Freedom Over Flash: Why I Choose the Small Stuff

“If we inevitably adapt to the greatest delights that money can buy, then it may be better to indulge in a variety of frequent, small pleasures—double lattes, uptown pedicures, and high thread-count socks—rather than pouring money into large purchases, such as sports cars, dream vacations, and front-row concert tickets.”

That line hit me the first time I read it. It captured what I’d been living out without even realizing it. I’ve never been drawn to the flashy life. I drove a beat-up ‘97 F150 through most of my twenties. I still drive a $3,000 car today. I don’t own a ton of stuff, and I’ve never felt the need to drop big money to prove anything. But I do have a habit of picking up small, high-quality items here and there—just enough to keep me feeling grounded and content. That helps me resist the pull toward chasing some big, expensive “life upgrade” that probably wouldn’t make me any happier.

Being debt-free has been the real unlock for me. My bills outside of rent are just $200, and I try not to spend more than $1,200 on rent (currently $999) while I’m in the U.S. That simplicity has bought me something most people are still chasing: freedom. I decide when and how I work. I can walk away from what doesn’t fit. I have space.

Oddly enough, these days I don’t desire much outside of freedom from mandatory work. What I do want is time—time to do stuff for the people I care about. Like deep-cleaning a friend’s place, reorganizing a closet, or shampooing my mom’s stairs. I get a weird joy out of organizing now, and maybe that mindset is part of why I’ve done alright financially—not because I’m a genius, but because I value order and simplicity. Not bragging—just noticing.

At this point, I’m not chasing luxury or some status milestone. I’m chasing peace, flexibility, and time with my people. And I’ve found that a good pair of socks or a quiet coffee in the morning does more for my well-being than a big-ticket purchase ever could.

This is life. Some people want to drive fast cars and live in stylish homes. Others just want choice and freedom. They'll sacrifice a little—which may not even feel like sacrifice to them—on the house, the car, the extravagant vacation. I travel a lot—probably more than the vast majority of people—but I’m not staying in 5-star spots. I'm more of a 3 to 3.5-star type of guy. But then again, I don’t have to go to work. I choose to. Corporate work isn't some mandatory part of my life anymore.

These days, I spend a lot of time helping—whether that’s fixing something in my life, doing maintenance on my car, or lending a hand to friends and family. But mandatory work? That’s far behind me. Not because I’m soooo wealthy—but because I designed my life this way. When I do work, I save 50% or more of my income, and that savings becomes future survival money. That’s possible because my bills are super low, and I’ve built this intentionally—from getting a finance degree to joining the military to learning to cook my own meals. None of this was accidental.

It’s like cooking dinner—I chose this life on purpose. And that choice has created a lot of freedom for me.

I’ll never stop being of service or “working,” but even that word—work—is starting to rub me the wrong way. It sounds too much like bondage, like something you have to do. But I don’t. I’ve just gotten clear about what I want to be intentional about. And that clarity? That’s been everything. I’m not super smart—I just hit the lottery in knowing what kind of life I wanted to build. And honestly, that makes me really happy.