The TRUE Cost of Things

The TRUE cost of things

"The cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life, which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run."
--Henry David Thoreau

http://blog.neatandsimple.com/2009/01/do-you-know-the-true-cost-of-your-things-.html

When you think about buying things, or decide to keep things you no longer really love or use, how often do you stop and think about the true cost of things? I'm talking about the true cost of owning the thing throughout it's life cycle.

For example, are you aware of how much time you spend maintaining the things you own?

When you think about buying something, do you think about the time, energy and money it will take to:

- Shopping for things
- Choosing and buying things
- Storing things, choosing and buying containers, shelves etc.
- Fixing things (especially houses and cars - do you really plan for all the repairs?)
- Cleaning things
- Looking for things
- Inventorying and insuring things
- Worrying about people taking your things and paying for security systems
- Yelling at your kids about things
- Fighting with your spouse about things
- Figuring out how to let go of things such as finding some one to give them to

How much of the cost of your home actually goes directly to storing things you can't find when you need them anyway?

Do you argue with people in your life about stuff? Is it worth the trouble?

What would you do with your time, energy and money if you didn't have to worry about so many things?

Are your things helping you avoid having to make the tough decisions about what you really want to be and do with your? Are they filling a void in your heart and soul? Keeping you stuck in pattern that is painful but familiar and therefore its hard to change?

Starting to let go of unneeded things gradually can actually help you face this. Sometimes the first step in stopping the cycle is just to acquire less and refocus all that shopping energy on self-care.

How would your life be different with fewer clothes? fewer books, DVDs, CDs? fewer magazines? less junk mail? fewer toys? fewer photos? a smaller house? no car payments?