If it’s not important to you, don’t consume it
Trent Hamm at TheSimpleDollar.com on Saturday reviewed the classic book Voluntary Simplicity. When I read the book seven or eight years ago, I interpreted the focus of the book to be about reducing one’s impact on the environment. However, Trent points out in his review that there is a larger theme beyond responsible environmental behavior that speaks to the heart of simple, uncluttered living:
“… you don’t have to overconsume in areas that aren’t important to your life. If you don’t watch television, don’t buy a television or have a cable box. If it’s nice outside, don’t run your air conditioner. If you’re not into clothing, wear clothing until it’s actually worn out — and then even consider mending it. In other words, if it’s not all that important to you, don’t consume [it].”
It is so easy to buy, acquire, and own things that aren’t important to us simply out of habit or because other people have these things. If you don’t want the responsibilities of home ownership, rent. If you aren’t looking forward to an episode of Wipeout, turn off the television. Stop consuming for the sake of consuming, and buy and spend time on only those things that you need and matter to you.
The phrase, “If it’s not important to you, don’t consume it,” is now hanging on the bulletin board next to my monitor. I think it’s as important of an uncluttering phrase as “a place for everything and everything in its place.”
17 comments posted
Posted by Dawn F - 07/01/2010
Some of our friends and family go through vehicles like crazy – they buy new cars often and get practically nothing for their “old” car even though it was perfectly fine just because they feel like a “new” car.
My husband and I have had very few vehicles in our lives. We enjoy taking care of our vehicles – we want them to look beautiful inside and outside, drive safely and last a long, long time. Plus, driving a paid-off vehicle is just a smart choice for our budget. Driving a new, shiny, expensive car doesn’t feel nearly as good (to us) as driving an older, shiny, paid-off car.
BTW, Wipeout rocks. We have never laughed so hard in our lives.
Posted by Tabatha - 07/01/2010
I love that book. It was the first one I bought about simple living.
Posted by ida - 07/01/2010
I love this post. I am trying to do this also, to not use shopping as a leisure activity. Doing things around the house, picking up a book, playing with dogs – it is far more fufilling than shopping and thus depleating my bank account!
Keep up the good work Erin (and Trent).
Posted by zac - 07/01/2010
know thyself.
Posted by Kathryn Fenner - 07/01/2010
My frugal Dad, who is bird-watching in New Guinea again (he was only ever a bottom rung white collar guy, but knew how to manage his money) always says, “Don’t buy more stereo than you can hear.” Same idea.
Posted by Stephanie - 07/01/2010
Great post. This applies to non-tangibles as well. I hate graduation ceremonies but I always thought I was supposed to go and enjoy them. But for my last one and my husband’s last one we had “alternative graduations”. I chose to go to a glass factory and Hershey Park. He chose to go to Longwood Gardens and a mushroom farm. We have such awesome memories of these trips plus we still have our diplomas–all we really wanted anyway– not a self-congratulatory event full of fluff.
Posted by Rob Sanchez - 07/02/2010
True! Besides, buying/consuming stuff you don’t really need makes everything worse: a cluttered house, a fat body, an unhealthy lifestyle, etc.
Posted by timgray - 07/02/2010
Take it a step further….
If it does mean a lot to you, can you consume it USED? A 2 year old car fresh off lease is far less than the exact same car new.
Used Laptops that are only a year old are 1/2 the price of new.
Used camera gear is dirt cheap compared to new..
I take the “Not important-dont consume it” and add it to the “dont ever buy it new”… Some items you cant skip getting new, but most can be.
Posted by gypsy packer - 07/02/2010
I would add–if it’s important to you, do purchase more capacity in your tools and electronic devices than you believe you need. Having the battery-operated tool crap out on you in the middle of a job, or replacing hard drives or worse yet, motherboards, stinks.
Buy reconditioned if you can. I’ve had great success with items ranging from an iPod to my carpet cleaner.
Street salvage and flea markets work fine. My CD player, purchased for a full 25 cents because its reverse didn’t work, lasted me for years. Its predecessor came from a moving-day garbage pile, left because its absent-minded owner had installed the batteries backwards!
Always look for multifunctional objects. Examples: my old oak washstand which can double as a kitchen cabinet with towel rack, the shop-class combo step-stool and ironing board, and (someday) a combo table, deacon’s bench, and chest modeled on that great 16th century piece someone brought to the British Antiques Roadshow.
Posted by Jen - 07/02/2010
I’ve never quite understood shopping as a recreational activity. I try to limit my shopping to things I need or things I really want and have thought about purchasing for a while. For me, items bought on a whim are usually a waste of money and end up taking up space in the closet.
It’s not often, but I’m always delighted when I can find something I need / really want at an antique store or flea market.
Posted by gypsy packer - 07/02/2010
One of my commercial-cleaning tenants just brought me a moving gift–a combination toaster oven/coffeepot/stove eye “breakfast maker” I had admired. He just taught me that I can do without a kitchen range (I am able to can on a Coleman stove, outside, to keep living space cool). Discovered the nifty little appliances on WalMart website for $39. Another multifunctional space-saver, great for the single without culinary aspirations.
Posted by Robert Somerville - 07/02/2010
Most first world economies are built on the principle of consumption.
But it is a choice we all have to make, not a requirement!
Posted by Sakeenah - 07/03/2010
This is a great reminder. There’s so much more to put your energy into than stuff, family, friends, nature.
Posted by catherine - 07/03/2010
This book is a classic. I keep my copy (the original edition) in a special lawyer’s bookcase with my other favorite books. Duane Elgin signed it for me when I went to see him at a seminar that had pitifully poor attendance. Good for those of us who went, however–as it was a wonderful intimate gathering with the man who defined modern-day Voluntary Simplicity.
Posted by Iven - 07/07/2010
This is a great maxim. To remind myself of it I made this simple wallpaper http://cl.ly/1a7i
Posted by klutzgrrl - 07/08/2010
This is great. Now if only I could work out what was really important.
Posted by usedcardboardboxes - 07/19/2010
Have to fully agree with this post, if you don’t really need it leave it. I’ve cut down tremendously on my spending, (still need to do more). I used to buy things just because they were on sale or were a bargain. This is a mental habit that I am still learning to break down more and more.
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