like getting sick in real life and paying for the hospital bills.
At the later part of the game, where you have a lot of money saved, you could buy a lot of towers and it would not seem to matter since the cost of the 5 towers would be much lesser than the interest you’re gaining with the money saved.
So it’s kinda like saving from small things to get the bigger ones later then spend as long as you want on both later.
Now, I do have a salary and I do save some of it. I have a nice budget plan but my problem is investment. Any of you could give me some tips or ideas on good investments? I’m still starting so I would be needing investments that requires low or not so high capitals? Any ideas and recommendations would be highly appreciated. Thanks. :)

By: Genevieve

Genevieve — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:40:59 +0000

I have to say that I agree whole-heartedly with Sydney. As a junior/senior in college, I have only just gotten to a place where I can spend money on the “small stuff.” (I used to have a $20 biweekly grocery budget, among other restrictions.) I have had spotty employment, but now that I have a stable job again my quality of life has gone up dramatically. Why? Because I no longer agonize over whether I can afford the gas to the grocery store or if I can wash my clothes.

No one has to tell me about living frugally. I do that extremely well. I also am very conscious of cutting down my big expenses, which are really only big in relation to my paychecks, given my student status. However, I have a two hour break between classes on Fridays, and it’s nice to get a free newspaper (with my student ID) and buy a $2.30 medium coffee and sit down in the student center for a while. My homemade coffee tastes better, sure, but it’d be cold and stale by that point and I enjoy the atmosphere and employees at the coffee shop. I was miserable when I couldn’t even afford that. Now I have a small amount every paycheck I set aside for fun stuff, and I am much happier. All that agonizing over a $2 student movie ticket or $4 symphony ticket (which is required as I’m a music major) took a major toll on my stress levels.

I love doing free stuff, and some of my best times have been having potlucks at someone’s apartment; I can also recognize the weight that is lifted when you can spend even $3 without a mental tug of war. I should know; I’ve been there not three months ago.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:41:57 +0000

@AppleF: Sorry, I didn’t intend for my comment to come out sounding as bratty as it did. I guess I figure nice furniture would be the same as when I return home and my apartment is actually clean!

I actually think the best thing for me would be to reupholster it. I still love the furniture because my parents had it while we were growing up, so I can point to the dings and scratches and say, “Those teeth marks are from where my sister went through her chewing-on-furniture stage,” etc.

I do think I attribute things to the fantasy of what they might do for my life. Oh, if I had fancy china, imagine the dinner parties I would throw! If I had that designer dress, I would magically have a social life where I’d have somewhere to wear a designer dress! If I had nice cushhions, I wouldn’t leave folded laundry on them for days and the floor would also somehow magically be clean! :-)

By: AppleF

AppleF — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:40:28 +0000

Sorry for this running on, but regarding other cultures, it does seem they spend less time focused on aesthetics then do Americans. It’s probably simply a result of financial resources, but the quest for perfection in a setting seems less of a priority elsewhere.

By: AppleF

AppleF — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:35:51 +0000

Sarah, apologies, I didn’t intend to be condescending. The point I was trying to make, without “bragging” is that Americans often allow a less that perfect home hinder their enjoyment of life. An avocado green kitchen, brown shag carpeting, or yes, fraying cushions aren’t particularly attractive to look at, but I have plenty of examples of people who won’t allow friends to visit, go in to debt or spend ample amounts of time worrying about just such things. Yes, Europeans and the rest of the world as well prefer beautiuful surroundings – we all do. I’m just saying that those things should not hugely increase OR decrease your quality a life. A great dinner around an old picnic table with good friends should be as good as if it were around an antique table set with silver.
Your comment, “I think my quality of life would be greatly improved if, instead of coming home to that couch, I came home to something sleeker. A neat, stylish home would definitely increase my quality of life.” is what got me thinking about all of this. Naturally, it’s all personal isn’t it? :)

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 05:52:23 +0000

@AppleF I don’t understand what you’re trying to say here? Are you bragging about your knowledge of European life, or bragging that you live in Europe? Aesthetics aren’t just for Americans, and my friends from Holland keep a beautiful home. Perhaps your comment was too simplistic because you didn’t want to leave a novel. Either way, I find your tone condescending since I enjoy my life and don’t require new furniture to do so. (As I said, we’ve had the couch for 4 years now!) However, having the stuffing stick out from the cushions & it’s sort of scratchy, perhaps some new upholstery would be worthwhile!

@CD: I LOL’d!

By: Barbara

Barbara — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:18:10 +0000

Its probably already been said, but…. to me quality of life is basically having the freedom to do the things one enjoys doing. If that is being frugal, fine. If that is buying a latte at Starbucks, fine. Having things and spending money is not sinful in and of itself, neither is being frugal. Its not a matter of one is right and one is wrong. Its all about the choices one has to make in order to do what one feels is really important. Being frugal in some areas allows me to be completely extravagant in other ones…but the “quality” in this comes in that its my choice and I’m living my life in ways that truly make my soul happy. Know yourself, know your resources and their limits…but then live your life as you see fit!
That and only that means quality to me.

By: Maha

Maha — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:05:14 +0000

The one thing that would improve my quality of life dramatically, and it’s so totally free, yet I can’t seem to achieve it yet: Going to bed in my comfy bed, not be woken a single time during the night by a youngling or a snoring husband and wake up completely on my own when my body says it’s time (in other words, it’s been deprogrammed to waken at 4am, then 5am, then 6am) and the sun is up. It’s something I’m truly looking forward to.

By: CD

CD — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:34:29 +0000

“I no longer feel like a meal eaten out raises my quality of life at all.”

Apologies in advance for the snark, but — I think it still should be said.

If I lived in Iowa, this might very well be true for me, too. But I live in San Francisco, so it’s not.

