I have to admit, sometimes I let people’s perceptions get to me, and I think I should finance a new Mercedes. And then I come to my senses. My little Saturn has been a good and loyal friend. I took my babies home from the hospital in it. Why would ever I get rid of it?
Today I can’t drive it because they tell me I’ve worn out a piston, and it’ll need to be replaced. So I’ll replace it and keep driving that car until it dies.
I live in a smallish house by today’s standards, too. If it were any bigger, I’d have a hard time maintaining it (I like a clean house, but I loathe any kind of housework except cooking), and I’m happy with the manageable mortgage. Still, I feel sad sometimes when I drive up to my friends’ McMansions and wonder if I’m doing something wrong.
But , according to a book I read many years ago (and should definitely read again), entitled The Millionaire Next Door, I’m doing a couple of things right. The Millionaire Next Door famously exposed the spending habits of the truly rich, as opposed to the seemingly rich.
(Full disclosure here: I still have a bit of credit card debt, which flies in the face of everything I learned from The Millionaire Next Door.)
I read this morning on Free Money Finance that the book’s author, Thomas Stanley, has come out with another book, Stop Acting Rich, which I’ll definitely check out.
Should make me feel very smug about living in a small house and driving a Saturn.
