[bc-chris]

i think one of the biggest issues people seem to have is spending beyond their means.

i'm so thankful that both my wife and i 'get' that

also as Matata already mentioned, even if you can afford something with a higher price tag will something more affordable still get the job done.

one thing i've noticed with the neighbourhood i live in is it's very "keep up with the joses-ish" (jones-ish... is that even a word?). here's an example from a couple summers ago.... one of the neighbours went and got a brand new pickup truck. it wasn't a month and his next door neighbour (who lives across the street from me) went and got a brand new pickup truck. a few weeks later i was doing yard work and they come over and start chatting and asking when i was going to go get a new truck. i asked them why would i want a new truck? i think they said something like 'well your truck is old'... and that was about it. i just laughed and said that i love the truck i have, it's pretty much exactly how i want it, it's paid for and it runs great. just becuz it's "old" is a terrible reason in my mind to get rid of it and go into debt for something i don't need. all i got from them after that was a couple of blank stares.