When I first mentioned it, I was contemplating if I would still get free stuff IF I ever won the lottery.
For me, I think... I can get free stuff. Since I don't need to pay for it, why should I? So, I probably will continue to get free stuff even if I have a lot of money.
I don't NEED to pay for it, so I won't. It has nothing to do with whether I can afford it or not.
Someone else in the same position but with a different mentality might think the other way around.
I don't NEED to get free stuff anymore. I can afford to buy stuff.
The difference here is "WHY".
WHY am I getting free stuff?
For me, I am getting free stuff cos I enjoy it. It's fun. I like to save money. If I can get something for free, why should I pay for it? I can afford it but I don't want to pay for it.
Someone else might be thinking differently.
For that person, which is quite a lot of people. They get free stuff, and when I say free stuff, I mean discarded stuff, second hand stuff from others, etc...
I'm not talking only about food. This could be anything. I got myself 2 pairs of jeans (Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein) and a hooded jacket (Adidas) in Paris.
They get free stuff, cos maybe they can't afford it. And they may take these stuff grudgingly. They don't really want to be getting the scraps of others but they HAVE to cos of circumstances. And maybe if or after they get out of their situation, they may think. That's great! Now that I can afford it, I don't NEED to get second hand free stuff from others again.
I suppose there's a lot of pride involved in this. People want to be normal. Since normal people use money to buy stuff, most people want to be normal too. And taking leftovers from others isn't considered normal. And it makes people feel different. And many people think that folks who take free stuff or second hand stuff are poor and do so cos they can't afford it.
And here lies the difference... Needs and Wants...
I don't NEED to spend money. I WANT to save money. So I am willing to accept free stuff even though they aren't always the best stuff.
VERSUS...
I NEED to get free stuff BUT I WANT to be normal. So if I can afford it, I will pay for stuff.
And... we've been taught this since we were young. Almost all of us. Even I was taught this.
We pay money for stuff. Study hard... look at the guy looking through scraps. You want to study hard cos you don't want to end up doing that. We are taught that that kind of action is only done by poor people who can't afford it.
And yet... even after I studied and went through the whole schooling system, I now find that THAT is the most reasonable thing to do. At least for my own purposes.
The thing is... maybe long time ago... the scraps that people picked up are really scraps. Cos long time ago, people aren't so wasteful. In our parents generation, most people didn't have a lot of money and they don't throw away stuff that are in good enough condition. HOWEVER, these days, people are very affluent. People throw away a lot of good items and in really good condition. It's a very very different situation.
Anyway, moving on... Let's take this mentality to other topics.
How about...
I am healthy. I don't NEED to go for medical check up.
VS
I NEED to go for medical check up to confirm that I am healthy and to remain healthy
I NEED to buy branded goods to fit in with my friends and colleagues.
VS
I already fit in with my friends and colleagues, I don't NEED to buy branded goods.
I cannot retire because I have so much commitments. (Actually its lifestyle choices)
VS
I can retire because I don't need much to be happy.
The thing is... there is a lot of things... cause and effect, one thing vs another thing... Just difference is mentality can lead to a lot of difference in outcome.
The same action done by different people can have so many different feelings and positive or negative experiences.
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