Thursday, May 31, 2018

Altan-stole - Balcony Chairs

Allerede da jeg flyttede ind i denne lejlighed i 2011, var planen ifølge renoveringen (som jo skulle have været færdig for flere år siden) at jeg skulle have den nuværende franske altan skiftet til en rigtig altan. Jeg kom fra en lejlighed med altan, og derfor satte jeg mine flotte teaktræsstole i kælderen.

Jeg har haft de stole i en del år, men de er god kvalitet, tidløs design og meget behagelige.

Der var dog også ulemper. De var tunge, for de var af massiv teak. Meget tunge. Og store. Meget store, og så kan man klemme sine fingre noget så grumt i dem, da de har flere indstillinger.

Så med den nye viden, der løbende kommer frem under en renovering, fandt jeg ud af, at stolene ville være alt for store til den altan, der kommer op nu. Der ville ikke blive plads til den mindste lille blomst.

Så selv om jeg gerne ville have beholdt dem, er de nu blevet solgt. Sæsonen er den rigtige, og prisen var god.

Det betyder selvfølgelig, at jeg bliver nødt til at købe nye stole, når jeg er blevet genhuset, men så har jeg jo pengene til det. Så næste forår skal jeg ud og se på stole, der passer til mit nye hjem!

Det er rart at tænke på, når man sidder her i støv og støj fra arbejdet udenfor.

Så man kan vel kalde det en win-win-situation!


Already when I moved into this flat in 2011, the plan for the renovation (which have been delayed for several years already) showed, that the present French balcony whould be replaced with an ordinary balcony. I came from a flat with a balcony, so I put my really nice balcony chairs into the basement.

I had already then had these chairs for some years, but they are of good quality, timeless design and very comfortable.

There were downsides though. They were massive teak, and therefore heavy. Very heavy. And big. Very big, and then you can squeeze your fingers so bad in them, because they have different positions.

So with the new knowledge, which you get little by little during a renovation, I found out, that the chairs would be way too big for the balcony, which comes up now. There wouldn't be room for the smallest flower.

So even though I would have liked to keep them, they have now been sold. The season was right, and the price was good.

Of course this means, that I have to buy new chairs, when I have been rehoused, but now I have the money for it. So next Spring I will go looking for chairs, which fits my new home!

It is nice to think about these things, which you sit here covered in dust and noice from the work outside.

So you can call it a win-win-situation!

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Dukkevugge - Doll Cradle

Selv om man er minimalist, behøver man ikke at smide alting ud. Heller ikke selv om det skal stå og vente lidt på at blive brugt! Familie-klenodier kan være et gode. Men kun hvis de giver værdi. Der skal være et formål, og det skal være noget helt specielt. Og det er det her!

Det er en 65år gammel dukkevugge med tilhørende sengetøj!

Den er så smuk, og nu er jeg gået i gang med at istandsætte den. Jeg tager mig god tid, for Baby Favorit person er ikke helt gammel nok, selv om dukker allerede er det store hit. Hun er lidt for voldsom endnu, men jeg er gået i gang, så den kan stå klar til, når hendes forældre siger GO!

Jeg har allerede omtalt den, fordi det var en af puderne til den, der 'eksploderede' i min vaskemaskine og blev til en masse, der lignede rabarber-kompot. Heldigvis fungerer vaskemaskinen igen, men vuggen bliver ikke billig, hvis man regner reparationen med!

Alligevel er det oplevelsen værd! Jeg glæder mig til at give hende den, og nu skal jeg have udtænkt, hvad Favorit Storebror så skal have. For han skal ikke snydes.


Even though you are a minimalist, you don't have to let go of everything. Not even if it has to be stored for a while before use! Family heirlooms can be of value. But only if it makes value and have a special purpose - and that is what this has!

It is a 65 year old doll cradle with bed linen!

It is so beautiful, and now I have started restoring it. I am taking my time, because Baby Favorite Person isn't quite old enough yet, even though dolls already are the big thing. She is still too hard-handed, but I have started, so it will be ready, when her parents say GO!

I have already mentioned it here, because it was one of the pillows for the cradle, which 'exploded' in my washing machine and became a mass of something looking like rhubarb compote! Luckily the washing machine is working again, but the cradle doesn't become cheap, if you count the repair on top!

