I wouldnt say it's a choice per se, it's more not caring about $$$. My dads family has money. And they are all selfish, lonely assholes. They are angry, bitter people who only care about their money and how they can manipulate other people with it. I took that as a lesson as how not to be. I've never valued money. It just isnt that important to me. I'd rather be happy with what I have and who I am than always having to chase something better. I dont need that.Ok then. So you choose to be poor (in a financial sense). In my initial reply you seemed to take umbrage with me saying "some people are just cheapskates...... etc". Notice the word "some". Being poor isn't being a cheapskate but I got some snide vibes with the "lofty standards" remark. My wife and I both started at the bottom of our professions and worked our way up through the years to a couple decent management slots all the while raising 2 daughters, one of whom is autistic. There were years when we worked different shifts and had different days off. Attending various therapy sesssions between work days for my daughter and countless autism seminars. We sacrificed in that regard. I'm not looking for a medal. My daughter did the tough sledding. We just helped her.
My point is that everybody makes choices during the course of their lives and must live with the consequences. The fact that we were able to save for retirement and take care of kids along the way (dance school, special needs therapy, college) doesn't constitute lofty standards. They're just standards we set for ourselves along the way of this thing called life. We've arrived at our retirement age recently and lo and behold we have a couple extra bucks to show for it. We feel fortunate and are happy with both our kids' lives and ours.
My wife and I sat down and watched a movie together at like 1:30 in the afternoon a Wednesday because we wanted to. How many other people can say that in a non-pandemic world? Being able to do that is worth more than any pile of money I could ever have.
My daughter is high functioning autistic. She is 21 now but still lives at home. She works too, but we dont charge her rent or bills. She doesnt drive so she helps with gas, and anything else she wants to. Like she has a dog, so she buys dogfood sometimes. My nephew is non-speaking autistic. I totally understand therapy and how it changes ones approach at life.
It's not impossible to live comfortably on little money. It's just priorities.
As for the lofty comment, you are calling people's kits trash. In my experience, if it isnt up to someones financial standards and therefore they regard it as trash, that's pretty freaking lofty. It felt like a snide remark.