DO I REALLY NEED TO BUY THAT?
¿Necesito Comprar Esa Cosa?
By
Mary Hunt Webb
Posted Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Hummingbirds are fascinating to watch, but do I really need to buy a feeder for them? [Photographer: Lawrie Phipps.]
The last average date of frost has come and gone, but that is not the only indicator that spring is here. The garden centers and hardware stores are bursting with lawn and garden supplies as well as patio furniture. Because we have enough yard equipment, most of it does not attract me – all except the hummingbird feeders. Every year I wrestle with my own common sense. While hummingbirds are beautiful and entertaining to watch, they also cause more work. The hummingbird feeders have to be cleaned frequently and the sugar water changed. And then there would be a mess to clean up on our patio. I already must clean up droppings that fall when birds perch on the power line that runs above the pavement on our property. I don't want to clean up more! Therefore, I decided to plant flowers that would attract pollinators that include butterflies as well as hummingbirds. Anything they leave behind will fall on soil.
I had to think about similar considerations when our son was young and begged to have a pet. Pets require time, food, medical attention, grooming, and, consequently, money. While other parents urged us to get him a dog, we also had to consider that my husband slept days as a consequence of working night shifts. Animals are difficult to keep quiet, and my husband's sleep was essential. Following careful consideration, we said, "No." After our son grew up and was out on his own, he bought a dog. However, he reached a point in his financial situation when he realized he could feed the dog or feed himself, but he couldn't do both. With regret, he gave up his dog.
Many people don't take into account the long-term consequences of the purchases they make. Frequently, it isn't only the initial purchase price of an item, but the continuing upkeep that is expensive. Jesus addressed this in Luke 14:28 when he said, "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?" (NIV) The key portion of this verse is to "first sit down" before making an expensive commitment. Jesus advised that we not make such decisions while standing up or walking. He knew that we are more likely to make a rational decision when we are relaxed. Next, after sitting down, we are to "estimate the cost". His advice was to determine if there is enough money to commit to the project so as to carry it through to completion. In the case of committing to care for an animal, the costs are ongoing.
Beyond pets, there are other examples of unexpected costs. One man was outraged that his electrical bill was very high each month. He went looking around his house to find what was causing his electricity to cost so much. After some investigation, he discovered that the culprit was the box for his cable television subscription. He learned that if he turned off the cable box when he and his family weren't watching programs on cable, he reduced his electric bill.
My husband and I have done better than that. We don't have cable television at all. Instead, we read books, write, study, play board games, walk, talk to each other, and create this website for you. The few television programs that we watch come to us through our antenna.
One of our neighbors told us recently that she and her husband have managed to live well because they don't have cable, computers, or cell phones. Although that seems extreme to some people, that is how they are able to survive within their budget. The items that many consider to be necessities are luxuries to those that focus on the need to feed and clothe themselves as well as their family and to provide transportation. While it is not unusual to see someone talking on a cell phone while waiting for a bus, others believe it is more essential to have a car than a cell phone or cable television. One must decide what is necessary and what can be omitted.
Yes, I understand that mothers today feel the need to have cell phones so that they can be reached if there is an emergency involving one of their children. At the same time, let's not lose sight of the fact that possessions and services require maintenance, time, and money. Everyone must make their own choices, but it is not necessary to have all the electronics, services, and luxuries that marketers would have us believe we need because those things are soon outmoded and require replacement.
Frequently, the temptation is to buy something or commit to a service simply because it is new. You can use that word, "NEW", to ask yourself the following questions:
N — Is it NECESSARY? Do you really NEED it?
E — Is it EDUCATIONAL? Will it increase your knowledge base and that of your family? Will you and your family learn something from it?
W — Is it WISE and WORTH the expense?
The answers you provide to these questions may help you to live an abundant life with fewer commitments, fewer possessions, and fewer financial burdens. Over time, you may discover that it is possible to live simply and well at the same time.
It is interesting to think that someone probably went into debt during the mid-1950s in order to have one of the latest model cars such as this one! [Photographer: S Marko. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com.]
BIBLE VERSE FOR THIS POSTING
Luke 14:28 — "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?" (NIV)
Lucas 14:28 — "¿Porque quién de vosotros, queriendo edificar una torre, no se sienta primero y calcula los gastos, a ver si tiene lo que necesita para acabarla?" (Reina-Valera 1960)
Talk to each other? What a concept! [Photo courtesy of ifunny.com.]