But it is worth it! I am looking forward to giving it to her, and now I have to think about, what Favorite Big Brother is going to have. Because he should not be cheated.

Friday, May 25, 2018

Forbrugs-stigen - The Ladder of Consumption

I den vestlige verden har vi lært at måle succes og lykke med ting og synlig status. En stor bil eller flere biler, et stort hus, et 'fedt' job, exotiske ferier, store fester, dyre smykker og dyrt tøj. Succes er blevet en konkurrence. Om forbrug. Dem, der har råd til mest, bliver mest respekteret. De har opnået 'lykken'.

Det er i hvert fald, hvad reklamer fortæller os: Du skal købe (mere), så bliver du lykkelig. Vi ved godt, at det ikke er sandt, men det er et konstant bombardament, og vi bliver fristet. Langt de fleste af os. For hvem vil være bagud af dansen?

Det er som en trappe, hvor vi bare skal tage det næste trin for at blive den person, vi gerne vil være. Men der er altid et trin mere. Vi når aldrig toppen - for den findes ikke. Derfor er vi forbrugere - eller rettere over-forbrugere.

Men vi bliver ikke lykkelige, fordi vi forsøger at købe os til en ny identitet og eller en 'højere' status. Lige meget hvor meget vi køber, så sker det ikke.

Videnskaben har nu konstateret, at man bliver glad over økonomisk fremgang og status - indtil man har nået en vis grænse. Når de mest basale ting har nået et bestemt stade, så sker der ikke mere på 'lykke-fronten' - i hvert fald ikke bare ved anskaffelse af ting eller stræben efter 'mere' status. Nye ting og nye trin op på rangstigen giver ikke andet end et øjebliks konstatering af, at nu er der 'mere' af noget.

Har du nogen sinde ønsket dig noget rigtig meget, og når du så har fået det, har du følelsen af, at nu har du den/det, og hvad skal der så komme der efter? Vi får suset af at købe, og i næste øjeblik er vi videre.

Det er ikke forkert at ønske sig noget, men lykke er ikke at accumulere ting og status.

Prøv i stedet at tænke på, hvornår du sidst har følt det sus i kroppen, der giver ro og glæde? Hvor du har været der, hvor du ønsker, at intet må forstyrre det, der skete. At tiden godt måtte gå i stå, så du kunne forlænge oplevelsen.

Tænk over det et øjeblik - og gå så ud og gør meget mere af det.

Rigtig god weekend!


In the Western part of the world we have learned to measure success and happiness with owning stuff and having a high economical status. A big car or several cars, a big house, a 'cool' job, exotic holidays, big parties, expensive jewelry and expensive clothes. Success has become a competition. About spending. The ones, who can spend the most, get the most respect. They have achieved 'happiness'.

At least that is, what advertisements tell: You have to buy (more) to become happy. We know, that this isn't true, but it is a constant bombardment, and we get tempted. Most of us. Because who doesn't want to be a success?

It is like a ladder where you just have to take one more step to become the person you want to be. But there will always be one step more. We will never reach the top - because it doesn't exist. That is why we become consumers - or rather excess consumers.

But we don't become more happy trying to buy a new identity or a new status. No matter what we buy, it doesn't happen.

Scientist have now made studies, which prove, that you become happy achiving economical progress and status - until you have reached a certain level. When the most basic needs have been reached, no more is happening on the 'happiness-ladder' - at least not by consuming more stuff or reaching a 'higher' status. New items and new steps op the rank ladder give nothing but a moment's findings of, that now there is 'more' of something.

Have you ever wanting something really bad, and then - when you have got it - gotten the feeling, that now you own it, what has to come next? We get the thrill of buying, and the next moment we are done with it.

It isn't wrong to have wishes, but happiness is not accumulating stuff and status.

Try thinking about, when you get that feeling in your body, which creates tranquility and joy? When have you been in a situation, where you wish, that nothing would disturb it? When have you wanted time to stop, so you could make this feeling last longer?

Think about it for a bit - and then go do much more of that.

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Fantasi-krop - Fantasy Body

I dag har jeg været inde i byen for at se på bryllupstøj. Rolig nu, det er ikke mig, der skal giftes, men jeg er så heldig at være blevet inviteret til bryllup i udlandet i september. Det er sydpå, så jeg var ude og se på festligt sommertøj.

