I've been working like crazy lately. Doing projects and making money. It's been exhausting but rewarding, to a point.

IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
The problem is that throughout the last 3 years or so, I have gone out and purchased whatever I wanted and tried to get the most expensive or highest quality of what I've wanted.

TOO MANY CANADIAN TIRE REWARD POINTS
With my Canadian Tire points card, I was getting close to $100 per week in Canadian Tire points. (Canadian Tire is a big retailer in Canada.) So for approximately six months, I spent $100 per week on household items, housewares, dishes, soaps, tools, garden tools, and anything else I could find. I overstocked on things. I bought the most expensive Canadian Tire things I could find.

Eventually I was buying stupid stuff that was just cluttering up the house and office.

I switched to purchasing stuff on my air miles card so that I could collect air miles. I soon had collected too many air miles.

For the office, I purchased absolutely everything that I've ever wanted. Pens, paper, etc. I even purchased a real leather covered inbox for my desk, because I needed a little something extra.

I hate electronics, but I purchased high quality electronics, DV cameras, sound boards, sound cards for my advertising company. If it makes me money, I'll buy it.

I bought and bought and bought. It was fun buying all that stuff. I researched the items, talked about them with others, and have fun using them.

HERE'S THE PROBLEM:
I don't really need much. I haven't been to the electronics store or any store really for the last year. I haven't felt a big urge to go out and buy stuff. I haven't been motivated to look at any electronic gadget for the office or home.

The excitement has gone for most of this stuff. All of that fun stuff that I purchased has now become work. It's lost the glamour and glitter.

I'M A BAD CUSTOMER - SORRY, NO SALE HERE!
Currently I'm not a really great booster of the retail industry. I'm not going to purchase the newest Ipod, or the lastest Cell phone/mp3 player. I'm not going to purchase the 62" TV or any other gadget found at the store. I just don't have the interest.

Being a workaholic doesn't have its rewards at times. The American dream is about making money and buying bigger better things constantly. Here's the question: what happens when you've satisfied everyone of your gadget needs? What do you do then?

GADGETS AREN'T THE SAME RUSH AS A GOOD BUSINESS VENTURE
Workaholics, myself directly included, are usually people who are unhappy or dissatisfied with the status quo. We like to work hard to achieve goals and beat the challenges. I personally love a good challenge and am always interested in the next challenge. The bigger the better. I don't get the same rush with gadgets and trinkets.

The good thing is that I like working and I love what I do for a living. I'll just have to sort through this problem. Maybe I'll just have to find more extravagant ways to save or invest or something.

Anyway, as far as financial maturity goes, this is my new learning curve. Getting happy with the way things are. The way things are means that I am completely happy and satisfied with all of the things that I've got and don't really want or need much more.

The problems some people have!?!! I better go read my post on How to feel rich.

Your thoughts?

By Monty Loree - Financial Maturity blog - Topic - Satisfied with what I've got. Don't need much else.

Articles from October 2005
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