New Attitude

I always thought of myself as frugal, or at least "good with the money" (HA!) but I really haven't been. I'm not just talking about the IRS idiocy or why I had to buy my house with my stocks, I'm talking about stupid buying.

Buying for stimulation and soothing, that kind of buying.

Bad juju.

Adbusters always makes me think, but this is something that has been bopping around my head for a while, how many stupid purchases I've made and money I have wasted. Looking at Adbusters now in B & N.

Now that I have no money I can say no to marketing because, I HAVE NO MONEY FOR CRAP. I can only buy what I NEED. I buy nothing (well, almost--I have slipped up a few times, but I did it knowing what I was doing, not like a numb robot) that I don't need. Money now is seen in terms of gallons of gas or meals/food paid for. If a shirt costs $10 that's about 3.5 gallons of gas--which do I need more?

Now, when I get money, I can REALLY manage it and use it for good (i.e. real giving) and not bullshit myself.

However, the economy would fall apart if everyone only bought new stuff when there was a real need to buy new stuff. Real need to me would be: 1. The old one is broken and/or completely used up and cannot be repaired. 2. A technology advance has rendered the old one useless or next to useless for its intended purpose.

Our economy runs on people buying stuff, whether they need it or not.

Hmmm, real can of worms here...