We had some old friends visit us this weekend. It was great to see them, but being sucked into the constant coddling made me really uncomfortable. So much spending, so little fortitude! Going out to buy coffee instead of making it, not being able/willing to walk a couple blocks, keeping the thermostat jacked up, leaving the lights on in empty rooms, restaurant dining, dressing for style instead of warmth (okay, I like to be comfortable on that front). Anyways, the out of control firehose of spending really got to me!
So, I realised I like my purchases to be weighed against whether they are more valuable to me than the time it takes me to earn them. On the other hand, I think my very normal friends simply set their lifestyle to roughly match their good income, and then go ahead and not worry too much about the bills. Different approaches, different results... it was kind of interesting to think about this weekend, how many little ways my choices differ from what is typical.