[willio58]

> Live below your means.

To me, this is the hardest to do. In the U.S., this means going against society's narrative that more/better material things will make you happier. Beyond a certain amount of income, material gains lose their material benefit, but it's hard to detach yourself from society's thinking that you'll be happier if you have a $130k car instead of a $30k one.

One thing I like to remember is that billionaires are no happier than people who make a little more than ends meat. Bezos and Gates got divorced in the past few years. Musk is obviously searching for happiness and meaning to little avail. I know lots of people on fairly meager incomes who are much happier than these men.

[scarface74]

As someone who in the past year who with my wife has gotten rid of our house, cars and everything else that couldn’t fit in three suitcases and now spend six months a year flying across the US staying in hotels and the other half staying in what would usually be a second home/investment property in Florida (warmest place you can stay in the US and state income tax free) , we gave up keeping up with anyone. Our monthly expenses didn’t increase and is actually trending down.