Greed and the "American way"

At Who are the Joneses I am always trying to promote a life that doesn't revolve around stuff, materialism, and the traditional thinking that as people, we need need to keep up with our neighbors by having the bigger, better car, the fanciest house, etc. And I truly mean it. In my life my husband and I try not to spend crazy amounts of money on material things (or any money at all) and work at getting out of debt. Case in point, my wardrobe. *sigh* My husband says I have the mindset that I'm a fat girl.. sorry to be so blunt..but he says all of my clothes look like pregnancy clothes and that it looks like I'm trying to hide something when I have nothing to hide. I used to have something to hide, but I've gone down about 2 dress sizes since then. Unfortunately the clothes I still have, still fit that girl...not the girl I am today. Would I like to have new clothes that fit? Of course! But right now, that's not where our focus is..and we don't want to go into debt over new clothes so I make it work. Sure, I could run out and spend $500 and get a bangin' wardrobe but we refuse to do so.

After moving back to the States 3 years ago, I'm yearning to go back to Europe where my friend and I both say, "The Europeans have it figured out." Yes, they do. Their focus in on living life by enjoying good food, time with friends and families...ever been to Europe? England is case in point. Look at the houses (I lived in 2 of them.) By American standards, they are small. I learned after a while, it was AWESOME to have a small house. Small house = less stuff = less time cleaning = more $$ and more time. GENIUS. As Americans, do we really need houses like these?



Well, if you're a reality junkie like me (hey, I'm not proud but my job has too much drama, I need to escape with ridiculous drama) you'll recognize that as Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa Guidices's house. 12,000 square and $1.7 million for a family of five. You can read more about the house here. Well, today in the news is this article. She and her husband are filing for bankruptcy with over $8 million in debt. $8 MILLION. No surprise if you watch the show, she's always out shopping, buying things for her daughters.

Anyway readers, who are you trying to keep up with? Is it really worth it to have the big house, flashy car, newest Iphone? I mean, REALLY? No. It's not. You'll have more money in the bank, less clutter to deal with, less stress (yes), and a better quality of life. Learn to disconnect from things and learn to reconnect with what matters. Want to learn more? Check out this blog for inspiration.. it will help you get focused and centered.