What have you thought you needed but then found out you didn't? (frugality q)

[ExcuseMyIgnorance]

I grew up in a pretty materialistic household. I doubt I'm the only one on this forum. I grew up with pop, candy, driving a car everywhere even if it was just .5 miles away, buying bottled water, buying pre-packaged foods, buying new cars, buying jet ski's, vacationing at the 'best' vacation spots, etc.

Anyway, over the years I've realized I don't need many of these things. My life is actually better without them, regardless of money. Here are some things I've given up. What stuff have you given up which you thought you never could?

• plastic water bottles (I use a camelback and it's way more convenient
• driving a car everywhere (biking, ftw)
• reducing the number of vacations (who knew I actually like where I live?)
• buying a car newer than 10 years old... just... why?
• washing clothes every other day (seriously, wtf?)
• Driving all over town on saturday's just to pickup stupid stuff like a new t-shirt

I could go on..

[John Doe]

That sounds a lot like the lifestyle that my wife and I provided for our kids up until about 6 years ago. And when I look back at my life in the late 1990s, I'm embarrassed. Both eras seemed to be very materialistic. People racked up debt in the hopes that it would improve the economy, thinking that would be the answer to all the world's problems. There has been a revolution in many of our minds since then and we don't ever want to go back. We realize that happiness, health, and environmental sustainability don't come from aimlessly driving from one big box store to the next buying junk wrapped in plastic that we don't need. I'd rather be "poor" and happy than waste my life as a consumer zombie, contributing to wrecking the environment.