By: Fabulously Broke

Fabulously Broke — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:14:00 +0000

Honestly, I think there is such a thing as being too frugal. If you deprive yourself of a small latte treat just because you think to yourself “oh this doesn’t contribute to my quality of life”, it just sounds inane.

If you wanted the treat, then obviously it contributes to your quality of life to be able to purchase it without feeling resentful or angry at yourself for spending the $3.

And if you decide that a nap is better than going out with a friend to eat, then that’s up to you to decide that.

However, I am going to always pick the lunch or dinner out with my friend because I want to see them (or invite them over) rather than hole myself up in the bed and nap my time away thinking that it is what makes me happier in the long run.

This frugality thing is getting to be too crazy for words.

Spending doesn’t make me happy in the sense that I feel the overwhelming need to collect all these different bags in different colours, but I DO like to spend. Point blank.

By: no_sked

no_sked — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:21:47 +0000

“What struck me about the comment is that Sydney immediately ties events that involve spending excess money… to quality of life.”
that’s an interesting take on sydney’s quote and i appreciate you illustrating the possible connection. it’s not something that i thought about until you emphasized it.
however, i would guess that sydney simply provided a few easy examples to make the point, “take care of the big/important stuff and you won’t have to sweat the small stuff.”
its up to you and your lifestyle to determine if the “small stuff” is a monetary contribution to a charity or enjoying an overpriced latte with a dear friend.

By: Amy H.

Amy H. — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:03:44 +0000

@IRG (#54) — I’d also love to see more PF blogs about saving and being frugal/spending smart in the city. (My Open Wallet is one — the writer lives in NYC — but it doesn’t have as regular posts as The Simple Dollar.) Your points about the size of apartments and the difficulty of getting together to spend time with friends anywhere other than a restaurant or other outside-of-”home” space b/c of people’s work schedules, etc. is very well-taken.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:00:44 +0000

Going out for a coffee or to dinner, and having the flexibility to do so without worrying about making rent, CAN improve one’s quality of life. Defining that as buying into the consumerist culture is off base. For many people, going to a cafe, restaurant or movie is a way to socialize with people. Many people don’t have a wife to cuddle with at home. Especially young people, who haven’t settled down yet and who crave social connections with various groups of people, coffee or dinner out is a vital way to stay CONNECTED. I realize that this is your personal blog, coming from your own experiences, but if I didn’t know better I’d have sensed a bit of superiority or judgment in your summary of the comment.

By: Ford

Ford — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:55:21 +0000

What Sydney is saying is that the financial articles concentrate on the little controllable expenses, such as eating out, and miss out on the big ones, like fixed payments on expensive items that you can’t really afford.

I chose a house with a payment that is $400 less than I can afford. I also buy used cars for cash, and pay cash for any purchase that devalues, such as furniture, clothing, food, eating out, etc. I do give myself a $50 a week allowance to blow on anything I want, because I can reward my responsibility with controlled mad money.

Because my fixed expenses are so low, I have sufficient flex room to enjoy a latte, lunches out, without any guilt whatsoever. I only eat out about twice a week, and prefer my own coffee over anything sold at a coffee shop, but this is by my choice, not neccesity. Again, it is the fixed expenses that bind your budget the most.

If someone is so far in debt that eating out pushes them over the edge financially, then the fixed expenses seriously need to be evaluated. Which is exactly what Sydney is talking about.

Also, we are all part of a consumer society. Until you are completely off the grid, grow all your own food, make all your own clothes, and never, ever buy anything from anyone or any store, including groceries, you are a consumer. But even getting off the grid requires initially buying land, seeds, and something to generate electricity. Heck, if you are breathing then you are consuming air. The key is making sure your purchases or consumptions do not hurt your fiscal health.

By: wren

wren — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:44:38 +0000

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like some might be missing what Trent was trying to say. In the end, the things you REMEMBER are generally not the cup of coffee, the meal, the plane tickets, etc., but are the experiences. Saying that one’s quality of life goes up because they are able to spend makes it sound like the spending is what is remembered, not the experience. I can certainly appreciate taking a latte break with my DH now and again, even while we are scrupulously watching our budget and expenses. But it’s not because we’re spending money, but because we’re spending time together, chatting over lattes, laughing at my childlike danish, and gossiping about all the other people. I forget the coffee in a heartbeat, but I remember the day always.

And perhaps that’s really what Sydney meant… that having one’s house in order allows for more EXPERIENCES, some of which may even happen over a good meal or a tiramisu latte and danish homework. Having read Trent’s blog for a good while now, I’m quite positive that’s what he means by quality of life… and I’m all about that.

By: Joyful Abode: Domesticity by Trial and Error

Joyful Abode: Domesticity by Trial and Error — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:03:21 +0000

Thank you for this, Trent!

I recently had a conversation with my mother that annoyed me (a lot). I told her I had won an iPod Touch in a blog giveaway and that I was super excited to get it in the mail. She told me that “by next year, you’ll buy the iPhone, I’m sure.”

I told her I wouldn’t because I don’t need an iPhone and don’t want the $30.00/month increase in my phone bill for getting the data package. I also told her we recently went down a step in our phone plan and texting plan to save some money, and reminded her that we don’t have cable TV either.

She seemed to take it as some sort of sign that my husband and I are living as if we’re destitute and that we can’t possibly be enjoying life. She said, “You only get one life! ENJOY it!” … I’m enjoying my life plenty, thanksverymuch. In fact, every time I talk to my DAD on the phone he ends up saying things like, “Well it sounds like life is good in Mississippi!” or “I’m excited that you’re so excited about everything that’s going on.” (He also shared my thrill when my husband and I became debt-free in January.)

Frugality really is a way of life, and it’s not for everyone, but for those of us who come by it naturally, it’s not a sacrifice.