Der er meget hvidt tøj i butikkerne, men det duer jo ikke til brylllup. Det gør sort heller ikke, og jeg er ikke rigtig til de mange blomstrede ting, som er fremme nu.

Men det var ikke problemet. Det var, at jeg altid falder for det, som var smart til mig, da jeg var yngre. Jeg er høj, og jeg var meget slank. Et siv! Jeg har stadig lange slanke arme og lange slanke ben, men på midten er jeg ikke som før! Taljen er ikke helt så markeret mere.

Så jeg prøvede en del kjoler og forskellige sæt med bukser, men der var ikke rigtig noget, som jeg syntes klædte mig. Jeg skulle heldigvis også købe nogle t-shirts og en skjorte som erstatning for nogle ting, der var slidt op. Helt ned til at to af de aflivede t-shirts er blevet til klude! Det lykkedes mig heldigvis at finde noget pænt!

Så jeg skal gentænke. Jeg er ikke den, jeg var. Jeg er, som jeg er nu. Ikke noget body-shaming her. Men en ting er at købe en t-shirt og et par jeans. En anden ting er at købe noget smukt festtøj, som klæder mig, og som også føles godt at have på.

Så jeg søger videre.

Hvidt og marine - det går man ikke fejl af, men det er jo ikke bryllupstøj!
White and blue - then you don't go wrong, but it is not wedding clothes!

Today I was in Copenhagen shopping for wedding clothes. Easy now, I am not the one to get married, but I am so lucky, that I have been invited to a wedding in another country in September. It is down south, so I was out looking for festive summer clothes.

There is a a lot of white clothes, which doesn't work for a wedding. Neither does black, and I am not really fond of all the flower patterns going on now.

But that wasn't the problem. The problem is, that I always fall for items, which was looking good on me, when I was younger. I am tall, and I was very slim. I still have long slim arms and long slim legs, but the middle is not like before! My waist is not quite as it used to be.

I tried on a lot of dresses and trouser suits, but nothing really worked for me. Luckily I also was out to get a couple of t-shirts and a shirt, which are replacements for worn out pieces, of which two t-shirts now are made into rags. Fortunately, I was lucky to find something really nice in that area.

But I have to rethink. Because I am not the one, I once was. I am the one, I am now. No body-shaming here. But it is one thing to buy a t-shirt or a pair of jeans. And another thing to buy something beautiful for a wedding, which makes you look good, and also feels nice to wear.

So I keep looking.

Friday, May 18, 2018

Indrømmelse om min kælder- Confession About My Basement

Når jeg nu konstant fortæller, at jeg har styr på mine ting, må jeg gøre en indrømmelse.

Jeg har ting i kælderen, som ikke er i brug. Normalt gemmer jeg ikke ting, som jeg 'måske får brug for en gang', men disse her gør jeg ikke noget ved lige nu.

Selv om det skriger i mit indre!

Alle lejligheder i bebyggelsen skal renoveres, og vi ikke noget om, hvordan de præcis kommer til at se ud. De tegninger, vi har set, stammer fra 2010, og der er jo gået nogle år siden. Samtidig der er kommet større viden om ejendommenes tilstand, så der er blevet skåret i budgettet mange gange, og vi, der skal bo der, ved ikke så meget.

Favoritfamilien og jeg er i samme situation. Vi skal flytte fra vores lejligheder, genhuses under renovationen, og der efter flytte ind i andre nyistandsatte lejligheder, som altså ikke er dem, vi bor i nu! Så vi skal flytte to gange og til ukendt plads.

Derfor vi har aftalt at hjælpe hinanden, hvis der opstår behov, som vi ikke kan forudse lige nu og bytte rundt med ting alt efter, hvor der bliver brug for dem.

Når vi alle en gang er på plads, ryger alt overskydende ud ved enten salg, foræring eller til en genbrugsforretning.

Jeg har flere gange været ved at skille mig af med tingene, men synes, det ville være lodret dumt, når vi nu er så tæt på. Det har vi dog følt, at vi har været i flere år, for denne renovation kom på tale første gang i 2006 og var planlagt til at være færdig sidste år. Men nu kører den over de næste 3 år.

Så det er så spændende, at det nu endelig er kommet i gang, selv om det kun kan gå for langsomt!

Jeg bor øverste etage ved det helt sorte vindue og vinduerne ud til højre i bygningen
I live on the top floor with the window, which looks totally black and the windows to the right in the building.

