09-06-2014, 11:24 PM
(09-06-2014, 10:40 AM)Kersus Wrote: In some areas Internet is now officially considered an essential service with electricity.
I think this makes my point exactly. When I think of all the "necessities" I've gone without. And I'm no rugged woodsman by any means. I live a very modern life. I live in a city.
But when it comes to buying a car, paying for healthcare, cable TV, electricity, and cell phone service, a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation shows that whereas the average American spends $850/month combined on those things, I'm only spending $85/month on average. And I really don't feel I'm living a life of basic subsistence down to only the barest essentials. This would seem to suggest that better than 9 out of 10 goods and/or services that are considered "necessities" just clearly are not at all.
Do I make sacrifices? Sure. I ask myself what I really need. I don't let others dictate to me what is supposed to be necessary.
What kind of security do you imagine I've built up over 15+ years of saving $765/month? The most money I've ever earned in a year was $60,000, but if you averaged my earnings for the past 15 years, it's a meager $30k per year on average (this is all before taxes), but I am well on my way to being a millionaire. When I'm able to pay in cash for the things I need, have I not earned my ability to skip ahead in line for doing without so many "necessities" for so long?