True Needs (with a little bit 'o wants)

Beloved and I have been talking a lot lately about how we need to be with our finances. We really do need to get to where were are spending only what we truly NEED to (and have a little wiggle room for some of the fun things).

In the past we have just bought a lot of stuff because we wanted it. Not really thinking it through. Even though it was on sale (garage or thrift), I cringe when I think of all the money we could have saved by now. I cannot tell you how much stuff we have gotten rid of in garage sales. And we are about to have another garage sale FULL of STUFF.

So I suggested to beloved that we apply what we are doing with our finances to the stuff we own. We really should bare down to what we truly NEED (and keep a few things that we really REALLY want), and everything else should go. We need to look for ways to use what we have to meet other needs. For example, we really do not need three VCR's or three TVs. When my mom comes to visit, we can move the one from our room down into the basement where she sleeps. So we can get rid of one TV and two VCR's (only the kids really watch VHS, so we only need the one). It will make us some money now, save us some money now (don't have to clean it and it is not using electricity), and save us money in the future (we don't have to pay to move it when we move). :)

Yes, it takes a little bit of work to move it downstairs and set it up and back upstairs again. But I was reading just the other day about how a more simple lifestyle does require more work. (Book review of this fabulous book coming soon.)

What about you? What kind of things can be gotten rid of in the house and other things can take it's place? We need more ideas! We love Alton Brown's philosophy that there are only multi-taskers in the house. Nothing with just one purpose.