When I constantly tell that I am in control of my stuff, I have to make a confession.

I have stuff in my basement, which aren't in use. Normally I don't keep thing, which I 'might need some day', but this stuff I don't do anything about right now.

Even though my inner core screams!

All flats in this 'settlement' are going to be renovated, and we don't know anything about, how they are going to look. The drawings we have seen are from 2010, and that is quite some years ago. At the same time the knowledge about the conditions of the buildings are getting exposed, so the budget has been cut several times. We, who are going to live here, do not know a lot.

The Favorite Family and I are in the same position. We are going to move out of our flats, going to be rehoused for a while during renovation, and after that we are going to be relocated in other renovated flats, which aren't the ones, we live in now! We are going to move twice!

So we have agreed to help each other if needs, which we cannot foresee pop up, and switch around with our stuff, where it is needed.

When we all are, where we are going to stay, all excess stuff will go one way or another.

I have several times been very close to just get rid of things, but now I think that it would be stupid, now we are so close. Which we actually have felt for several years, because this renovation was planned in 2006 and expected to be finished last year. But now it will run over a period of the next 3 years.

So it is so exciting, that something finally is happening - even though I really impatient!

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Når ting går i stykker - When Things Break

Jeg havde en interessant dag i går! Jeg levede op til, at når ting i hjemmet begynder at gå i stykker, så går der 3 ting!

Først gik mit strygejern i stykker. Det er oldgammelt, og nu kunne det ikke mere.
Så smadrede jeg en skål. Det gjorde nu ikke så meget, for den var ikke særlig pæn.

Men jeg er i gang med at istandsætte en dukkevugge, som jeg fik som barn, og jeg har vasket alt sengetøjet til den, og så skulle jeg lige vaske en pude. Men det skulle jeg ikke have gjort, for den var fyldt med vat - og den gik i stykker. Ved I, hvordan en trevlesi så ser ud? For ikke at tale om hvordan det lyder, når pumpen er pakket ind i vat? Hvis ikke, så skal jeg fortælle jer det. Det lyder som en tekniker! Han kommer heldigvis på fredag, og så får jeg omfanget af skaden at vide.

Men det var så den 3. ting, så nu håber jeg, at der ikke kommer mere.

Men pyt - det er kun ting.

To ud af de tre ødelagte ting - Two out of the three ruined things

I had an interesting day yesterday! The saying about that when something breaks in a home, three things will break within a short time. Well, that's is true.

At first my iron gave up. It was good, but really old, and now it didn't want to be around any longer.
Then I broke a bowl. It doesn't matter much, because it wasn't very nice looking anyway.

But I am having a project going with my old dolls cradle, which I had as a child, and I have washed all the bed linen, and then I was going to wash a pillow. I probably shouldn't have done that, because it was filled with cotton - and it broke. Do you know, what the filter looks likes then? Not to mention how the water pump sounds, when wrapped in cotton? If not, then I am going to tell you. It sounds like calling the repair guy. Luckily he comes on Friday, and then I will know the extent of the damage.

So that was the third thing, and now I hope that it is over.

But who cares - they are all just things.

Monday, May 14, 2018

Manglende minimalist-inspiration - Missing Minimalist Inspiration

For et stykke tid siden skrev jeg, at det er blevet sværere for mig at skrive om minimalisme, og her i formiddag er det gået op for mig hvorfor. Jeg møder ingen inspiration i mit eget hjem mere.

I dag er det en dejlig sommerdag, og jeg skal ud senere. Men jeg ville lige bruge den kølige formiddag til at stryge mit sengetøj. Da jeg havde gjort det, tænkte jeg på, om der var andet, der skulle gøres. Det var der. Mine sneakers skulle renses. Pudderfarvede sneaker på flyrejse med små børn er ikke pudderfarvede sneakers, når man kommer hjem! Hvorfor står børn egentlig altid på ens fødder? :-) Men de blev også ordnet, og køkkenet blev lige ryddet. Og hvad så?

Der var ikke mere!

Fordi jeg ikke mere møder ting i mit hjem, som jeg er i tvivl om, hvad jeg skal gøre ved, eller henliggende projekter der venter på, at jeg får tid.

