Unlimited Consumption

Ask anyone who plays the lottery why they play it, and you will get a variety of answers. They will cite something small like paying off bills or doing some kind of travel. This is all largely bullshit because we know the truth. They want to spend every damn bit of it. It is the dream of unlimited consumption.

There is a reason why so many lottery winners end up broke again. It is this desire for consumption. It is insatiable. People quickly adjust to having money and need more and more of it. Desires keep pace with income.

I have a friend of mine who has a brother who currently pulls down six figures as a contractor. Yet, that brother had to hit my friend up for a loan to pay some bills. My friend makes less than half what his brother makes. I just find that whole situation ironic.

People who love to spend always have money problems. People who love to save have few money problems. It really doesn't matter how much you make. What really matters is how much you save. The secret to money management is not hard. Spend less than you earn. Winning the lottery does nothing to solve this fundamental problem.

One of the blessings of embracing minimalism is that you set boundaries for yourself. You decide how much is enough, and you automatically live within your means. You establish limited consumption. Once you have this concept in place, winning the lottery doesn't mean much anymore.

I live a simple life. Having money in the bank feels way better than having a bunch of stuff I don't need. The reality is that winning the lottery wouldn't change my life that much, but it would change my mindset a great deal. Otherwise, my life would be about the same as it is now.

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