Must Haves

I overheard somebody say that they did not have cable until their kids became teenagers, and then they "had to have cable." Apparently, teenagers will actually die without cable. Who knew?

I hear the "have to" line a lot. Somebody wants to cut their expenses, they want to save for college or a home or their retirement, or prepare for a downturn in the economy, but there are so many things they have to have. I know there are a lot of things that make life more entertaining, or easier, but when you get down to it, there are very few things that people have to have.

If you're in dire straits or are paying off massive debts, or saving for something bigger, I challenge you to reexamine your "have to haves." Life may be easier or more fun with those items, but they're hardly required to live. A lot of times, giving up the "have to haves" for now can lead to a much more financially secure future.

You have to rent a house with a fenced yard instead of an apartment, because your kid "has to have" a yard. You "have to have" cable because that is your only possible entertainment. You "have to have" books new from the bookstore. You "have to have" a lot of meat because people in your family refuse to eat vegetables. You "have to" eat lunch out.

I once worked with a person who frequently worried about money, but bought three Nintendo Wii's because her kids "had to have" their own. They would not share, so instead of getting rid of them like my momma would have done, she just got each of her children their own Wii.

People "have to have" certain foods, and will not consider substituting other foods for that "have to have" item. You need calcium, for sure, but there are many ways of getting it other than than drinking five gallons of milk a week. Or you can drink five gallons of powdered milk.

People "have to" order takeout because both parents work and they are wiped out at the end of the day. I understand this one for sure, but there are many quick meal cookbooks and make ahead and freeze it books out there. I personally think our food bill would triple if it were not for my handy secret weapon.

One of my "have to haves" is internet. We had dial up while we were grad students, and did our things that required high speed at the University library. But we never really talked about cutting it. I do so much on the internet that it is not even funny. I would get rid of a lot of other things before I gave up my internet. But do I really have to have it? Of course not.

Even if you're not struggling, it's never a bad idea to look at what you have and see if there are alternatives. Can you get movies free from the library instead of from Netflix? Can you watch less TV instead of having cable? If you can't give up your favorite cable shows, would it be cheaper to just buy the used DVD seasons when they come out? Can you eat more kale and less cheese? Would cloth diapers be a savings to you? Can you use the internet at the library?

Many, if not most, of people's "have to" have an alternative solution, we just get caught up in the "I can't, because I have to have this exact thing." I challenge you to think critically about your choices. There is nothing inherently wrong with cable TV or a house with a yard or six gallons of organic milk in glass bottles a week. You may choose to keep those items in your life, but at least it is a conscious choice and not a non examined, "Well, I have to. There is no other solution." Don't let yourself get trapped in the "have to!" mentality. We have more choices than we realize.

What have to haves do you really not have to have? What would be the hardest thing to give up? Have you given up a "have to" and had it not be as difficult as you anticipated? Share in the comments!