Buying Less Stuff Can Actually Make You More Happy | Carl Duivenvoorden.
Tax time is never pretty, and for me last year was uglier than usual. By the measures of economics and Revenue Canada, I didn’t have a great 2013. But by the measures of sustainability and fulfillment, I had an awesome 2013. How could that be?
Coincidentally, a book I read recently has helped me make sense of that paradox. It’s called Your Money or Your Life, and it explains how you don’t need as much money as you might think to live a fulfilling, sustainable and financially secure life. That’s especially relevant on the threshold of Black Friday and the coming Christmas shopping frenzy. Here’s an overview.
Financial treadmill
If you work at a conventional job, do you know what price you are getting for your time? Time is the only asset any of us truly have; the authors refer to it as our ‘life energy’.
The answer isn’t as simple as you’d think. If you earn $1,000 for a 40 hour week, the quick answer is $25. But if you spend two hours a day getting ready for work, commuting and unwinding when you get home, your work week is really 50 hours.
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