Comments on: Slow Down Your Hedonic Treadmill http://www.mymoneyblog.com/personal-finance-and-the-hedonic-treadmill.html Personal Finance and Investing Blog Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:43:13 +0000 hourly 1 By: Finanzas Personales http://www.mymoneyblog.com/personal-finance-and-the-hedonic-treadmill.html#comment-171940 Finanzas Personales Tue, 18 Jan 2011 01:28:10 +0000 http://www.mymoneyblog.com/?p=8247#comment-171940 The key is making the change once we are prepared to stick with it... it's like with diets. People who try to cut all their unhealthy habits at once don't have lasting results, whilst changing and letting yourself time to adapt to that change and live with it, might make it a longer lasting effort. The same applies for finance and, as long as we have the ability to adapt, we'll make it!!! The key is making the change once we are prepared to stick with it… it’s like with diets. People who try to cut all their unhealthy habits at once don’t have lasting results, whilst changing and letting yourself time to adapt to that change and live with it, might make it a longer lasting effort. The same applies for finance and, as long as we have the ability to adapt, we’ll make it!!!

]]> By: Ingrid http://www.mymoneyblog.com/personal-finance-and-the-hedonic-treadmill.html#comment-166335 Ingrid Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:42:42 +0000 http://www.mymoneyblog.com/?p=8247#comment-166335 Funny - I just returned from a fourth of July weekend backpacking trip and I'm sooo happy. I've got a hot water shower, clean clothes, a flush toilet and I don't have to carry the backpack anymore. Funny – I just returned from a fourth of July weekend backpacking trip and I’m sooo happy. I’ve got a hot water shower, clean clothes, a flush toilet and I don’t have to carry the backpack anymore.

]]> By: Brian http://www.mymoneyblog.com/personal-finance-and-the-hedonic-treadmill.html#comment-166250 Brian Sat, 03 Jul 2010 23:07:31 +0000 http://www.mymoneyblog.com/?p=8247#comment-166250 This is sort of a self-directed take on Machiavelli’s advice to the prince. If I recall correctly, Machiavelli gives the prince the following advice on how to deal with his subjects. When dolling out punishments or taxes or other such negative things, Machiavelli tells him to do it all at once. Make them swallow one, big pill, as it were, and be done with it. Their sadness passes with time. But when giving out rewards or congratulations or the like, the prince should spread them out as much as possible, so that the subjects are constantly pleased with him by successive benefits arriving just as the memory of old ones wears out. This is sort of a self-directed take on Machiavelli’s advice to the prince. If I recall correctly, Machiavelli gives the prince the following advice on how to deal with his subjects. When dolling out punishments or taxes or other such negative things, Machiavelli tells him to do it all at once. Make them swallow one, big pill, as it were, and be done with it. Their sadness passes with time. But when giving out rewards or congratulations or the like, the prince should spread them out as much as possible, so that the subjects are constantly pleased with him by successive benefits arriving just as the memory of old ones wears out.

]]> By: J Richmond http://www.mymoneyblog.com/personal-finance-and-the-hedonic-treadmill.html#comment-166224 J Richmond Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:19:38 +0000 http://www.mymoneyblog.com/?p=8247#comment-166224 you can cut back in a smart way and still enjoy lifes pleasures you can cut back in a smart way and still enjoy lifes pleasures

]]> By: Bob http://www.mymoneyblog.com/personal-finance-and-the-hedonic-treadmill.html#comment-166178 Bob Sat, 03 Jul 2010 03:32:16 +0000 http://www.mymoneyblog.com/?p=8247#comment-166178 Sure beer counts but it's so cheap why not get the 'expensive' stuff and enjoy it? There are so many different kinds all for the same price there is no reason to try to start at keystone and move up through Budweiser to New Belgium (or better yet the real Belgians like Chimay) ;) I figured out this principle out on my own... that's why I bought a Corvette before the Viper! Cheers! Sure beer counts but it’s so cheap why not get the ‘expensive’ stuff and enjoy it? There are so many different kinds all for the same price there is no reason to try to start at keystone and move up through Budweiser to New Belgium (or better yet the real Belgians like Chimay) ;)

I figured out this principle out on my own… that’s why I bought a Corvette before the Viper!

Cheers!

]]> By: Jonathan http://www.mymoneyblog.com/personal-finance-and-the-hedonic-treadmill.html#comment-166151 Jonathan Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:43:11 +0000 http://www.mymoneyblog.com/?p=8247#comment-166151 I've been upgrading my beer a little bit recently, does that count? :) I’ve been upgrading my beer a little bit recently, does that count? :)

]]> By: Wes http://www.mymoneyblog.com/personal-finance-and-the-hedonic-treadmill.html#comment-166114 Wes Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:05:47 +0000 http://www.mymoneyblog.com/?p=8247#comment-166114 who buys a couch before a TV? I would not have guessed from that excerpt that the book was written by a guy! who buys a couch before a TV? I would not have guessed from that excerpt that the book was written by a guy!

]]> By: Dave http://www.mymoneyblog.com/personal-finance-and-the-hedonic-treadmill.html#comment-166034 Dave Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:50:54 +0000 http://www.mymoneyblog.com/?p=8247#comment-166034 This makes me think of an old Calvin and Hobbes strip where the family goes on their yearly miserable camping excursion. The father remarks that their week long "vacation" make the rest of the year seem like a real vacation in comparison. This would be a lesson that parents would do well to understand. If you give your child everything they want when they are young, then they'll never be satisfied. It's better to start the bar low, so that you are able to slowly raise it throughout their childhood without it ever getting too high for you to manage. I believe children generally deal better with change than adults do, but intense cutting back can be harder for them than it is for adults since their long term perspective is less developed. This makes me think of an old Calvin and Hobbes strip where the family goes on their yearly miserable camping excursion. The father remarks that their week long “vacation” make the rest of the year seem like a real vacation in comparison.

This would be a lesson that parents would do well to understand. If you give your child everything they want when they are young, then they’ll never be satisfied. It’s better to start the bar low, so that you are able to slowly raise it throughout their childhood without it ever getting too high for you to manage. I believe children generally deal better with change than adults do, but intense cutting back can be harder for them than it is for adults since their long term perspective is less developed.

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