When is it enough?

[Rattja]

I am a simple man when it comes to the things I feel I need.
I have a car, a home, a computer, internet, a bed, food and a few other things. I don't really need more stuff. I use about half of what I earn, so I could buy more if I wanted to.
I do what I do because I like my work, and I am good at it.

People seem so quick to call out greed on others these days, but how about yourself?

The question is rather simple, how much stuff/money would you actually need before you could say "Ok, I have enough now"?

I am not asking to judge anyone, people want different things, have different goals that's okey, that's fine. I am asking as I am curious.
At some point, somewhere, it has to be enough right?

I am asking as I know exactly how much I want/need, do you?

 

[IndomitableSam]

We've gone down to one income recentley, so... if we could go back to having the two incomes we used to have in my house, I'd be happy. We were putting money away at the end of the month, bills were paid, we went out for dinner now and then, could afford a game here and there... it was good. I would like enough money to afford to buy a house and possibly travel, but I currently live debt-free, and that's pretty much all I can ask for.

A little more money would mean I could buy more than a few peices of clothing a year, and most of that wouldn't have to be on the sale rack. But I've lived cheaply for so long that it feels weird and very wasteful to pay full price for some things.

To put it into money terms... here in Canada, when we had about $70k income we were fine. Now we're down to $40k and it's a bit tight. After taxes and such, that pays for rent and my car and insurance and a few bills, but not everything, certainly not food and other expenses, so savings are being dipped into. (For a bit more perspective, last year, after all my taxes and other deductions, my annual total salary actually came to about $26k when I really earned $40k.)

 

[A_Parked_Car]

Money/material wealth has never held great appeal for me. Having enough money to 'pay the bills' with a little bit on top to maintain my hobbies is fine for me. I'm the kind of person who, even if I somehow became a millionaire, would give most of my wealth away, still drive a Honda Civic and live in an average-sized home. There are far more important things in life than making money.

 

[Esotera]

I just want a house with a decent-sized garden in a relatively secluded area. Neither of which are affordably obtainable in the UK, so if I ever get there I'll probably just settle for that as enough.

A minimalist lifestyle is pretty awesome anyway, I've always thought the average Western lifestyle is a hangover from the Cold War (buying shit we don't need just because).

 

[Ragsnstitches]

I'm fed and watered regularly, I have ready access to vast quantities of entertainment at the touch of a button (well, several) and I'm free to wander public spaces without persecution. On top of that, I have a few top quality friends and a supportive family.

With all that I can say for sure that I have more then most and I AM content with that.

What I am not content with is not a physical thing. I want to achieve things but my current life status is "static until further notice". I have no job and no prospects. Given economic (and social/familial pressures) I can't be satisfied until actually find a place to pay for my own existence. At the same time I am ambitious, which is something I can't really afford in my current state but it is a powerful de-motivator when all income options treat me like a piece of shit.

I'm too quick to turn my nose up at valid job opportunities and by the time I realise my pride is acting detrimentally to my wellbeing its too late and the opportunity disappears.

Couple that with some crippling social anxiety and you have a recipe for a hermit. I'm a few shades away from being such a person.

EDIT: Just to clarify. I have all I need, bar a long term partner but what I want isn't materialistic. It's self-fulfillment.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

I too have my own house, car, decent job, computer etc and enough disposable income to buy the things I want (which is mostly just games). Though I wouldn't say no to more money, I think I have enough at this point.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

Financially, I live a life that some would consider excessive and extravagant, yet a much larger camp would consider "quaint" or (condescendingly) "adorable". Getting a million dollars wouldn't make me any happier, if it didn't help me to make better music and finally publish material on the Internet.

I've already met the love of my life, I'm already married, and I have what I need to pursue my hobbies to a (probably excessive) degree. Having more money would only make me happy if I could get my wife more of the things she wanted, but I want for nothing that isn't ridiculously excessive. My finances are an unknown as it relies on Ebay sales and the number of IT clients that give me a call, so I suppose it would be nice to not have to wonder about what next month holds for us, but I seem to be perfectly happy without that.

