Yep, that’s it. Do that and you will never feel “broke” again… and you just might end up rich. Because let’s be serious here… many of your “needs” are really just “wants.”
Do you want to have a fantastic income and be able to afford the pretty things without guilt? Honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that. Simplifying your needs now will allow you the mental space to work smarter or possibly even develop a new, more personally fulfilling career with increased earning potential.
You know what? That’s really all you NEED. Not the cell phone, not the cable, not the weekly meals out at the “nice” restaurant, not the granite countertops and stainless appliances, not anything more than being safe, warm, and fed.
Sure, life happens. Medical issues, business failure, national economic problems. Still… YOU CHOOSE how to react to those issues. You can either sit back, call it quits, and stay at the bottom of the financial pit–or you can pick yourself up and do whatever it takes to climb out and succeed.
I DO think you should start decluttering, in a major way. The more you declutter, the more you appreciate what you have. It also helps you distinguish NEEDS from WANTS.