Have an urge to throw in the towel

**shelly123** · 06-16-2012, 07:23 PM

I want to throw in the towel on this consumerism, debt and the 40-50 hour work week for a better life.
Since I am a nurse by training ( although I work in management now) I could probably take some travel assignments and work wherever I want. In fact, every year the urge to travel and be a nomad hits me. The urge is strong to get an RV/ camper van and live out of it, selling all this crap I have in my house. I am sure many of my family members would think I am insane. Maybe I can get there someday with a little planning.

I guess really what I am wanting is to give up the consumerism or the must haves. I have officially declared war on consumerism and want to stop the purchase of anything not needed. In fact, I am dreading the fact that I didn't plant a garden so I could have my own vegetables and need one less thing from the supermarket.

Anyone feel the same way?

**mauimagic** · 06-16-2012, 07:36 PM

at times I totally do. I find it very empowering when overcome by things to just declare loudly and with feeling "I QUIT!!" It feels so good. Keep in touch - while these feelings may abate, you may decide to take off in an RV - and decide you totally love it!!

**sabrelvssammy** · 06-16-2012, 07:45 PM

Yup ~ Started officially in January 2009 after returning from a week-long cruise with 4 girlfriends. I watched these 3 spend with reckless abandon on the craziest stuff.

Our room was packed to the gills with more crap (and this is stuff that everyone brought that they thought they needed, yes -myself included). I would guess that 50% off the stuff carted onto the boat was never even removed from the suitcases (we had very limited space in our cabin)...

Anyway, me being the frugal one in the group had no need for all the little 'trinkets' and other things being purchased. They were buying on the boat, off the boat, pre-launch, post launch... buy, buy, buy... And to be quite honest, it drove me nuts!

Something snapped in me that week and when I returned I took a look around at all the crap I had surrounded Dh & I with. And I purged, and I purged, and then I purged some more. When I was done purging I had removed about 70% of the stuff in the house. Dh was both delighted and terrified at the same time. (He says now our house looks like a frat house coz we have very little on the walls, on tables, countertops, etc...) I LOVE it!

I have continued to purge every year since. Each year I find more things to remove that I thought the previous years I could not have lived without. And you know what- it was and continues to be the most wonderful, uplifting thing I have ever done.

But more than that, I swore off consumerism at the same time. During all these years of purging, I have acquired very little new that is not a 'consumable'. If I can't eat it, wear it immediately (like replacing torn underwear), it's not a health or beauty aid, or something that will be used in some manner practically every other day- it does not come past these doors.

I like to tell people that I spent the first 40 years of my life accumulating stuff, and will spend the last 40 sending it all packing out the door. (Although my plan is way less than 40 yrs to rid myself of it all)... My goal is to one day be able to leave all this behind and spend the rest of my days touring the world and living out life with the 'locals'. Getting rid of unnecessary clutter, debt & a weighted down mindset will allow me to live my dreams when the time comes.

I think Spirit Deer said it best in one of her posts when she said. "We are trying hard not to be in love with our stuff" ~ very profound indeed!

**bent** · 06-17-2012, 07:44 AM

we (dd and I) want to live in tiny houses.............
I am also letting go of 'stuff'- mostly in the last yr it's been books that i've collected over the yrs then i decided to replace my favorite with ebooks, pdf so i can carry them on a jumpdrive (that was $389 in store credit at the used book store). my one weakness is purse's I've got two storage bins full- most have been ts finds or gifts from my friend who also likes them. I am trying to release all the non essentials and it's a process and sometimes difficult when I get to thinking of 'but I paid for that and it was x amt' now i ask myself "1. do you need it, 2. can you let it go if you've not used it in 3 mths'.

**savvy_sniper** · 06-17-2012, 08:33 AM

I don't know exactly when it started, but at some point I decided consumerism was killing me financially! My mantra became, "Do I need it or do I want it?" We are slowly decluttering the house and we purchase very little. We are debt free except for our house note. THAT is so freeing!

**Hamada** · 06-17-2012, 01:52 PM

Well I know I need to get rid of stuff so I was able to throw out a cart full of stuff from a closet. Hopefully I can keep doing this. Maybe once a day one closet or drawer.

**Gibs** · 06-17-2012, 02:09 PM

I started purging things out of the house when I was in a manic episode, I tend to do this yearly, and looking back I now know many of the times was during mania, I just had not realized it. This year I have gotten rid of about 20 garbage bags full of stuff and 6 boxes full, a toy box, and a dresser, and now a box full of kids books. Everything, all this stuff, was just getting on my nerves, driving me nuts. I have been organizing, and purging every since, each time I drop things off to the good will, I feel a little weight lift off my shoulders. Perhaps i am manic, but I do not care, I am just glad to get rid of all the "stuff".

**josantoro** · 06-17-2012, 02:26 PM

I find it makes it easier to get rid of stuff if you picture someone else will now be enjoying it. Like the clothes, purses, etc that you never use.

**my4littlebuffaloes** · 06-17-2012, 04:06 PM

I am always trying to get rid of stuff.

It shouldn't be too late to plant a garden though - at least get something in the ground. I find working in the yard to be theraputic and grounding.

**bookwormpeg** · 06-17-2012, 07:44 PM

We had our house painted and new carpet in this year. We got two PODS and everything went into the pods....75% did not ome back in.....love it! So happy my kids don't have to do the clean-out when I go....It's a great feeling!!!

**miss_cas** · 06-17-2012, 10:12 PM

Greatest read ever : "Your money or your life" by Joe Dominguez. Book has been redone but old version I own. This is a plan to freeing yourself from mountains of wants so you can free yourself from 40-50 hours of servanthood to a slave driving boss.

BN.com will have used really cheaply.

**frugalwarrior2** · 06-17-2012, 11:24 PM

Just dumped 8 lg. boxes of cookbooks at the library
Don't remember six titles?

**melanies** · 06-18-2012, 12:49 AM

Originally Posted by shelly123

I want to throw in the towel on this consumerism, debt and the 40-50 hour work week for a better life.
Since I am a nurse by training ( although I work in management now) I could probably take some travel assignments and work wherever I want. In fact, every year the urge to travel and be a nomad hits me. The urge is strong to get an RV/ camper van and live out of it, selling all this crap I have in my house. I am sure many of my family members would think I am insane. Maybe I can get there someday with a little planning.

I guess really what I am wanting is to give up the consumerism or the must haves. I have officially declared war on consumerism and want to stop the purchase of anything not needed. In fact, I am dreading the fact that I didn't plant a garden so I could have my own vegetables and need one less thing from the supermarket.

Anyone feel the same way?

YES! When I started feeling like my things owned me is when I decided to pare down to the bare minimum on non-essentials. Honestly I look at everything (except for stuff I *know* I will use up or wear out) and ask myself if I *really* need it.

I've stopped buying things that I think of as trinkets or cute stuff that I dont need but I like. For example, I've sold a lot of my jewelry except for the really nice stuff that I enjoy wearing. I used to have a jewelry armoire full of jewelry and I now have it down to two travel jewelry holders.

I was reading something that really solidified this decision in my head and that was to spend your money on experiences, not things. I cant take it with me when I go, and while certain "things" make my life more enjoyable, I can still have that feeling with a LOT less.

I've already purged a lot and I feel really good about it.

**Sophiasmama** · 06-18-2012, 04:54 AM

It is a work in progress here...Sophie and I need to go through her clothing and toys for Goodwill...Our closet needs to be pared down as well. I would like to live in a smaller place and look forward to building that small cabin at the lake...800 square feet...cause then you have to be choosey about what comes in the door...I really hope you get that RV one day soon and travel like you desire.