FabSwingers.com forum: Voluntary poverty

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Can limiting your number of possessions and living a simple life bring you happiness? Does anyone practice this? What are your thoughts and feelings?

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

No, i wouldnt either. I work hard toplay hard. If i didnt want materialistic items and experiences what would the point be in getting up in the morning?

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

poverty is dreadful, it wears you down and I can't believe anyone apart from people who enter religious orders would voluntarily enter a state of poverty.

Limiting possessions and spending is something else altogether but I don't practice it.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

living a simple life can bring you happiness though

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I think it only really works if you isolate yourself. Otherwise it's hard to socialise with friends or enforce the same on your family etc.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *asmeenTV/TS
over a year ago

STOKE ON TRENT

I'm very humble and do like the simple things in life but must admit I do love perfume

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

No, I enjoy experiences and materialistic things.

I work hard for them, yes poverty is dreadful but most don’t choose that existence, so why would I?

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"No, I enjoy experiences and materialistic things.

I work hard for them, yes poverty is dreadful but most don’t choose that existence, so why would I?

And to add- they don’t make me happy, but they help make me happier.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Yes, if that's what you want. If you want the latest shiny thing then no.

As I've gotten older there is less I want and I'm no longer bothered about having/watching/listening/reading the latest greatest thing since the last latest greatest thing. The only things I buy regularly is vape stuff and books (always second hand).

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"No, i wouldnt either. I work hard toplay hard. If i didnt want materialistic items and experiences what would the point be in getting up in the morning?

How about the freedom to spend quality time with friends and family and pursue your interests?

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *eneral HysteriaMan
over a year ago

Newcastle

"... I work hard toplay hard... what would the point be in getting up in the morning?"

What a guy. Wow.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"No, i wouldnt either. I work hard toplay hard. If i didnt want materialistic items and experiences what would the point be in getting up in the morning?

How about the freedom to spend quality time with friends and family and pursue your interests?"

Im fortunate enough to put family and interests before anything and they do come before anything.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *asmeenTV/TS
over a year ago

STOKE ON TRENT

"... I work hard toplay hard... what would the point be in getting up in the morning?

What a guy. Wow."

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"... I work hard toplay hard... what would the point be in getting up in the morning?

What a guy. Wow."

And you mean what by that?

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

Hmmm. We don't practice voluntary poverty and we are privileged to have a decent joint income, but we don't put any value in owning "things" for the sake of it. We don't buy gadgets or gizmos or buy each other frankly anything much for birthdays/Christmas, because we put more value in spending time together and doing interesting things. We spend our money on adventures, days or weekends away, holidays etc. Obviously this hasn't been possible recently but we've actually really enjoyed ea other's company whilst working and living together 24/7.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"No, I enjoy experiences and materialistic things.

I work hard for them, yes poverty is dreadful but most don’t choose that existence, so why would I?

And to add- they don’t make me happy, but they help make me happier."

Lately I've felt that I don't own my possessions, but that they in actuality own me. Spending hours cleaning them, worrying and panicking when they get damaged or broken. I've got the latest this, that and the other but I don't appreciate it. There's surely more to life than possessions and experiences. The greatest day I had recently was having a giant water fight with the kids.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *rHotNottsMan
over a year ago

Dubai & Nottingham

We periodically fast from stuff and declutter / give away stuff but somehow new stuff always comes back

Simplicity brings happiness but stuff is addictive

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

"No, I enjoy experiences and materialistic things.

I work hard for them, yes poverty is dreadful but most don’t choose that existence, so why would I?

And to add- they don’t make me happy, but they help make me happier.

There you have it in your last sentence. Exactly our feelings on owning things/stuff.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *atBottomGirlsWoman
over a year ago

St Austell-ish

Possessions for the sake of possessing something is for idiots who feel they need THINGS to impress.

If it impresses you, have it. If it doesn't, why bother?

Having nothing is dreadful for those who want and need something. Having nothing by choice is the luxury of those who can have it but choose not to.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *rHotNottsMan
over a year ago

Dubai & Nottingham

"No, I enjoy experiences and materialistic things.

I work hard for them, yes poverty is dreadful but most don’t choose that existence, so why would I?

And to add- they don’t make me happy, but they help make me happier.

Just checked your age oh dear..... I was quite bad at 40. Do you want ideas for a cool midlife crisis ?

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

"No, I enjoy experiences and materialistic things.

I work hard for them, yes poverty is dreadful but most don’t choose that existence, so why would I?

And to add- they don’t make me happy, but they help make me happier.

you can easily rebalance though. We've got stuff but we're in control of it and know that if it gets damaged or broken its just an inconvenience not a drama. There is WAY more to life than possessions but experiences are what makes memories, they don't need to cost money though as you've discovered

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *opsy RogersWoman
over a year ago

London

"Can limiting your number of possessions and living a simple life bring you happiness? Does anyone practice this? What are your thoughts and feelings?"

I've been actually homeless with my children when they were young, then went to earning well with a mortgage and went on to gave it all up to take early retirement with a tiny pension that I supplement by working part time for just over minimum wage.

I used to do the emotional overspending thing but now I take enormous joy in spending not one penny unless it's necessary. All my bed linen and towels are at least ten years old, I get my clothes from charity shops and I am happy.

I'm a frugal liver and I love it.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Possessions for the sake of possessing something is for idiots who feel they need THINGS to impress.

If it impresses you, have it. If it doesn't, why bother?

Having nothing is dreadful for those who want and need something. Having nothing by choice is the luxury of those who can have it but choose not to."

This^ i dont have the latest this and that its never interested me having the latest phone or a brand new car. my phones 4 year old, the materialistic items i own make me happy theyre classic cars and bikes ive restored and everytime i jump inside one and drive it im happy. Maybe you should re evaluate what you want out of life because from some one thats come from nothing and built success with my bare hands and zero help i can tell you now poverty isnt fun.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I think this year has taught a lot of people that they can live without expensive or luxury items, there's a lot of people being forced into poverty through no fault of their own and when things return to normal will realise they don't these things to be happy

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *jangoMan
over a year ago

Plymouth

"Can limiting your number of possessions and living a simple life bring you happiness? Does anyone practice this? What are your thoughts and feelings?"

Does having money make you happy and content, the rest of your life!? For me. No! Just means I dont need to worry about paying the Bill's the end of each month.

Living in poverty. again, For Me.

Would I still be able to eat, everybody? Would I be stressed out because I can't pay the Bill's, my dept getting more and more each month, because of interest, or worse, bailiffs slapping hefty fine on the Bill's you can't meet in the first instance, then they come and take anything you have left in life. You end up in prison, or even worse, on the streets. Unfortunately, the consumer society we live in sucks, For most people.we want what mr&mrs Jones has. I can get real deep with this, choose a simple life, get your essentials, the rest give too the charity's that you can see changes lifes. That's the thing that makes you feel happy, giving to those who live in real poverty. Making there life a little easier. It really does make you feel good. I've lived both sides... as you may be able to tell. Be blessed.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *hav02Man
over a year ago

Glasgow/London

There's an old saying i seem to remember: he who is content with the least, is the richest and happiest.

Pretty much sums it up i think.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *jangoMan
over a year ago

Plymouth

"There's an old saying i seem to remember: he who is content with the least, is the richest and happiest.

Pretty much sums it up i think."

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

Post new Message to Thread