What do you consider a necessity?

[eliza61]

the internet thread got me thinking. Seems like theres a huge gap between what people consider "necessities", definitely a timely issue since it seems if the U.S. defaults there will have to be some one deciding what "has" to be paid.

So for me, my definition is really simple. If not having the item would seriously be detrimental to my and my family's health and well being thats a necessity.

Food=yes
clothing=yes
shelter=yes
health care=yes.
Car=maybe. when I lived in ny, I was happy without one.

cell phone=no
internet=no
disney vacations=no.


So what's your bare bones necessities. If my kids did not have a computer I would still expect them to get good grades.

 

[Acklander]

To live I consider food, clothing, medical care and shelter a necessity. To work (and provide the food/clothing/shelter) I need a computer, Internet, and a cell phone.

 

[bettymae1121]

Internet is a "need" for me, I work from home full time. But my company pays for my internet, since it's required.

My cell phone is a "need" since I drive a 13 year old car (so AAA is need too). But I use a pre-paid plan and on average I only spend about $100 a year on cell service. But driving the car for so long has saved us way more than what a cell and AAA costs us.

 

[Tinkerdreams]

the internet thread got me thinking. Seems like theres a huge gap between what people consider "necessities", definitely a timely issue since it seems if the U.S. defaults there will have to be some one deciding what "has" to be paid.

So for me, my definition is really simple. If not having the item would seriously be detrimental to my and my family's health and well being thats a necessity.

Food=yes
clothing=yes
shelter=yes
health care=yes.
Car=maybe. when I lived in ny, I was happy without one.

cell phone=no
internet=no
disney vacations=no.


So what's your bare bones necessities. If my kids did not have a computer I would still expect them to get good grades.

Food, clothing, shelter and healthcare are the only things a person needs to live - EVERYTHING else is a luxury.

The government needs to go about running this country the same way. Separate the necessities with the "nice to have's". They don't get that - they are working for the lobbyists (sp?) and "big interest". They've lost sight of the fact that they are working for US!!

There was another thread about the taxpayer paying more in taxes to get this debt paid off. The answer is NO - not until you can curb the spending and meet budgets should any of us pay another cent in regards to more taxes.

 

[lakelandgal70]

Food, clothing, shelter and healthcare are the only things a person needs to live - EVERYTHING else is a luxury.

The government needs to go about running this country the same way. Separate the necessities with the "nice to have's". They don't get that - they are working for the lobbyists (sp?) and "big interest". They've lost sight of the fact that they are working for US!!

There was another thread about the taxpayer paying more in taxes to get this debt paid off. The answer is NO - not until you can curb the spending and meet budgets should any of us pay another cent in regards to more taxes.

Totally agree and couldn't have said it any better!

 

[ilovemk76]

the internet thread got me thinking. Seems like theres a huge gap between what people consider "necessities", definitely a timely issue since it seems if the U.S. defaults there will have to be some one deciding what "has" to be paid.

So for me, my definition is really simple. If not having the item would seriously be detrimental to my and my family's health and well being thats a necessity.

Food=yes
clothing=yes
shelter=yes
health care=yes.
Car=maybe. when I lived in ny, I was happy without one.

cell phone=no
internet=no
disney vacations=no.


So what's your bare bones necessities. If my kids did not have a computer I would still expect them to get good grades.

Food = yes is it is a well balanced meal, safe food and clean drinking water; no to eating out, organic all beverages other than milk for a young child and foods that are costly (lobster, steak, brie cheese, etc.).

Clothing = yes it it keep me warm in the winter, is needed for my job, keeps me cool in the summer and is not expenseive; no = to designer clothing, extensive amounts of clothing (5- pairs of shoes) and getting a new wardrobe each year.

Shelter = yes to a safe and secure basic home; no = to large homes that have more room than is needed.

health care = yes to basic health care (infections, broken bones and the like); no to plastic surgery, cancer treatments that only extend your life for a short time or are considered experimental.

Car = yes if the car is a basic car that is used to get to and from work, grocery stores and doctors. ; no = if the car is loaded and not needed to get around.

Cell phone = yes if it is needed for your job and only what is needed; no to everything else.

Internet = yes to basic access because you can work with it and search for a job; no = to high speed internet to watch vidoes or play games.

Cable = yes to basic cable, as it is cheap entertainment; no to anything else.

Vacation = yes one needs time off from work; no to going some place and not airline tickets.

 

[scrapquitler]

Food, clothing, shelter and healthcare are the only things a person needs to live - EVERYTHING else is a luxury.

Okay, so by your definition, the following are 'luxuries' I don't think 99% of the people in the USA are going to classify these as luxuries:

Electricity
Running Water
Sewage System
Public Education System


For my family, internet IS a necessity. My Husband works at home as a computer system designer and without Skype, the internet, teleconferencing etc, he wouldn't have a job.

 

[Poohforyou]

Food, clothing, shelter and healthcare are the only things a person needs to live - EVERYTHING else is a luxury.

