A book on money I must recommend

[pinkytoe]

I picked this new book up at the library thinking it would be yet another book on how to live on less but have been blown away by its content - not how, but why to live on less. Also delves into the real definition of money as we are using it today. I highly recommend it:
http://benhewitt.net/about/saved/

[SvenV]

Sounds great! Thank you for sharing!

[KayLR]

It does sound good--compelling. Thanks for sharing this.

[Rosemary]

Can you share some of the ideas that were new to you?

[razz]

The excerpt was interesting to read.

[pinkytoe]

Can you share some of the ideas that were new to you?
I still have a few more chapters to go so hoping for an even better understanding. None of the ideas are new to me but somehow the author frames them in such a way that they make a connect the dot sort of sense to me. The chapter on our economic situation explains how money is debt and nothing more. He clarifies that by explaining how the Federal Reserve and banking institutions work. Our concept of wealth is based on things that are an illusion; also on disappearing resources. My sense is that he believes our economic system and concepts of wealth as we currently accept them are completely unsustainable. One of the tidbits I found interesting on another topic is that he is easily able to live a non-financed life because he lives in a part of the US where that notion is acceptable and common by choice.

[reader99]

I liked the excerpt and ordered the book from my public library.

The part I like about it so far is that I don't feel so alone in being quite happy at a low income.

[Tussiemussies]

This looks gret, I bookmarked so I can pick it up. Thanks for sharing...

[gimmethesimplelife]

Just wanted to say Thanks for sharing this....I was starting to read it and I got called away to do a bonused mystery shop so I'm off to do that.....but this sounds interesting and I wish we had more coverage of such folks in our media. Rob

[lac]

Thanks! Added it to my library request list.

[debi]

I've added this to my library request list. Thank you for sharing.

[artist]

Sounds very interesting. I just put a hold on the book. Should be able to pick it up at the library tomorrow. Edited to note that someone beat me to it. So I have to wait. 1st on the list though.

[Jamielaine]

I added this to my hold list at the library. Thank You for sharing.

[Gardenarian]

I really enjoyed the excerpt! These things are seldom so readable.
I'm looking forward to picking it up at the library. Thanks!!

[pinkytoe]

I finished the book last night in which he comes full circle about his personal beliefs and endeavors involving money. He still has some questions and doubts (but not many) about his chosen path. It really has me thinking about how we have been brainwashed into accepting debt as a normal part of our lives. In the end, it is still an a-ha book for me with things to ponder. He also recommends a book called Sacred Economics which I will check out next.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I'm not sure money doesn't buy much less than we even think it buys. It buys basic needs: food, shelter, heating, cooling, health insurance (but healthcare - ha good luck in this society), occasionally buys a little entertainment: a book or a song or some nice looking clothing and a cute haircut. But it not only doesn't buy love or something hackneyed thing like that (yea because I just happened to be in the market for it with my charge card ... >8)). I grow increasingly skeptical it can even buy a better world - well it can relieve basic need (directly feed a homeless person say) and make sure basic needs (your food say) is produced ethically because money buys basic needs, like I said, see above. But I've used money at times to try to say encourage things like say sustainability initiatives. I'm not sure it really works (jaded) - at least at any levels a middle class person could give. Money buys much less than it appears. Objects in mirror are worth less than they appear. And the paper is the only thing they give, at far too high a cost, for a life you must live (the paper seems to have little to do with that), that simply can't ever seem to buy the things you think it should buy in return.

I've been asked why I don't just take a more interesting job for less money. Well first off I'd need enough to live off of (nope not of the opinion minimum wage is a living wage here by a long shot - and money buys basic needs), but secondly it doesn't work like that, like there's some direct trade off between money and interesting work. Money and paying it (or rather giving up some amount of salary which is really the same thing as paying it) doesn't BUY interesting work. Objects in mirror buy less than they appear.

[puglogic]

In the case where someone does not seek interesting, meaningful work specifically BECAUSE the job s/he wants pays less, then money is a factor - you could even say money DOES buy interesting work in that case, because in that person's situation, the want of money definitely keeps them in boring work. A money bush out in the yard could make possible a much more fun and fulfilling life, if money's the only barrier.

Money can't necessarily buy happiness, especially for those folks who never seem happy no matter what they have. But a lack of money can certainly make it harder to see the value in day to day life. Money can buy "me" time (paying for services rather than having to do everything myself), a return to health (if you don't believe that, talk to my friend who can't afford her cancer treatment), self-care (massage, a desk chair that doesn't hurt me, good quality food ), a more energy efficient home, etc. But that's just me; and I can find a way to squeeze happiness out of just about anything if I have my basic needs met...and a little extra ;)

[frugal-one]

Number 26 hold at the library. Looks interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[Packratona!]

I still have a few more chapters to go so hoping for an even better understanding. None of the ideas are new to me but somehow the author frames them in such a way that they make a connect the dot sort of sense to me. The chapter on our economic situation explains how money is debt and nothing more. He clarifies that by explaining how the Federal Reserve and banking institutions work. Our concept of wealth is based on things that are an illusion; also on disappearing resources. My sense is that he believes our economic system and concepts of wealth as we currently accept them are completely unsustainable. One of the tidbits I found interesting on another topic is that he is easily able to live a non-financed life because he lives in a part of the US where that notion is acceptable and common by choice.

So what part of the US does he live in?

[catherine]

So what part of the US does he live in?

Vermont....

I love Vermont, I loved this book, I love Ben Hewitt!!

[Molly]

Read it and loved it!