Lower Your Expectations

I never could afford to live in Manhattan and just didn't want to pay the premium. I lowered my expectations and bought in a place I could easily afford. Sure I wasn't in Manhattan, but I didn't really care. I had everything I needed. I wanted to live in an artsy place and I have that now, but I didn't overspend to live in that kind of place. In fact I underspent. I could have gotten myself in trouble with a big and shiny new house. Instead I kept myself grounded and bought a smaller, older, kinda ugly house that had good bones, but needed work. If I had gotten the new expensive house on the hill, I would now be a foreclosure statistic. There is something to be said for wanting less. My husband is the same way. Even if we suddenly had a windfall I doubt he would ever buy a brand new car. He'd by a late model used car and do all his own detailing, leaving it just the way he likes. He did that this fall with a motorcycle. He didn't buy a new bike and he didn't spend a fortune. He bought an older 2007 Kymco Venox cruiser with 2.4 k miles for $2,300 and totally customized. He bought new things by selling off the old stuff. He sold the original saddle bags and replaced them slightly used leather ones he loved, from Ebay. He also sold some yard sale finds, took the profit and bought everything for the bike for practically nothing. He got what he really wanted by investing in the work of bargain hunting and not being too proud.