What Are the Things You Can't Live Without?

[CHH1023]

What are the things you can't live without? I am not talking about the basic fixed cost that is necessary in order to survive each month. I am asking for the variable cost, something like, dining out, entertainment, leisure, technologies, vacation etc.

To me, I think it is necessary to have unlimited texting package even though it cost extra $20/month, herbal/synthetic supplements, multi-vitamins, coffee, netflix, peanut butter milkshake.

[disneysteve]

I don't think there is anything I really can't live without. We enjoy plenty of luxuries today that we didn't have 5 or 10 or 15 years ago and we lived just fine then. Sure, it is nice to have all of these things but "can't live without?" I don't think so.

Now what things would you have to pry out of my cold dead hands before I'd let them go? I'd put the internet at the top of that list. Hardly a day goes by when I don't question how we lived without it. It is such a wealth of information, a means of communication and a source of endless hours of entertainment. It saves huge amounts of time and money, far more than it costs to have.

[kork13]

I love your PB milkshake comment...most people think it's odd, but PB shakes are one of my favorites. Thankfully, I don't indulge that one too often.

Really, I wouldn't say there's alot that I can't live without... I just spent a year with almost none of my own possessions, and what I did have mostly served basic needs. However, there are definitely some things that I would be unhappy without:
- Sadly, my computer/internet probably is one -- it keeps me in touch with the world, and is my entertainment when I don't have a good book I'm working on (another one).
- My running shoes are actually becoming one as my job gets more stressful... It's interesting for me to recognize that on days I'm really wound tight, I start to crave going out running... Weird, I know, but I'd probably lose it otherwise.
- Besides that, alot of it is random things, mostly hobbies... I eat out a couple times a week to give myself a break from my not-always-successful cooking, go SCUBA diving alot, snowboard, and so on.
- Last thought... Do friends count? Sometimes, I'll do anything and spend whatever reasonably necessary as long I can spend time with my friends. Having lived thousands of miles from my family ever since I left for college 6.5 yrs ago, I tend to adopt my close friends as quasi-family.

[gambler2075]

Let's see... probably the internet, traveling backpacker style, snowboarding, and pandora. Now that I think about it, it really isn't that many things, and they definitely have changed over time, but those 4 things come to mind off the top of my head.

g

[buildmybudget]

Pandora is definitely a good one, but just because it really helps with the one thing I simply couldn't live without: Music. The internet for sure, as well as a good book to read whenever there is time and my drumset.

[mrsmoneysaver]

I do consider internet a necessity and eating out a luxury, but they are both things that I would not want to live without.

[marvholly]

CCH
With you on the coffee & vitamins (some ordered by my Dr). Also, we ALL need our internet connection. Some other things for me (even though I am unemployed)

Manicure/pedicure – I have stretched these and also found a reasonably close place that is 60% cheaper but MUCH more time spent

Wine – budget for some & watch my spending elsewhere to cover

Meals out/brought in – again, budget a VERY limited amount/month

Really nice steak or roast about 1x/month. I could and mostly do eat chicken & veggie but I still like my red meat.

[cypher1]

Top of my list is one of my computers and internet. After that, fast food (not that I do a lot), movies and driving. When I went back to Korea a 2nd time, I always asked my friend to drive his car, not that it was nice or fast, but I felt deprived. While in another country took for granted driving my own car, or running to get some fast food, etc.

[tdls17]

what I can live without is spending too much money this holiday. With the economy as it is, I'll be making homemade presents for the most part. This will include cheap Christmas cards, ornaments, gift baskets, you name it. Believe it or not, you can also get solar powered Christmas lights - money saver in the long-run.
Denise

[marvholly]

Thought of 1 more a couple days ago:

Library
Mine is VERY good. In addition to good reference books and recent fiction they have classes, concerts, other events, music, movies and discussion groups. Nearly all are FREE at least to local residents. DDs also have similar library systems in their towns.

[briandownie]

I would find it very hard to go without coffee, and my Internet. But those are just things.

I work quite a bit of overtime and luckily I'm in a position to trade it for time off when I want it. For me there is no substitute for the time I spend with my family. That's what I really couldn't do without.

Brian

[nick__45]

Without the basic necessities that I have no control on, i.e. insurances, food, car, and a roof over our head, I can live without everything except cellphone because I have a family and don't have home phone, cable, or whatever. If I live in cities that still have pay phones, I may cut back on that too but it actually only cost me $10 for my line under family plan and that is a lot safer than being mugged and killed while using phone booth. And it is cheaper than having to walk or drive to use a public phone. So for that, cellphone will be listed as necessity but we don't have texting or net capability because those are purely stupid feature for phones. If I want to use internet, I use my laptop. If I want to contact someone, I'll call them.

[cicy33]

CHOCOLATE!!!!!!! I can't imagine a life without it!!!
seriously though, my computer definitely. the internet too.

[nick__45]

Originally Posted by cicy33

CHOCOLATE!!!!!!! I can't imagine a life without it!!!
seriously though, my computer definitely. the internet too.

I have some fancy chocolate right here. But people says I am sweet enough.

[OceanBlue]

I need my cell phone. I can make calls and check the internet. Being self employed and always in my car driving here and there, I'm able to call my clients and check emails from practically anywhere. It is definitely my "office" on the go. Plus from a safety standpoint, I feel more comfortable having it on me especially when I am in new or unfamiliar surroundings. I'm sure I could find a way to live without it. But it just makes my life so much easier.

[Ima saver]

air conditioning!

[Breton Wench]

Daily dose of - cryptic crosswords (to stave off the Alzheimers thingy...wotsitcalled....) !!!!!

[Breton Wench]

....and broadband. How did I waste time before the Internet?

[scfr]

Beyond the basic necessities and my husband & my dog, the things I find it really hard to live without are:
- my morning coffee ... But it would probably be harder on my husband if I didn't have it
- a book to read at bedtime. On the one occasion when I found myself without a book I could read (left mine on the airplane & was in a town where there were no English language books sold) it took me hours to fall asleep. Books are my sleeping pill.
- warm showers

[Thrif-t]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

air conditioning!

So TRUE!! I was just reading thru all these thinking there really isn't anything I couldn't give up. Oh sure the internet is nice but I'm sure if I didn't have it I'd be just fine. But AIR CONDITIONING, you hit the nail on the head Ima Saver, you don't want to be around me when I'm hot!