My family, we had some money, not a lot, but probably better off than some Singaporeans.
But I've always been taught to be frugal, cos we aren't really rich.
So I always taught that I was frugal, cos I don't have a lot of money to spend.
Seems logical right?
I don't spend much, cos I don't have much money to spend.
So I think twice, trice, before I decide to buy any item, product, toy, food, etc etc.
And I always thought maybe IF I had more money, I'd be less frugal/stingy. Maybe I'll buy stuff to pamper myself more...
Over the weekend, I accompanied Daniel Tay, founder of Facebook's Freegan in Singapore to scout out someone's home. He was invited to call upon other freegans to help the owner declutter the house.
So I accompanied Daniel over to scout out the place and see what kind of stuff the owner had so that we would know who to call down to help declutter.
Basically, there was the usual household clutter, clothes, toys, bags, trinkets here and there.
And when we left, Daniel asked me, "So is there anything you want?"
And I was pretty much, "No there's nothing I want. There's some food, but I have a lot of those at home, I might take some but even if I don't get anything that's fine. Have have, don't have then nevermind. No interest in clothes, toys, etc..."
And that's when it struck me.
I'm not frugal cos I don't have money to buy stuff.
I don't spend money cos I don't even want the stuff.
Cos now that I can get stuff for free, I'm not even taking the stuff.
Now, of course if someone offers me a Rolex watch, I'd jump at it.
But I'm not getting it cos I want a Rolex. I'm getting it cos I want the value of the Rolex.
The idea that it's worth $10k and above is what attracts me.
That's pretty different from the idea of wanting the item.
Cos, even if I had a million dollars, I wouldn't buy a Rolex. I have no need for it. I wouldn't wear it.
If someone gave it to me, of course I'd accept it. I still wouldn't wear it though, it'd just be stored in the drawer.
Getting a Rolex is pretty much like getting $10k cash. It's not about the watch, it's about the value.
And so comes the difference between wanting STUFF or wanting ASSETS.
Stuff is what a lot of people usually buy... excessive clothes, that coffee machine that they don't use often, pretty toys to display at home, Halloween costumes, stuff like that.
Freegans can get a lot of free STUFF.
Assets are really good stuff that retains their value, readers should know about this right? Assets, investments, some watches, etc...
Luxury bags are questionable, cos unless they are well taken care of and easily sold, it's hardly an asset, although some girls would like to tell themselves that they have bought themselves an asset.
So the thing is, over the weekend, I had this revelation. I don't really want stuff. Even IF I had money, I wouldn't buy it. Cos when it's offered for free, I also don't want it.
(If I had money, I also won't buy the Rolex, cos there would be no difference between owning a Rolex and owning $10k. I'm only interested in the value of that $10k regardless of what form it is in.)
And next I wondered... What about other people?
What about YOU, the reader?
And I think... maybe I don't understand people very much. Cos I don't understand the desire to buy stuff, to own stuff. I don't understand people who need to curb their desire to control their own spending.
I wonder how people feel on a day to day basis?
How their internal struggles feel, about wanting to buy stuff and having to control themselves.
I reckon that I am not able to feel the same struggles as them.
In fact, I have the problem the other way around. I struggle to buy stuff. My bedsheet is starting to have a hole and my wife is hoping to buy one of a certain quality. Whereas my opinion is pretty much... "Why don't we just get a bedsheet from our parents. Cos they have excess after we moved out, and they don't need the bedsheet that used to be for us anyway right?"
Unfortunately, my wife wants a certain quality so we're now hunting around for a good deal.
But anyway, this revelation was quite interesting to me, cos I didn't realize it sooner.
I don't really need the "discipline" to NOT buy stuff. I don't have to "control myself".
So it's not hard for me to be frugal. It's not like I have to overcome myself to prevent myself from spending.
I just inherently don't want to buy stuff.
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