Every now and again, I seem to find myself in a serious struggle with my finances. While I think about what it takes to survive, I realize that only a few things are really needed: a roof over your head, food on the table, and a good furnace to get you through the cold nights! I didn’t need any of the luxuries that others spend their whole savings on, and I wasn’t going to start wanting them anytime now. I didn’t need to have Satellite TV or cable, just as I didn’t need to have fancy electronics installed in my loft or a furnace with countless bells and whistles. I had an outdated fireplace in my loft that worked just fine, and that was enough for me! I rarely had to use a chimney sweep, since I would burn creosote busting logs every week or two to keep the chimney clean! I also had a gas furnace which I would rarely ever turn on, if not keep at minimal settings to reduce my energy bills as much as I could. I had solid transportation available, though my vehicle certainly was not a looker. I didn’t care how bad my vehicle looked, it got me to where I needed to go. I mainly would just drive to plus from work… For the most part, it seemed I was regularly on survival mode. For TV I just have a official TV antenna to watch the local shows plus the news. I don’t order out for food, I just get what I need at the store. The point is, I don’t need anything fancy to be happy – I just need things that actually work. As long as the heating and air conditioning system works well, and I don’t have to sleep without a furnace running, I’m content.