Comments on: How to (almost) thrive in these bad times http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/ With every failure my reputation grows Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:01:53 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Almostgotit.com | (Almost) more economic solutions than we can imagine? http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/comment-page-1/#comment-1958 Almostgotit.com | (Almost) more economic solutions than we can imagine? Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:25:19 +0000 http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/#comment-1958 [...] Doing the right thing because we have to do it still can be a positive experience. [...] [...] Doing the right thing because we have to do it still can be a positive experience. [...]

]]> By: almostgotit http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/comment-page-1/#comment-1957 almostgotit Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:20:34 +0000 http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/#comment-1957 <em>Thanks for your comment, Susannah. Double yikes, I know! Few of us CHOOSE to cut back, I think. Spending money and having more stuff is FUN. But at least we share these hard times with other people, which makes it much more bearable... as sharing poverty with other graduate students made THAT bearable, too. I'll have to look up the "happiness" figures I saw recently (which countries have the happiest people.) The happiest people were not from the wealthy First World, as it turns out. The key to happiness seemed not to be wealth in any absolute sense, but did correlate with not having significantly LESS than your fellow citizens. The feeling of economic lack (vs a sense of having enough) apparently is highly relative.</em> Thanks for your comment, Susannah. Double yikes, I know!

Few of us CHOOSE to cut back, I think. Spending money and having more stuff is FUN. But at least we share these hard times with other people, which makes it much more bearable… as sharing poverty with other graduate students made THAT bearable, too.

I’ll have to look up the “happiness” figures I saw recently (which countries have the happiest people.) The happiest people were not from the wealthy First World, as it turns out. The key to happiness seemed not to be wealth in any absolute sense, but did correlate with not having significantly LESS than your fellow citizens. The feeling of economic lack (vs a sense of having enough) apparently is highly relative.

]]> By: Susannah http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/comment-page-1/#comment-1956 Susannah Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:43:40 +0000 http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/#comment-1956 It is the stuff we take for granted that hurts so bad if it is lost: health, family, and friends (and pets!). I just checked our stock portfolio - yikes!! I could have paid for something really big with all that we lost (on paper). But it is all monopoly money really. Yah, Park Place is nice and all, but I can find joy without it. Embracing simple pleasures feels good. Maybe it would feel a little better if it were more of a voluntary embrace vs a I-must-cut-back embrace. I love the 10 meals out of one chicken! Waste-not, want-not is the new cool & green thing! It is the stuff we take for granted that hurts so bad if it is lost: health, family, and friends (and pets!). I just checked our stock portfolio – yikes!! I could have paid for something really big with all that we lost (on paper). But it is all monopoly money really. Yah, Park Place is nice and all, but I can find joy without it. Embracing simple pleasures feels good. Maybe it would feel a little better if it were more of a voluntary embrace vs a I-must-cut-back embrace. I love the 10 meals out of one chicken! Waste-not, want-not is the new cool & green thing!

]]> By: almostgotit http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/comment-page-1/#comment-1955 almostgotit Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:24:04 +0000 http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/#comment-1955 <em> Aww, Dennis, and ouch. Thanks for the elaboration, WG, and good for you! Sandwiches definitely count as a meal, and I'm not strongly against frugality straight-up, either.</em> Aww, Dennis, and ouch.

Thanks for the elaboration, WG, and good for you! Sandwiches definitely count as a meal, and I’m not strongly against frugality straight-up, either.

]]> By: Working Girl http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/comment-page-1/#comment-1954 Working Girl Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:54:26 +0000 http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/#comment-1954 Hey, I'm all for the "frugality mindset." The chicken: The first night we had roast chicken with veggies. Following day, chicken sandwiches (yes, I do count sandwiches as a meal). Day after that, sandwiches again. Day after that, chicken soup! Day after that, chicken soup again, enhanced this time with spinach. That's five meals for two people---voilà, 10 meals. Hey, I’m all for the “frugality mindset.”

The chicken: The first night we had roast chicken with veggies. Following day, chicken sandwiches (yes, I do count sandwiches as a meal). Day after that, sandwiches again. Day after that, chicken soup! Day after that, chicken soup again, enhanced this time with spinach.

That’s five meals for two people—voilà, 10 meals.

]]> By: Dennis the Vizsla http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/comment-page-1/#comment-1953 Dennis the Vizsla Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:43:30 +0000 http://www.almostgotit.com/2008/10/15/how-to-almost-thrive-in-these-bad-times/#comment-1953 I sez I wish I had waited another six weeks before transferring my old 401(k) from a money market to a mutual fund IRA ... I sez I wish I had waited another six weeks before transferring my old 401(k) from a money market to a mutual fund IRA …

]]>