What I do not pay for - a manifesto

As a student without a job, I have a hard time making ends meet, and when I have to pay for something, lots of stress works its way into my mind.   Focusing on all the things I do buy makes me freak out, so I've created this list of items that I can be proud of for being able to resist.  When temptation strikes, this list helps keep me on track.

Keep in mind that I am not against using all of these things.  There are quite a few items on the list that I'll happily accept or try to get for free.  Some examples: someone buys me a game as a present, the news is readily available on the internet, or I find a copy of a textbook I need online.

I will update the list as I think of items.  I'll also make a post every so often explaining why I don't pay for these things.

Here's what I don't pay for:

• Movie, concert, and amusement park tickets, other one-time events
• Cable service, phone service
• Movies, video games, pornography, music, other art
• Textbooks, manga, novels, other books
• Alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, medicine, other drugs
• Organic food, junk food, restaurant food, condiments, spices, desserts
• Operating systems, editing programs, other software
• Furniture, cutlery, other house things
• Clothes
• Newspapers
• Lottery tickets

 Having this list has really helped me keep within my ever-shrinking budget, and taken away a lot of stress.  A lot of people would say that not going to the movies would make them sad, but for me, it's something I can relax about.  By limiting myself by such constraints, I become more free.

~ John Adam