well I am glad that we do not live like that.
We have a car which is 20 years old and takes us anwhere
we need to go.
Yes Green street Green was on the way.
And I agree people here do not crave so much stuff.
Many of my friends are french and we appreciate a get
together with wine and good food lots of chatter, music and
laughter. We do discuss buying stuff!
mistake…WE DO NOT discuss buying stuff!!!
For the benefit of my two daughters we had a sign hanging in the kitchen to explain the difference between essentials and luxuries
PRIVILEGES. You are entitled to food, clothing, shelter and medical attention. Anything else that you get is a privilege.
OK it was a bit tongue in cheek and humourous but still illustrates the diffence between ESSENTIALS and luxury/privileges/privileged life.
PS it came from Alcatraz Prison
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So you have noTV,NO car and you do not take a holiday…
Sylvia do you ?
My Post clearly stated Basic Normal Life including…
“Anything more is just trappings, non-essentials… although we may spend our money on them if we choose…and if we have the money… but they are not essential.”
If people do, indeed, have a little more money… they can pay for non-essentials… and each person will have their own idea of what is and what is not an essential … according to how they live their own life…
But the fact remains… it is possible to enjoy a Basic Normal Life…
We spent 30 years with short holidays here when we worked in the UK… now life is one long holiday…
no maybe we will never agree.
Puntuation is essentional.
So you do not have a car, take a holiday or have a T.V.
I am happy here too.
And a basic, normal life would include a holiday, a TV and a car to get around
the countryside.
Please explain whose life you are talking about. Is it your life or someone else’s… ??
And if you couldn’t afford a holiday, what then?
)then I guesse that I do not go on one…but a week or 2 away…
change of scenery is a good tonic.
Simple - going away, be it the same country or abroad. Staying with relatves doesn’t count.
@tim17 … ahh… and to think I used to class a week with Grandma as the best holiday ever… 
We sometimes visit family… and family come to visit us… great !!
Ah well it seems that the “going away” is almost necessary.
We had 4 days in Vendee/Loire and 4 days in the basque last year
and it was a treat not to have to clean rooms and cook.
We shall have to see how things go this year as to what we can
afford.
Don’t worry Barbara, I’m sure Liz and Phil would be happy to help…
Barbara, you seem to swing one way and then the other. A few posts back you said essentials in your mind included a week in the UK visiting family and then getting on a plane for another week staying in a hotel. Now you’re saying ‘going away’ is almost necessary, does this mean holidays are no longer essential to you but are to everyone else?
For so many years, Holidays used to be spent doing major works in the home/garden or hauling the engine out of the car and doing one’s best to get it working again…before the end of the holiday…
and… before anyone asks… we did not and do not always have a car (working) and then, it’s public transport and/or the generosity/goodwill of friends and neighbours.
i am sure that Liz and Phil will invite me over to take a walk down
memory Lane.
Oh defining holiday…depends upon finances does it not.
You do realise that when you get older you have less wants.
Simplicity is the na,e of the game.
Facelifts definately do not come into the basic list.
To answer this…I do feel that a holiday is a natural tonic which should be taken
at least once a year.
But itall depends on thefinancial situation of the individual and myself.
Some people borrow 40,000 to get married in a very special chateau owned by
a very well know lady…but I hink that this is crazy.