Wednesday, September 18, 2013

I Want it Now


Every time I think about consumerism, I think about Veruca Salt from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  "I dont care how...I want it now!"

Todd and I watched a movie a few weeks back we hadn't heard of when it was out at the theaters entitled the Brass Teapot.  The premise of the movie is about a young broke couple who come upon this brass teapot.  Every time they hurt themselves, the teapot provides them with money.  The whole movie shows how far they would hurt themselves for money.  It gets to a point where they have to hurt themselves to pay for what's owed. (Sound familiar to anyone who is in debt and has to go to work to pay the bills?  *Raising my hand.*)

"Money isn't the most important thing in life, but it's reasonably close to oxygen on the 'gotta have it' scale.” - Zig Ziglar

The reviews from the library showed that not many people enjoyed the movie; however, Todd and I both liked it.  Through the entire movie, we were talking about what we would do if we came upon a brass teapot.  Of course, the characters in the movie went overboard, and we swore we would never go to extremes as they had.  The more I thought about it, I thought that maybe we would be {somewhat} as frivolous as the characters in the movie. They paid off bills, bought a really expensive car, purchased a (huge) house, had great parties and threw money away on things that did not matter to them.

I've always said that I am too practical to spend an absurd amount of money; however, once I  truly considered the situation, I can completely see how this could happen to me and Todd if we had a large sum of money.  We would...
  1. Pay off the mortgage
  2. Tear down the house next door
  3. Get new siding and gutters
  4. Replace furnace and add air conditioning
  5. Get a new (practical: inexpensive and high gas mileage) vehicle
  6. Go on a vacation
As you can see, the list can continue on and on.  The "wants" continue to multiply when some of the most basic wants are met.

So for us, we will continue to save the $2 everyone wants us to contribute toward this month's MegaMillions Jackpot and put that money toward things that are important to us (such as the list above).  We are content with working hard to achieve our material* wants ...but in due time.

If you had a brass teapot that spewed out money, what would you do with it?

*I feel like everything on the list is exactly that: material.  We have a (sturdy) roof over our heads, food on the table, one another for support and need for absolutely nothing.  We are so much more fortunate than majority of people around the world.     






4 comments:

  1. This sounds like a great movie!
    I always said if I became a multi-millionaire that I could easily blow a million bucks. I just don't think it would be that hard. It may be practical stuff like your list (I think your list is very practical by the way!) but I know I could easily spend a bunch of money.
    My list would be similar to yours.
    Pay off the house.
    Buy 1 or 2 high gas mileage cars.
    Buy rain barrels :)
    Fix up the front beds.
    Cut down some trees in the back, revamp some shrubbery.
    Buy all the things on my Amazon wish list... includes a grain mill, books, etc.
    Buy a smart board for our homeschool room
    Buy a new computer with large screen.

    See, I could easily blow some money! It's best that I don't have a bunch. :)

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    1. Ginny, I agree with you. It is best that we dont have a bunch either! I think it would make us frivolous and possibly lose sight of what is really important to us. I liked reading your list! Thank you for sharing it! :-)

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  2. I would pay off the mortgage, that's the only debt we have so nothing else to pay off. I would get the chimney fixed because it is critical and then make sure my relatives were ok. The Church would get their share and then I would partner with various entities to start a sustainability program here with gardens, community kitchens for canning and dehydrating, butchering plus learning skills such as soap making, spinning, herbal education, etc. I don't think my lifestyle would change much other than this would be my job instead of what it is. Oh, I would buy a new camera because I've wanted a good one since I was in high school.

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    1. Oh Kathy, I love your sustainability program idea! Ginny (the commenter above yours) and I just read a book by Jen Hatmaker entitled 7. It was inspiring, but it talks about a sustainability program that Austin, TX has to help people (suburbanites) learn to garden as well as feed some of the homeless and others by teaching the homeless how to garden and tend to the suburbanites gardens. The program sounds incredible and I have been praying about starting something like it here in NE Ohio. And like you, I would love for my "job" to be something that helps others - I think that would be so rewarding (though challenging as well). Oh, and the camera - I'm right there with you on that one too. I've wanted one for 2 years now, but my little Canon is still plugging away! :-) I cant justify another one until I am without.

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