Things That Leave you Gobsmacked (In A Good Way)

[Dayvo]

I recently received a picture of my grandfather who went off to war in 1914 as a 15 year old . He was a Gordon Highlander in the battle of the Somme. He was one of a very few to survive that battle and suffered what we now call P.T.S.D. The in 1939 went off to fight in the second ww.

 

[losh1971]

Apologies for changing topic, but I have managed to get five trips to work and back this fortnight for $35 in petrol by taking the bike. I normally burn through around $23-$25 a day in Black Thunder. Plus as a bonus I bought petrol for $2.20 instead of $2.29. I was going past the cheaper Ampol so it was good to pay a little less. Had I been in Black Thunder the savings at the bowser would have been even more.

 

[chrisp]

Apologies for changing topic, but I have managed to get five trips to work and back this fortnight for $35 in petrol by taking the bike. I normally burn through around $23-$25 a day in Black Thunder. Plus as a bonus I bought petrol for $2.20 instead of $2.29. I was going past the cheaper Ampol so it was good to pay a little less. Had I been in Black Thunder the savings at the bowser would have been even more.

I don’t mean to be nitpicking, but I‘m probably going to be….

Buying at full price == spending
Buying at a discounted price == spending
Extra money in bank/pocket/piggy-bank == saving

So, unless you are placing those ‘savings’ in your bank (or similar), you are actually spending. You might be spending less, but spending is still spending. And if you are buying other things with those ‘savings’ is still spending. You might be getting more stuff for your money, but it isn’t ‘saving’, it’s spending.

Our commercial world has somehow conditioned us to believe ’spending less’ by buying something that is discounted is ‘saving’. It’s still spending - unless you place the discounted amount in the bank. Doing anything else is spending.

Perhaps what you are doing by using the bike is reducing your travel costs (and ‘costs of living’). ‘Saving’ requires an additional step - placing that ‘saved’ money into your bank (and increasing your ‘wealth’).

Put simply, ’saving’ meanings that you bank balance is trending upwards.

 

[losh1971]

Well it still frees up money and gives me more spare coin to purchase other things I need that I would have to go without, until I can afford them down the track. It also frees up coin to take the wife out and that's important to her. So in my analogy I'm winning even though the savings most likely get spent that fortnight.

 

[Skylarking]

It’s all a treadmill and the powers to be have us always running.... guess some cope better than others

 

[hademall]

Things we need and things we want are entirely different

 

[losh1971]

Things we need and things we want are entirely different

This is true but basically what you are saying is what Maslow says we need and nothing more.

Heck none of us really need a house as all we really need is four walls and and roof to keep us dry, and a fireplace to keep us warm. We certainly don't need cars as we essentially choose where we work and where we live. So yes while this is correct there is things in life we need/or want to make our lives easier not harder. But that's why we work isn't it? Otherwise we'd all go on the Dole and sleep in tents like the homeless do.

 

[hademall]

This is true but basically what you are saying is what Maslow says we need and nothing more.

Heck none of us really need a house as all we really need is four walls and and roof to keep us dry, and a fireplace to keep us warm. We certainly don't need cars as we essentially choose where we work and where we live. So yes while this is correct there is things in life we need/or want to make our lives easier not harder. But that's why we work isn't it? Otherwise we'd all go on the Dole and sleep in tents like the homeless do.

I guess sometimes less is more.

 

[losh1971]

I guess sometimes less is more.

For me I like to have nice things. Why? Because I want to, and why not? I work hard to have a few luxuries, which allows me to have what I want and not just a tent by the river. Some have a second property, some people have more than one car. I'm sure they're not in a hurry to give up all that and live in a tent, or maybe they are?

Having said that I'm failing to understand the point you are trying to make?

 

[hademall]

It also frees up coin to take the wife out and that's important to her.

But not you?