"Weekends often revolved around errands, shopping trips, paid activities, and $10-a-piece "treats" for the kids to make the grind feel worth it. We'd wander around big-box stores without needing anything or kill an afternoon in the mall when the weather wasn't nice (which in Alberta is several months of the year). We'd eat out or order in because we were tired after a long day of work and commuting."
"None of it felt excessive at the time. It just felt normal. But it also meant that a lot of our time together centered on consumption. Always buying something, driving somewhere, filling space and time with things that didn't matter. Our schedules were full, yet it often felt like we were ships passing each other in the night rather than actually being together."
A family of four relocated from Calgary to Nelson, British Columbia, in 2017 and downsized possessions and spending as a side effect. The move eliminated habits of frequent purchasing and accumulation by making some routines impossible. Previously, weekends revolved around errands, shopping trips, paid activities, and small treats, with mall visits in bad weather and meals eaten out after long commutes. Children were enrolled in activities partly due to social pressure. Schedules were full yet interactions felt disconnected. After the relocation, the family's pace slowed, consumption declined, and time together became more present and connected.
Read at Business Insider
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