Do you feel pressure to have a status house, car, the right clothes, etc.? So many people do and it can ruin their lives!

I wouldn't call it pressure. The best I can say is that I desire convenience and financial freedom, but it's not because of what others think about me.

Financial freedom opens all kinds of doors. One of the best ways to get to that point is be careful with your money and don't cave to pressure from society. Sounds like you're on the right track to me.

Thanks. I feel like I am anyhow.

MSM and advertising standards? Not for me.

I like you. I agree! I'm happy to have a car that runs well. I'm glad to have a roof over my head, and it's quite an eclectic roof!

I like eclectic. Eclectic is good. It makes life much more interesting!

Like you and Sister Jean, I like shopping at 2nd hand stores. Here it's Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity. We even get recycled building supplies. They are left over from job sites and homes that are being torn down in order to put up something more expensive. You can buy complete kitchens, etc.

I'm glad to know someone else does that. I'll go by a construction site and see perfectly good brick that they're going to toss and ask them if I can have it. One day, I'll have enough to build a brick patio or just use it for edging for gardening. I've seen a lot that's been cleared for construction and a poor little wisteria was hanging on for dear life, so (I conveniently carry a small shovel with me and scissors just in case a plant crosses my way) I dug it up and put it in a container.

Yeah they were tearing moving a beautiful home to make room for another building. I was watching it being moved and there was some perenial peanut in the dirt. Someone at the site brought me a shovel and I dug it up! Now when I look at that plant I remember well that day.

no car and i shop at is very important

Love The Salvation Army!

me too

"Wants" make us miserable. Those with healthy self-esteem are able to have minimal wants...and maximum happiness.

I couldn't agree with you more! Glad to see so many people feel this way!

Nope

Being content with yourself is the best defense against caving to what society claims makes us successful.I appreciate what I have earned and accomplished, nor do I compare myself to others,no regrets here.

I'm right with you, screw pressure, if it works good why the hell care what others think? It works, its not running you out of house and home broke, don't worry about what people think. My little cell phone here has a short battery life if i over use the features, it takes crappy pics unless its twilight or near dawn, its fat (compared to most phones out now) but you know what? it's cheap, most of the features (talking,text and web) are unlimited and thats all i care about. I'm the same with my cloths and everything else in my life.

I get made fun of b/c i still have a 1st generation zune and ipod shuffle when people call them crap i turn and ask them simply, "And HOW many times have YOU replaced your ipod this year b/c the screen cracked? How many times has it been repaired, sent back?? Wanna know how many times I've returned MY "pos" Zune?? Once, in the 5 plus years ive had it and thats b/c my 1st was defective, it came from the demo versions they have instead of a fresh one." My Zunes been dropped, its chipped and scared but still working. So screw status symbols, i love my cheaper, longer lasting "Pos" stuff ^_^.

You're ahead of me. I chose not to have an ipod, I don't twitter, don't have a cell phone, did not have a microwave until four years ago. Not all progress is good and good for us and I try to decide what is really necessary and what isn't, so I'm always behind, but I'm happy! Maybe one day I'll catch up with you! LOL

Only if it makes u happy. The Cell and the Zune were bday gifts XD b/c even though im 21 my mom still likes constant contact and im not home a lot these days lol. I still have my Xbox and Ps2, the newest game system is my wii (another bday gift, come to think of it my parents and siblings are the only reason I have all these electronics and new things) and it's only used for fitness and net flicks since i hate gyms. I refuse to "upgrade" unless my stuff is broken beyond repair. Or unless the money to fix it will cost just about the same to replace it. I still buy cds too XD more so then i download music.

I still buy CDs too. It's probably because I can't ever get the music to download. If I could download it, I think I could burn it - or maybe not. I'm asking a relative that's really good with these things to make a CD of songs I sent them, so that will take care of that!

thats cool, i usually just put mine into my ipod or zune. that way when the cds scratch (as they often do) i still have a good copy. Besides i use the cds for home use.

No pressure at all.....Though I expect, young families are feeling the squeeze having huge mortgages, household food and utility bills all competeing for the high jump crown. It, must be a very scarey scenario they find themselves in.

And to top it all, the stress and fear of losing one's job must create an intollerable gangling of the nerve ends and uneasy home life.

Not really.

Just want a sturdy house and a car that runs.

I consider all of those things necessary evils.

I prefer Comfortable clothes, Sufficient housing and a functional Car.

No I don't and don't concern myself with other people's standards