Must... stay.... strong...

[Trusty Mutsi]

I've been more alive since listening to the podcast and joining these forums than I have been in a long time. I've always felt I've been wasting too much time just entertaining myself.

One of my first plans to cut the fat was to sell my Nintendo Wii. I never play it anymore, and I already have an Xbox 360 which has more games on it than I need.

Now that I'm about to put it on ebay, the old obsessive self-indulgent thoughts are coming back to haunt me:

"You never finished that one game you really like."

"What if another game comes out that you want?"

These thoughts are crazy. As it is, I should be getting rid of a bunch of my 360 games as well. I should be spending my free time doing more camping and outdoor stuff. Ever since I got into thesurvivalpodcast, my wife and I talk more. I won't get rid of EVERYTHING, as I don't plan on NEVER having fun with games, but I need it to take up MUCH less of my time.

I need to not be lulled back into the "Always need more stuff I won't ever use" mentality.

Anybody else struggle with this type of thing?

[DrGonzo]

Every day of my life!

Don't try to reinvent the wheel all at once.  Try to streamline your needs and then re-prioritize.  If you toss all your 'fun' stuff, you'll probably fall off the wagon and invest in the latest and greatest shiny toy. 

I find that digging through my possessions every six months or so, selling off what I don't use (if I haven't used it in six months, I will probably NEVER use it).  It keeps the clutter down and puts some money in my pocket for other things. 

In fact, I'm going to go sell a bunch of my old PS2 games right now. 

[Trusty Mutsi]

Every day of my life!

Don't try to reinvent the wheel all at once.  Try to streamline your needs and then re-prioritize.  If you toss all your 'fun' stuff, you'll probably fall off the wagon and invest in the latest and greatest shiny toy. 

I find that digging through my possessions every six months or so, selling off what I don't use (if I haven't used it in six months, I will probably NEVER use it).  It keeps the clutter down and puts some money in my pocket for other things. 

In fact, I'm going to go sell a bunch of my old PS2 games right now. 

Glad I'm not the only one.

I think I may finish the game on my Wii completely, and then sell it. It should only take a few days of playing. Otherwise I can see myself obsessing and wanting to buy it again. We're not so hard up for money. But I DO want to stop buying MORE stuff I don't need. I want to be very careful to enjoy what I ALREADY HAVE, and sell what I don't use anymore, but not go overboard, like you said.

I WOULD like to buy some magnesium and flint, and try to start a campfire by myself

[DeltaEchoVictor]

I think we all struggle with it to some extent.  We're a consumer society so there's no getting away from it, it's been ingrained in us since birth. 

It sounds to me that you're already making a change though so don't be hard on yourself about it. 

[jeremya]

I agree with DeltaEchoVictor our society is geared to promote this kind of behavior and most of us were raised to be consumers. So don't beat yourself up too much and don't try to go cold turkey either. Trim things down little by little and like Jack suggested give yourself time to think through your purchases to avoid impulse buying.

-- Jeremy

[BigDanInTX]

I'm a recovering compulsive spender.  I'm a gadget freak and it is a daily struggle to avoid spending.  I've improved over the past couple of months and I think I have Jack and TSP to thank for that.  I know that bad times may be coming, so I have to only make purchases of things that are needed 95% of the time.  The last 5% is to maintain sanity.  ;-]

[Stein]

The two best days of my life (other than the real best events) were the day I got rid of Xbox and the day I dumped TIVO.  Seriously, you will be amazed what you get done when you aren't loafing around the TV all night.  It is almost embarassing to look back at the time I used to spend in front of the tube.

Now, I spend that time in front of the computer reading forums, but at least I pick up some knowledge along the way.

[19kilo]

TIVO is my crack.  I could however quit whenever I want.

[archer]

TIVO is my crack.  I could however quit whenever I want.

Sure, that's what they all say....
I don't even use my tivo. It's always filled with shows my wife and kids record.
I'd rather read a book. These days, mostly preparedness/homestead type of books.

[jeremya]

TIVO is my crack.  I could however quit whenever I want.

TIVO is crack.... and that's why I love it.

-- Jeremy

[ModernSurvival]

I have a DVR and I love it.  I am totally on board with ditching video games but I learn a lot on TV from documentaries.  If I did not have a DVR I would never get to watch most of that stuff with the wife, I record it and watch it when ever I have the tv to myself.

[BigDanInTX]

LOL...  Uverse just updated our service for Whole Home DVR.  Instead of only recording/watching in the living room where the DVR is, we can now record/watch from the other rooms as well.  Also, you can pause in one room and pick up where you left off in another.  =-]

[jeremya]

LOL...  Uverse just updated our service for Whole Home DVR.  Instead of only recording/watching in the living room where the DVR is, we can now record/watch from the other rooms as well.  Also, you can pause in one room and pick up where you left off in another.  =-]

Ok I am sold... I am signing up for U-Verse and maybe I can ditch my Tivos.

-- Jeremy

[BigDanInTX]

Maybe I can hook you up w/ a referral.  May get you a free install and get me a rebate.

[Spike]

Lol, that's why i never got into gaming in the first place. I knew from the get go i would become the kind of person who do nothing but play games every chance i had. i was even proven right when i caved in and bought and xbox and adopted those habits. Fortunately it crapped out early and i never got it fixed.  One of the things that helped me the most was just turning off the TV. Not just turning it off, but unplugging it and wrapping up the cord. I still watch a few shows, but I don't watch random stuff just for the sake of it. I don't read physical newspapers or magazines at all anymore. I find if i remove myself from the advertising, I don't feel the constant need to upgrade my stuff or shop.  I took up working out hardcore for a while and that took up a lot of my free time and made me feel great. Now I just do it moderately. Still feel good and look good but have a little more time. 

I guess my main piece of advice is to fill your life with other things that leave you no time for gaming and remove yourself from the influences.

[Serellan]

It's good to sell video games when you stop playing them.  They lose value over time (faster if they suck, slower if they are good).

You can always go back and buy them again if you want to play them again.  But for the games I buy, unless I KNOW it is something I am coming back to, I sell it on ebay when I'm done.

It's better to recoup 60-75% of what you paid now, then to have it sit and gather dust for a few years until it is only worth $5.

Just do NOT trade them into to game stores, they rip you off.  Put them up on ebay or craigslist.