Spending With Age
For me, tiny house living, the tiny house life is partly a necessity and partly a desire. Others need such places more, and I have definitely benefited from living with less and therefore spending less. But it has also been by choice, choosing to remove much of what I accumulated over decades in a variety of attempts at satisfying unspoken lacks. If I buy fill-in-the-blank, then life will make sense, or at least more sense. I’ve long been an advocate of ‘less is more’, but living in a tiny house has changed that from academic catch-phrases to everyday reality. Of all the gifts I’ve given myself, this tiny house may be the greatest - well, that and retiring, but that’s another story.
(Crossposted from my oldest blog https://trimbathcreative.net/2025/12/27/spending-with-age/.)
"Well, we gotta get the kids those toys. They've seen the ads. They'll cry if they don't get them."
"Hey, the kid's launching into the world. They don't have much and don't realize what they'll need. Get them some household stuff, even if they don't have a house, yet."
"Either they're married, have kids, or at least one of those, or want some of that. Time to get them stuff for their kids, or for their house, or so they can have some of that. Ask them what they need, because they may not have time for what they want."
"If they're in a career, they're getting what they want. Cool. Give them more of that. If money's tight, don't be tight about money. That may be what they need and want."
"Kids are graduated. careers are shifting. They may be downsizing houses, cars instead of vans, maybe some nice high-end niceties that don't take up much space. Luxuries can happen and be appreciated."
"About that retirement, skip the socks and give them something they want because at this point, all gifts are doing is filling in the gaps, but may also be filling garages and storage units."
"No more stuff! They're trying to get rid of things they thought were heirlooms. Sure, some have become classics, and vinyl has come back (for a while), but consumables may be best. People still have to eat. Candles and such are nice. A bottle of a beverage works too."
"Stuff? Ask them. They may want something that's harder to wrap, like time. And no, that does not mean a clock. A phone call or a visit can be more meaningful than yet another trinket. Sure, it doesn't cost as much, but time is more precious than money, isn't it?"
I sit here, a senior citizen by government definition. I'm in a tiny house, so there's no tree. There are lights, but hopefully a tasteful set. Gifts have been mostly fruits and chocolates. Very little wrapping paper. Things to share, because sharing is a gift, too.
I'm doing stuff, not stuff that can be stuffed into a box, but stuff that can fill a calendar. Visiting friends, sitting in place with good tea just to sit and relax, dancing of course, and walks and bike rides and playing in the snow as weather and conditions permit.
Pardon me as I sip my tea.
I've gifted myself a few things that wouldn't make sense to expect from anyone. Winter bicycling gloves and a new floor bike pump make it easier to ride. New glasses aren't going to come from someone else. I don't need new ones, but the screws on the old ones get loose too easily. I made a few trips to the food co-op and the local market to get things like the better bacon and butter, a bottle of mead, some roasts for later, and soap made by locals - consumables.
I tried to give myself more time to sit and think, and learned that it is possible to have too much of a good thing. I've spent more time helping out (with details held for privacy) and giving. I'd give more of my stuff, but most of that is gone as I moved into my tiny house. I'm looking forward to giving myself more time to write, because I've reached the point where writing can be more engaging than watching.
Sip.
I could use a new chair, a new desk, a new fridge, a new range, and some other household things that eventually wear out, but there's a new year coming and time for that. Besides, for some reason, I think I might move by this time next year. In that case, furniture and furnishings will get redefined then. I like my tiny house, but I do miss being able to readily hold parties. Still working on that. Pardon me as my brain thinks of some other ways to do that besides buying a bigger place.
Sip.
There is no one Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Years. I'm glad. It is nice to see so many different celebrations. The ads can make it seem as if there's only one formula, but it's a stereotype that deviates from most true wishes. I spent years (decades?) conforming to that model. It is understandable considering the incessant supply of packaged ads proclaiming the 'right' way to celebrate the season. Cheers to all who celebrate as they wish and as they can (within legal and moral guidelines, of course.) Be yourself, even if your gift is finding who you really are. Celebrate with others, because there's always someone to celebrate with. And thank you for being you and doing what you do (again within legal and moral guidelines, or course, but thankfully, there are few that need to be reminded of such things.)
Sip, and a toast.