What Do You Really Need…Ask the 'Jerk' Steve Martin

If you are new to this blog, you may not know that I started downsizing in 2005.  I was blogging about it.

I was not downsizing my risk, just shifting dollars spent ‘conspiculously’ to dollars invested.  The final chapters are long from written, but I am happy with these choices.  If the ‘Web is not Dead’ I will be fine.  So will you if you know how to leverage it.  My family’s standard of living has improved meteorically in the right ways.  We have less of everything except bikes.  There is still much waste and I imagine more withdrawls than deposits, but I live in California for chrissakes….quit judging!

There is a renewed and somewhat useless ‘meme’ circulating our financial blogosphere about whether housing prices are too high.  That is no longer the proper context for an argument.  Housing was a cultural phenomenon. It’s cooked.  It was a lie and a sham.  Timing the end made a few risk freaks some coin, but who cares already.

The real bull market is in everything else.  ‘Less is truly more’ for the Companies that sell you less.  Lower hassle, less stuff, less weight, less style.

Watch the GREAT Steve martin in the final scene of The Jerk:

I will recreate that scene for you when I build the perfect list for late 2010.

All I need is :

My Bike

My $CROX

My $nflx

My iPad

My Rental Home

…Chime in please in the comments and let’s redo this classic scene for 2010.

36 comments

  1. Anonymous says:

    Yes. Less is more. Big trend that many will adopt out of necessity and because this viewpoint will become increasingly fashionable (reaction towards “bling” 2000s). All I need are:

    Family, loved ones.

    Twitter

    Stocktwits (plug!)

    Blog, internet access

    My fly rod…

    …and this thermos.

  2. FinanceTrends says:

    Yes. Less is more. Big trend that many will adopt out of necessity and because this viewpoint will become increasingly fashionable (reaction towards “bling” 2000s). All I need are:

    Family, loved ones.

    Twitter

    Stocktwits (plug!)

    Blog, internet access

    My fly rod…

    …and this thermos.

  4. pk de cville says:

    Howard,

    Thanks. This is a very great reminder to everyone to slow down and smell the REAL roses.

    You’re making a big difference for your family and friends.

    When the going gets tough, some people lead with wisdom.

    Regards,

  6. Vozorth says:

    all I need is my call spread on UUP to come in, thats all I need, and my straddle on NVDA, I dont need anything else…except maybe my deep out of the money put on TBT, and and my call leaps on RMBS…wait, what…..MY NEW TONY ROBBINS DVD IS HERE!!! and my GLD calls….thats all I need.

  7. Dudemeyer says:

    Funny stuff. Less is more, thats for shore. The only other thing I need are my skis. And a toothbrush.

  10. pk de cville says:

    Howard,

    Thanks. This is a very great reminder to everyone to slow down and smell the REAL roses.

    You're making a big difference for your family and friends.

    When the going gets tough, some people lead with wisdom.

    Regards,

  12. Mark Essel says:

    I’m downsizing my dayjob so classified ads can be shrunk into a map pip (garagedollars Phoenix stage).

    Unfortunately, my bank account, house and dogs may also be downsized. Hope my marriage doesn’t downsize ;)

  14. Vozorth says:

    all I need is my call spread on UUP to come in, thats all I need, and my straddle on NVDA, I dont need anything else…except maybe my deep out of the money put on TBT, and and my call leaps on RMBS…wait, what…..MY NEW TONY ROBBINS DVD IS HERE!!! and my GLD calls….thats all I need.

  15. Dudemeyer says:

    Funny stuff. Less is more, thats for shore. The only other thing I need are my skis. And a toothbrush.

  27. Mark Essel says:

    I'm downsizing my dayjob so classified ads can be shrunk into a map pip (garagedollars Phoenix stage).

    Unfortunately, my bank account, house and dogs may also be downsized. Hope my marriage doesn't downsize ;)

  28. John Kai says:

    I really look forward to your posts. You have a knack for putting it all in a very common sense perspective. Keep writing.

  29. John Kai says:

    I really look forward to your posts. You have a knack for putting it all in a very common sense perspective. Keep writing.

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