I'm glad you said that [MENTION=9486]gromit[/MENTION]. It is a concept we have been struggling with a while now.. What is the meaning of what we need vs what we are conditioned to need?
When I started introspecting on my life, I realized that most of my living space has been in less than 300 sq. ft. The rest are either pathways to those square feet.. And I was paying for about 1500 sq ft in total. I realized I wasn't using my money for what *I* wanted.. what I needed. I need to travel, and see the world. It is in my heart and soul. I was, instead, using my money for my car, for dolls and toys, etc. While I have affections for those things, they do not drive me the way my dreams do..
It is a complete evaluation of life. Do we pay more for higher quality ingredients, new electronics that can make our lives easier, better cars that can help the environment, and work full time to afford an apartment/house and clothes and such? Or do we down size and stick with things that are slower and broken, save money by spending more time on things like cleaning and cooking, etc?
Finding a balance between what my time is worth, and what my money is worth *to me* vs what it is worth to others has been an adventure I have been on the past year and a half. While I think I'm starting to locate the answers, the truth is I'm just starting to discover what all of this really means to me.