Derfor er det blevet sværere at skrive om at downsize, og derfor bad jeg om input fra jer om, hvad I gerne vil høre mere om.

Jeg har tid til at gøre, hvad jeg har lyst til.


A while ago I wrote, that it has become harder to write about minimalism, and this morning I realized why. I meet no inspiration in my own home any more.

Today is a wonderful summer day, and I am going out later. But I just wanted to iron my bed linen, before the temperature goes up. When I had done that, I thought about what else to do. My sneakers needed a damp cloth. Powder colored sneakers on a plane trip with kids are not powder colored sneakers, when you get home! Why do children always stand on your feet? :-). But they got fixed, and the kitchen was done. And so what?

Nothing!

Because I no longer meet things in my home, which I am in doubt what to do about, or projects waiting for me to get time to fix them.

So I don't meet new projects in my home. That's why it has become harder to write about minimalism, and that is why, I asked for your input, about what you want to hear more about.

I have time to do, what I want.

Friday, May 11, 2018

Nu er jeg på instagram - I am on Instagram

Ja, som så mange andre har jeg nu meldt mig ind i Instagram klanen, så det er jo ikke den store sensation. Men jeg har overvejet det længe, og nu er det altså sket. Der er hele 6 feriefotos på! De er fra vores miniferie i Cordoba, hvor der var smukt og varmt!

Jeg har tøvet, fordi jeg ikke rigtig har den skarpeste plan om, hvordan jeg vil bruge den. Men jeg vil lægge nogle af de fotos op, som ikke er relevante for bloggen, da jeg fotograferer en del og længe har ønsket at offentliggøre dem.

Bloggen er  mit hjertebarn, og det er jo ikke helt i ånden af minimalisme at sprede sig, men det skal prøves!

Vær sød at give mig lidt tid til at komme i gang. Jeg er ny, men kig ind en gang imellem og kom gerne med kommentarer.

Jeg er på @kielnielsen.



Well, like so many others I have joined the Instagram tribe, so it is not that big a sensation. But I have considered it for a long time, and now it has happened. Now there is 6 holiday photos there from our mini holiday in Cordoba, where it was warm and beautiful!

I have be a bit hesitant about this, because I don't have the sharpest plan about, how I will use it. But I will post some of the photos I take, which aren't relevant for this blog, as I do take other kinds of photos and for a while have wanted to publish them.

I will still write this blog, which is close to my heart, and it isn't quite in the spirit of minimalism to spread yourself, but it has to be tried!

Please give me a bit of time to get started. I am new in this game. Take a look now and again and do comment, if you want to.

You can find me on @kielnielsen.

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Mini Holiday

I går startede vores mini-ferie. Favorit-familien og jeg tog afsted fra morgenstunden.

Flyet blev forsinket med 1 og en halv time, men rejsen gik godt alligevel, så der var intet at klage over. Det er jo ikke sjovt med forsinkelser, men det er godt, at alt bliver checket, hvis der er noget, der blinker eller
ikke blinker, som det skal eller ikke skal.

Efter en varm velkomst af de spanske familiemedlemmer og en sen aften var vi lidt sløve i morges, men vi kom da ud døren og har nydt denne skønne by og de 31 grader.

Vi er alle flade nu, de små sover, nogle af de store er ude og handle, og resten passer de små.

Så er vi klar til en god middag ude i aften. Ferie er godt!



Yesterday our mini holiday started. The Favorite Family and I started out in the morning.

The plane was one and a half hour late, but the travel went well anyway. Delays are no fun, but it is good that everything is being checked, when a light is blinking or not blinking as it should do or not do.

After a warm welcome from the Spanish family members and a late night, we were a bit slow this morning, but we finally got out of the door and have enjoyed this beautiful city and the 31 degreees C.

We are all a bit tired now, the little ones are taking a nap, some of the big ones are out shopping, and the rest of us are looking after the little ones.

Then we are ready to go out for a nice dinner later tonight. Holidays are good!

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Et liv med mere eller mindre - A Life with More or Less

For mange i den vestlige verden er at være rig eller fattig et spørgsmål om opfattelse. Med risiko for at havne i en såkaldt shitstorm vil jeg påstå, at det afhænger af, om man ønsker, hvad alle andre har, eller om man ønsker, hvad man har råd til - og accepterer det.

