“What is your ideal lifestyle?”
My wife and I looked at each other and shrugged.
“Read,” she said.
“Read and write,” I said.
“Preferably in a hammock somewhere,” she added.

Our financial advisor looked at us like we had three heads. It wasn’t the answer he was expecting and we all had a good laugh about it. All things considered, I already feel I’m living an extravagant lifestyle.

We like to equate luxury and extravagance by comparing ourselves to others, feeling that happiness is “what they have.” However, we live in a world where almost anything can be accessible.

Flying to an exotic location in a moment’s notice sounds wonderful, but flying there when you have the means is still a worthwhile venture. Who knows? When you get there, you may find that it isn’t quite what you were expecting.

Young people spend a lot of time backpacking around the world without a limitless bank account to support it. They’ve found ways to make it work.

Others I know own luxury cars that are several years old, but are still in excellent shape. They may not be the newest and greatest, but they still have the prestige the person was looking for with all the bells and whistles they wanted.

I have a friend who likes the experience of going out to restaurants, but doesn’t have the big budget to do it often. Him and his spouse came up with a solution to eat dinner at home, then go to a restaurant for dessert. They still get the experience without all the spending.

An extravagant lifestyle is within the reach of anyone if they’re willing to find the means within their world to achieve it. You don’t always have to hold the merit and lifestyle of others as something to compare against.

Keep it simple and focused.