Buying things for Happiness

"But if a new care makes for a very happy wife, maybe the husband wouldn't be so grouchy"

I was told this on the WIR after I commented about how we know exactly what new to us vehicle we want that would be better for a new baby, we can't afford it right now. There were some other quotes in there going back and forth, but bottom lined remained the same. More money meant the ability to buy something to make your spouse happy. It wasn't a need. We have 2 working vehicles right now.

I think this a fundamental flaw in the thinking of a lot of people. You should never place your happiness in the ability or the position of an object. That new car won't last forever. If you had to buy something to make your spouse happy, how happy are you?

I'm not all zen or a minimalist, but I am trying not to put my worth and happiness in material possesions. Treasures on earth don't last. If you set yourself up to say that you will be happy once you have that new car, you will only be happy until you want the next new thing. Maybe I am just telling myself this to deal with what I can't have. But there are a lot of things in life I can't have. That is fine. I know I have the ability to be happy without them.

My other complaint is that I want to raise my children right. I want them to understand that hard work is worth it. That you can't always get what you want. What kind of example am I setting for them even before they are born if I don't follow that? I want to be the best mother I can be and I do believe part of that is not getting a new to us car right now. Sure it may not be trendy to follow this line of thinking, but this baby's daddy is going to get to stay home with her (or him, but I think it is a girl) and that is worth a lot more than being trending and having a new car.