At have eje meget kan være et mål. Hvis det er den store villa på den rigtige adresse, de store biler, stor udskiftning af tøj og tilbehør, eksotiske rejser o. lign., så kræver det en stor indtægt. Med en stor indtægt følger ofte mange arbejdstimer, og dermed kommer presset, der følger med alle udgifterne, der skal betales hver måned. Det er helt fint.

At eje mindre kan også være et mål. At bo småt og/eller billigt, at have en lille bil eller ingen overhovedet, at have tøj og tilbehør af god kvalitet, der ikke behøver at blive skiftet ofte, at rejse med måde eller slet ikke, kan gøres for en mindre indtægt. En mindre indtægt kan skyldes færre arbejdstimer eller et arbejde, der ikke griber ind i fritiden. Og det er også helt fint.

Hvad der ikke er helt fint er, når mennesker, hvis livsforhold ændres, tror, at de kan fortsætte uden at ændre noget.

Når unge, der har boet hjemme uden at betale, fortsætter levestandarden uden at tage i betragtning, at de nu skal leve af en SU suppleret med et deltidsjob.
Når mennesker, der mister deres arbejde - for kortere eller længere tid - ikke sætter sig og beregner, hvad der er råd til og holder igen, mens situationen byder det.
Når ældre krampagtigt holder fast på dyre huse alt for længe og udhuler deres økonomi, når de går på pension, hvis den er mindre end lønindtægten tidligere har været - hvad den ofte er.

Der kunne være mange flere eksempler, men det drejer sig alt sammen om at erkende, hvad man har råd til lige nu. Situationen behøver ikke at være permanent, men hvis indtægten går ned, er det dumt ikke at nedsætte forbruget, så man ikke kommer til at stå med en masse gæld, når man kommer ovenpå igen.

Det samme gælder, hvis indtægten går op. Man behøver ikke med det samme at gå ud og købe hele indtægten væk. Sæt dig ned og tænk på, hvordan du gerne vil have det om 5 år og planlæg. Lad være med at drysse pengene væk.

Mange mennesker, hvis økonomi hænger i laser, kunne have haft god og stabil økonomi, hvis der var blevet gearet op eller ned, alt efter hvor mange penge, man har at råde over.

At have råd er ofte et spørgsmål om at ønske sig mindre - i hvert fald når det gælder materielle goder.


Man kan ikke både have kagen og spise den - You cannot eat the cake and have it at the same time!
Den er bagt af min vidunderlige underbo - It is made by the wonderful lady, who lives downstairs!

For many of us in the Western part of the world being rich or pour is a matter of perception. Risking running into a s...storm I will claim is a matter of, if you want, what everybody else have, or if you want, what you can afford - and that you can accept it.

To own a lot can be a goal. If the big villa has to be in the 'right' address, big cars, changing clothes and accessories constantly, exotic travels et cetera, the salary has to be high. With a high salary often comes lots of working hours and on top of that the pressure, which follow the expenses to be paid every month. That is quite OK.

To own less can also be a goal. To live in a small place, to have a small car or no car, to have clothes of good quality, which doesn't have to be changed often, to travel occasionally et cetera, can be done on a smaller salary. A smaller salary could be due to fewer working hours or a job, which doesn't take hours from your spare time. That is quite OK too.

What isn't OK, is, when people, who's living conditions change, think, that they can go on without changing anything.

When young people, who lived at home without contributing to the household expenses, continues to live as before, when they move out, without thinking about, that they have to live on a student job salary.
When someone loses their job - for a shorter or longer period - don't calculate, what they can afford and don't hold back, while the situation demands it.
When older people hold on to expensive houses much too long and therefore are digging into their economy, when they retire, and the pension is smaller than the previous income - which it often is.

There could be many more examples, but it is all about acknowledging, what you can afford right now. The situation doesn't have to be permanent, but if the income goes down, it is wise to decrease the spending, so you don't end up with a lot of debt, when you get back on your feet again.

The same goes, if you income goes up. You don't have to go out buying a lot of expensive stuff immediately. Sit down and calmly think about, where you want to be in 5 years. Don't throw good money out the window. Invest it in something lasting.

Lots of people, who's economy is hanging in a thread, could have had a stable and good economy, if they had 'geared' up or down, and they had accepted the amount of money, they actually had on hand.

To be able to afford thing is often a matter of wanting less - at least if you think about material stuff.