 

[Little Woodsman]

I would like to be able to go see a movie in the theater without having to think long and hard about whether we can really afford it. I'd like to be able to save money for eventual retirement. I'd like enough money for a house with a good sized front room so that my friends and I always have a place to socialize, and a guest room so that if a friend needs a place to crash for a night I can provide it.
I'd like to have enough money to start some business ventures that I think would benefit the local economy.

 

[thesilentman]

I always take a look at where I am and ask: am I happy? If the answer's yes, I stop and start saving. If not, I work harder. A little interest can go a long way.

In the end, it's more something that isn't conscious for me. I can tell when I do or don't need more. Most of the time I don't, so I just let it be.

 

[Kolby Jack]

My life is currently somewhat transient due to being in the military. But I already have most of what I believe I'd ever need. When I get out, all I'd really need is a new job and a decent home to live in. Not saying either of those will be easy necessarily, but in the grand scheme of things it shouldn't be too bad.

 

[FalloutJack]

Like human innovation and a certain need to look for and discover new things, it will never EVER stop.

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

I've always been happy with all that I've had.

Just like the OP person, I've got a lot of basic necessities and some extra things that I like that are catered to my interests and personality. So I am satisfied with what I have. A lot of the things I tend to buy are meant to simply replace the things that have either broken down or outdated.

However, I'm always growing; as an individual teeming with intellectual curiosity, I will find new interests, hobbies, things that catch my interest and ideas that will cause me to further explore the world around me.

So I will occasionally buy some books, movies, etc. from time to time, but still be happy with what I have at the moment.

 

[Ratties]

Yeah I want a ton of money. Of course I would be happy with 5 million dollars. You know I am one of those people that doesn't want to retire at the age of 60. Almost never saw the point of that. Ready to have all this free time, but you are old and have health problems. Eventually I would do like the guy wants to do in Office Space, nothing. Nothing that mattered anyways, screw having a job.
[http://photobucket.com/images/office%20space]

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

I'd be pretty pleased if I had enough money that I would never have to be sober again.

Short of that, enough to survive is adequate.

 

[Angie7F]

I grew up in a very well off household.
We had huge houses and many expensive super cars, yachts etc.

Now, I just live in a small apartment with a dog.
I have been there, done that and am more comfortable with my life now that it was back when my family was rich.

Large houses and multiple cars are tough to maintain, and there is only 24 hours in your life so you dont get to enjoy each of it as much as you want to.

 

[bug_of_war]

I earn about $130 a week, and this covers petrol, phone credit and leaves me with about $60 dollars to use on what I want, which currently is just piling up in my bank because I'm quite satisfied with what I have. Though looking towards the future, say 5 years from now, I would like to be earning roughly 250 a week, but time and effort will dictate that.

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

There are too many things I want to do, and they all cost money. It's not really about possessions, as I'm quite happy with what I have, and I'd probably be happy with less, it's about experiencing the world. When that becomes completely free, I'll be satisfied.

 

[Johnny Impact]

I have a low maintenance lifestyle. I own my house, make payments on a car, and live debt-free. I live alone and have a decent job so I clear what I need pretty easily. I would like a better house and will be looking into one in the next year or two. Other than that, I have enough right now.

EDIT: There are some trips I want to take, to the Grand Canyon and suchlike, but they can be fit in my budget as long as I don't do them too close together.

 

[Queen Michael]

How much? All of it. I'd want all of it.

 

[Coppernerves]

I have no idea what's enough.

Still, current ambitions are: Financial Independence/Security, and Inner Peace (just started reading up on Zen)

I don't think I'll be satisfied with any given level of wealth, I'd just get used to it, take it for granted and want more.
That's just my nature as it stands.

So I hope to live gradually gaining greater and greater material luxury, so that I don't get bored of it.

Of course, it seems that the march of technology keeps making nicer things cheaper, so it might be possible to have ever increasing material luxury WITHOUT an increasing level of wealth.