I have previously discussed the two money personality types
of the low-maintenance person and the economical person who
knows how to live life simply and to its fullest. I would
like to mention a third type, the one who lives in
moderation.
I have a friend like this. This is the kind of person who can
stop at one potato chip. To illustrate the different mindsets
of these three types, let us use ice cream as an example. The
low maintenance person may refuse the ice cream altogether,
or just have a lick of yours. The economical person will buy
a box of an inexpensive brand. The moderate person may buy a
premium ice cream but only eat one scoop, while I polish off
the rest of the container. French Vanilla, please.
I was thinking of my friend the other day. I usually bring a
bottle of Coke to my aerobic dance class to quench my thirst
and keep my sugar and caffeine levels up. The other day, I
forgot and so I bought a bottle en route home. But
remembering my friend, I didn't finish the bottle. I stopped
when I had quenched my thirst.
My son is also a moderate consumer type. If I offer to buy
him something and he doesn't need it, he'll tell me not to
bother, thanks. People who live in moderation can be high
maintenance and have rich tastes. The way they save money,
though, is in the amounts they consume. They are easily
satisfied and so they can get by on a small amount of
whatever it is they are consuming. They won't buy or ask for
something they don't really need or want just in order to
have it. This friend of mine has a few good friends, makes a
small number of phone calls, eats little and doesn't have too
many clothes. Whatever they purchase is always top quality
and they have a high standard of living. But since they are
easily and quickly satisfied, a modest amount of whatever
suffices.
You can tell moderate people by the fact that they only eat
when they're hungry, don't own things they'll never use (just
in case), don't hoard supplies, are very good at calculating
just how much of any resource they'll need (money, food,
time, energy, space), are generous (because they don't feel
the need to have things for themselves), know where things
are (because they don't acquire a lot, though they'll keep
things other people give them) and value what they own. They
are also easygoing and accepting.
The beauty of this system is that even if you are high
maintenance, have many expenses and find it hard to
compromise your tastes, you can still save money and/or spend
less if you follow the Rambam's Golden Rule.
If you can make something last longer, buy the smaller size
or get by with less, you're likely not only to save money but
enjoy a few more fringe benefits like losing weight, saving
time and perfecting a couple of traits like modesty-humility,
self control and hakoras hatov on the way to the
middle path. And then you're sure to find it paved with gold -
- but not too much.