The government needs to go about running this country the same way. Separate the necessities with the "nice to have's". They don't get that - they are working for the lobbyists (sp?) and "big interest". They've lost sight of the fact that they are working for US!!

There was another thread about the taxpayer paying more in taxes to get this debt paid off. The answer is NO - not until you can curb the spending and meet budgets should any of us pay another cent in regards to more taxes.

Actually, everything else isn't a luxury if you need to make money to pay for food, clothing and shelter. I need internet and my cell phone to do my job. Without those 2 things I'd have to sit in my office 24/7 waiting for a problem that I would need to resolve. Of course that would take care of a roof over my head .

Now my personal trainer and gym membership, DH's car hobby and sports tickets, DD's activities, restaurant meals and vacations are definitely luxuries. I'd even say a lot of the food we eat is a luxury since I try to go organic and unprocessed as much as possible.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

While necessities keep you alive in body, there is much more to life that may not be a 'need' but I would not want a life without it. Food, water, and shelter are certainly necessities for your body to live but without family, friends, and people to love, it is not a life I would want. And I would not want to just eat, drink, and sit in my shelter with my loved ones, there are other things that enrich my life that I would not want to do without. The ability to be a productive member of society, help others, and definitely to travel the world and meet new people and cultures.

Disney vacations may not be a necessity but spending time with my loved ones (outside of our shelter ) IS needed. Interacting with different people and traveling ARE a necessity to a well-rounded life.

Sure, you can live on food & water and just sit like a lump under a roof...but why wouldn't you do anything else?

 

[Poohforyou]

While necessities keep you alive in body, there is much more to life that may not be a 'need' but I would not want a life without it. Food, water, and shelter are certainly necessities for your body to live but without family, friends, and people to love, it is not a life I would want. And I would not want to just eat, drink, and sit in my shelter with my loved ones, there are other things that enrich my life that I would not want to do without. The ability to be a productive member of society, help others, and definitely to travel the world and meet new people and cultures.

Disney vacations may not be a necessity but spending time with my loved ones (outside of our shelter ) IS needed. Interacting with different people and traveling ARE a necessity to a well-rounded life.

Sure, you can live on food & water and just sit like a lump under a roof...but why wouldn't you do anything else?

Those things are nice and part of having a full and fulfulling life. However, if you had to tighten your belt for a period of time to pay off some debts you could do without travel and a lot of other nice to haves.

 

[tinker&belle]

Food = yes is it is a well balanced meal, safe food and clean drinking water; no to eating out, organic all beverages other than milk for a young child and foods that are costly (lobster, steak, brie cheese, etc.).

Clothing = yes it it keep me warm in the winter, is needed for my job, keeps me cool in the summer and is not expenseive; no = to designer clothing, extensive amounts of clothing (5- pairs of shoes) and getting a new wardrobe each year.

Shelter = yes to a safe and secure basic home; no = to large homes that have more room than is needed.

health care = yes to basic health care (infections, broken bones and the like); no to plastic surgery, cancer treatments that only extend your life for a short time or are considered experimental.

Car = yes if the car is a basic car that is used to get to and from work, grocery stores and doctors. ; no = if the car is loaded and not needed to get around.

Cell phone = yes if it is needed for your job and only what is needed; no to everything else.

Internet = yes to basic access because you can work with it and search for a job; no = to high speed internet to watch vidoes or play games.

Cable = yes to basic cable, as it is cheap entertainment; no to anything else.

Vacation = yes one needs time off from work; no to going some place and not airline tickets.

This seems really subjective. We have had multiple family members fighting cancer. What is a short time? A year? Five years? Ten years? If it is your family member having more time is priceless, especially if the time is high quality.

 

[MEM]

Okay, so by your definition, the following are 'luxuries' I don't think 99% of the people in the USA are going to classify these as luxuries:

Electricity
Running Water
Sewage System
Public Education System


For my family, internet IS a necessity. My Husband works at home as a computer system designer and without Skype, the internet, teleconferencing etc, he wouldn't have a job.

The first three on your list fall under the heading of "shelter".

 

[ctinct]

Food = yes is it is a well balanced meal, safe food and clean drinking water; no to eating out, organic all beverages other than milk for a young child and foods that are costly (lobster, steak, brie cheese, etc.).

Clothing = yes it it keep me warm in the winter, is needed for my job, keeps me cool in the summer and is not expenseive; no = to designer clothing, extensive amounts of clothing (5- pairs of shoes) and getting a new wardrobe each year.

Shelter = yes to a safe and secure basic home; no = to large homes that have more room than is needed.

health care = yes to basic health care (infections, broken bones and the like); no to plastic surgery, cancer treatments that only extend your life for a short time or are considered experimental.

Car = yes if the car is a basic car that is used to get to and from work, grocery stores and doctors. ; no = if the car is loaded and not needed to get around.

Cell phone = yes if it is needed for your job and only what is needed; no to everything else.

Internet = yes to basic access because you can work with it and search for a job; no = to high speed internet to watch vidoes or play games.

Cable = yes to basic cable, as it is cheap entertainment; no to anything else.

Vacation = yes one needs time off from work; no to going some place and not airline tickets.

