Reply #13: Americans spend so much time and emotional energy.......

[llmart]

buying crap they don't need, that takes up their precious time in maintaining, returning to the store, cleaning, etc. - time that could be better spent on more satisfying pursuits. When I first "woke up" to this fact and started consciously thinking about every single purchase I made, I realized I was adding unnecessary stress to my life. I started reading books on simple living and it was a huge transformation to me. A good book to start with is "Your Money or Your Life." Once you read one book it'll lead to another and you'll find simple living becomes an automatic way of life - just like the endless buying becomes a habit you don't question. You should see our savings accounts now. Try it for a month.