smaller home can = better lifestyle.

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icfrugal1
Posts: 2952
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 12:54 am

smaller home can = better lifestyle.

Post by icfrugal1 »

http://www.daveramsey.com/blog/how-a-sm ... 10.20.6214

I know that WE know this, but it is interesting.

Sometimes it helps to hear things again.

IC
BeckyO
Posts: 926
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:32 am

Re: smaller home can = better lifestyle.

Post by BeckyO »

We downsized from a 2 story 5 bedroom house on 1/2 acre to a tiny 400 + square foot apt with no grounds. How hard that was. What a relief that was. My DH and I were both ill and not to have that responsibility <whew> For various reasons our income sank before coming back to a reasonable level, but we were able to survive because of the downsizing.
Now, I have disposable income and don't have to save for taxes, insurance, the roof, hot water heater, etc I can't do the yard anymore but I don't have to pay a yardman or anyone to paint the house or do any one of the hundred things I can no longer do. : )
suzin.e.h
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 9:03 pm

Re: smaller home can = better lifestyle.

Post by suzin.e.h »

We downsized too a few years ago...we live in 500 sq ft. apt. It sure was a good thing because we are older and can't take care of a large home and yard anymore...
colonialgirl
Posts: 1835
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 2:01 am
Location: Central Illinois

Re: smaller home can = better lifestyle.

Post by colonialgirl »

I have a little problem with this article. I think it chose the point it wanted to make and then built a scenario to support it.

Though anyone with a home has maintenance, they made it sound like the people did not have one bit of their weekends to themselves. A 1500 square foot house has to be cleaned and the yard mowed and trimmed like a 3000 sq foot one does. Might take a little less time - but I don't think it would be all that much different for young, healthy owners.

The other reference that really bothered me was their "much needed" vacation. I don't think a vacation is a need. I think it depends on what is important to you in life - as we always say, everything is a trade off. You have a nicer, larger home, you end up traveling less. You travel more, you can't afford an in ground pool and so on and so forth. Not everyone is interested in travel just like not everyone is interested in a larger home.

Downsizing is fine if it something that someone wants to do - but if they don't, then there is nothing wrong with staying in a larger home if it is what you want and what you can afford. I think so often there is this undertone of disapproval of people wanting a large home and if it is what they want, there is nothing wrong with it.
icfrugal1
Posts: 2952
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 12:54 am

Re: smaller home can = better lifestyle.

Post by icfrugal1 »

colonialgirl wrote:I have a little problem with this article. I think it chose the point it wanted to make and then built a scenario to support it.

Though anyone with a home has maintenance, they made it sound like the people did not have one bit of their weekends to themselves. A 1500 square foot house has to be cleaned and the yard mowed and trimmed like a 3000 sq foot one does. Might take a little less time - but I don't think it would be all that much different for young, healthy owners.

The other reference that really bothered me was their "much needed" vacation. I don't think a vacation is a need. I think it depends on what is important to you in life - as we always say, everything is a trade off. You have a nicer, larger home, you end up traveling less. You travel more, you can't afford an in ground pool and so on and so forth. Not everyone is interested in travel just like not everyone is interested in a larger home.

Downsizing is fine if it something that someone wants to do - but if they don't, then there is nothing wrong with staying in a larger home if it is what you want and what you can afford. I think so often there is this undertone of disapproval of people wanting a large home and if it is what they want, there is nothing wrong with it.
You are right we are here about chooses that we make in life, I choose not to travel, not because of money, but I like to be home, my sisters LOVE to travel, the older one can afford it, the younger one really can't afford it, but she does it anyway, I don't think that it will end well, she admits that she does not know how she pays her bills. (from what I can piece together she goes into savings and has a LOT of CC debt..she hopes to roll her CC into her rental re-fi. NOT good, but she will not listen to me.) I don't BUG her too much she does not ask me for money, but breaks my heart. :(

I can see how downsizing could bring piece of mind IF when down sizing you also look at your spending habits, I don't know about you but it took DH and I YEARS to really admit our bad spending habits, we are ok now. :D

IC
colonialgirl
Posts: 1835
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 2:01 am
Location: Central Illinois

Re: smaller home can = better lifestyle.

Post by colonialgirl »

I understand IC - my sister was a reckless spender. The entire family paid the price over the years as she did what she wanted and damn the consequences. I worried about her until the day she died. And she never had a financially stable moment in her entire life.

Don't get me wrong - like everyone I have made financial missteps, but I could not live with that kind of worry. To not know if you can make rent at the first of them month - I would have been in the mental institution. But she always survived and someone always pulled her chestnuts out of the fire.

I know we will downsize in the future to a one story home and I think it will be extremely difficult. But you do what you have to in life.
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