Photo by sylvar

John Decemeber makes a simple statement in his book, “Live Simple” ::

Everything you own costs you.

Some things may cost you financially.

Some things may cost you emotionally.

Some things make cost you time, energy and more.

And even more so… some things we own may have cost others more than we could ever imagine.

Imagine if we asked ourselves these questions before adding to our collection of stuff…

• Does it solve/take care of a genuine need I have?
• Can I live without it?
• What will it cost me financially each year (maintenance, service fees, accessories, taxes, etc)?
• What will it cost me financially over it’s lifespan?
• What is its life cycle?
• Will I be able to recycle or pass it along to someone else when I’m done with it — or will it simply steal space in another pile of trash?
• Was it created ethically, with high regard for human and natural resources?
• Will it steal time and focus away from the four or five things that matter most to me?
• What is the real benefit of owning this item?
• What is the real cost in owning this item?

How would your purchases differ if you asked yourself these questions before buying anything?

How would your current collection of stuff change if you examined it all with these questions?

keep reading...

• Where is your treasure?
• The Story of Electronics
• The Story of Stuff for Kids