And the bolded caught my eye. I guess technically experimental treatments are not a necessity, but how many of those experimental treatments lead to new, improved treatments? They have to try them out somehow, and I think if it were a family member, I might be tempted to call it a necessity.

 

[ilovemk76]

This seems really subjective. We have had multiple family members fighting cancer. What is a short time? A year? Five years? Ten years? If it is your family member having more time is priceless, especially if the time is high quality.

Of course it is subjective, that is why I did not say exactly 2.345 years.

I am a cancer survivor and certain cancers runs in both sides of my family. Mine was a sister of one of them.

I know way to much about cancer, the cost of treatment to both to the patient and pocket book and how some cancers cause a far more painful death when they return (I have one of them but mine was caught early and I have a 95% chance of living out my normal life.)

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Those things are nice and part of having a full and fulfulling life. However, if you had to tighten your belt for a period of time to pay off some debts you could do without travel and a lot of other nice to haves.

Of course I can do that ... and have! But my point is not about what budget cuts you can make, it is about the term 'necessity'. Your BODY only NEEDs so much to be a functioning shell. But that does not mean there are other 'needs' for your soul and your quality of life. My father was in a coma for five years and all he had were necessities - food & water (via tube), oxygen (via tube), and shelter. He also had medical care and our love. But it was no life. I am glad he finally passed away because he was wasting away. I wish that on no one. So if it fulfills someone to have internet in order to keep in touch with their brother in Japan (oh, that's me!), it is a necessity.

Now if you want to talk 'temporary', sure, you can temporarily cut back pretty much everything except what it takes to stay alive but no one should have to do that for a lifetime.

But I guess I don't know what other threads you are talking about and you are looking for a certain answer. I hope you find it.

 

[dunbarfamily]

Food, clothing, shelter and healthcare are the only things a person needs to live - EVERYTHING else is a luxury.

The government needs to go about running this country the same way. Separate the necessities with the "nice to have's". They don't get that - they are working for the lobbyists (sp?) and "big interest". They've lost sight of the fact that they are working for US!!

There was another thread about the taxpayer paying more in taxes to get this debt paid off. The answer is NO - not until you can curb the spending and meet budgets should any of us pay another cent in regards to more taxes.

Well said Tinkerdreams!!

 

[Tink2Day]

Try providing the necessities without a car to drive to work when you need to, especially in a State that is spread out and has poor public transportation at best (and being cut due to budget constraints), Computer and internet, yes because without those no money to pay for the basic necessities in life.
Cell phone, same thing.

Trust me I've lived with just the 'basic' necessities and sometimes short on those and really if not for family it isn't 'all that'.

(anyone remember the days of virtually NO health care insurance and an $8 office visit fee and not talking about Copays I'm talking about the FULL price of the visit and then having to save up to pay it?)

I really wonder how many people stating what the 'real' basic necessities are have had to live with that and nothing else? Or struggled just to HAVE a semblance of what some of you call the basic necessities?

 

[ilovemk76]

And the bolded caught my eye. I guess technically experimental treatments are not a necessity, but how many of those experimental treatments lead to new, improved treatments? They have to try them out somehow, and I think if it were a family member, I might be tempted to call it a necessity.

Many experimental treatments are not covered by insurance. I know a women who had experimental treatment over 25 years ago that she paid $3K/treatment for and she did 4 months later. Insurance would not cover it. She and her husband were very wealthy so they could afford the payments. The results for her ended up being the same and she was sick from the treatment 3 out of 4 weeks (week 4 she did not get the treatment).

In reality we are not doing any better today than in the 1970s at curing cancer but we are doing way better at early detection that can catch the cancer before it does much damage. This was the case with my cancer. If it comes back, it will come back with a vengence and most likely take my life.

Early detection is far more important than costly experimental treatments when the cancer is ravaging ones body.

Many don't now this but manu chemos destroy your heart valves and then you need more surgery to fix them by using artificial heart valves.

 

[dunbarfamily]

I'm totally guessing, but based on how I interpreted what OP said in comment #1, maybe OP meant those are what he or she considered necessities in his or her life??

Obviously, if one works from home and uses the interenet to complete his or her job, that would be a necessity.
If one lives in a very rural area (that'd be me!) a vehicle would be a necessity.
etc.




....And, on a funny, not serious, meant-to-lighten-the-thread note, a trip to Disney is a necessity to some people!! Lol!! Just kidding, please don't take offense!

 

[ChrizJen]

As others have said, in a perfect world, food, shelter, clothing, and healthcare are the only things a person NEEDS to live. But we don't live in a perfect world. We don't have clothing falling from the sky, and shelter isn't free. So most of us need a few other things to make the basic necessities a reality. I need a car. It's the only way I can get to work, and without work, I don't have any of the other things. My vehicle is not a luxury item. Most people also require some sort of means of communication as well. In today's world, phones and internet are a requirement to do the jobs we do. There's just no way around it for many people. So until food and clothing start falling from the heavens, and until shelter and healthcare are free, I need to keep working. So I NEED those other things to live.