Pretty everyone want's to upgrade... or at least remain the same.
That's pretty much what life is about right?
If you have a 4 room HDB, you probably want to move to a condo, or at least remain the same in the 4 room HDB. Most people won't want to move to a 3 room HDB.
If you eat rice and some meat and vegetables today, you would probably want something similar tomorrow or better. You probably won't want to just eat plain rice.
And ever since young... we learn... we need more money to do more things.
Even the Government believes this... more money, they get better quality people... *ahem*.
More money, they get better services.
The thing is... this has been ingrained in our minds so much that... we don't think much about this idea.
But is this true?
Or is it just taken for granted? Cos it's an idea so ingrained in us, that we don't think to question it anymore.
So when people talk about lifestyle inflation, it typically means that they have upgraded their lifestyle using money.
So these 2 statement are pretty much true, or assumed to be true.
1) People want to upgrade their lifestyles IF they can afford it or at least remain the same.
2) To do (1), you need more money.
So... it's such an easy equation that no one thinks about it. We just need to earn more money so that we can live a better life.
SO EASY! What a simple equation. Cause and effect.
Now... what if this isn't true?
I'm sure we all know that more expensive people doesn't mean they do a better job. The right person does a better job. There's a good chance that an expensive person would be the right person but... that's not always the case... I'm sure we all know that.
Same as for quality products. Not all expensive products are good quality, but if something is good quality, it's likely to be expensive cos it requires more resources to produce.
And for me, I have managed to upgrade my life by using LESS money.
This actually means that my lifestyle in INDEPENDENT from how much money I have. Think about it.
When you talk about financial independence, what are you looking for?
Usually, it's to maintain a certain lifestyle and not be worried about money. But what if they aren't related much? How does that change things?
Now, I recognize that there's somethings that require money, like insurance and mobile data and such. But after all this is settled... What if AFTER financial independence... Your lifestyle keeps INCREASING?
By right. This shouldn't make sense right? But yet, it's happening for me.
It's so easy for us to keep looking at one direction, when everyone is looking at the same direction thinking that's the right way. Everyone is walking in this same direction... how bad can it be right?
Then there are some strange folks who tell you... "oh you don't need much money to be happy, there are many free things to do, there is a lot of free stuff around."
And more often than not, no one will believe them, cos, it's easier to follow the crowd. Keep using money, keep working hard, keep working cos that's the way to a better life.
I've found that lifestyle inflation is actually good. It's fun. It's challenging. AND IT'S FREE. For me at least.
Cos... like everyone else, I also want to upgrade.
When I get free stuff, I also ask myself. HOW do I get even BETTER stuff? HOW do I UPGRADE for FREE?
Now, I'm not here to teach you how to get free stuff. The idea is the same. If you keep doing a certain subject for a period of time, you start getting good at it. And it's the same for any skill set. And getting free stuff is also a skill set in itself.
So today, my main point is...
We don't really think much about other roads. Well, many people don't. Many people just follow whatever path everyone else walks. And I think that in itself is flawed.
Money is NOT the answer.
The relationship between money and lifestyle, money and happiness, or money and quality is flawed and the earlier people realize it, the less tied down by money they will be.
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