grandkids

my hubby

dentures

eye glasses

debit card

wifi

smart phone

kindle

laptop

ability to walk very far

ability to drive

television

Loss of height.

Bad joints or thinning bones.

Deep wrinkles.

Shoes or sneakers designated as walking footwear.

A fit bit or any other step tracker.

Debit card, cell phone, kindle, ring doorbell, cable, Netflix, sports car, a dog, children, projection TV...

Husband

Alexa or similar -- perhaps someday if eyesight or fingers become impaired I'll join the voice-activated crowd but no thanks for now

Cats - not everyone has cat(s) but I so wish I wasn't allergic. Even our current two dogs like cats.

Grandkids

Credit card

Fancy cell phone

Fancy house

New or newish vehicle

Debt

Any disablities. for which I am grateful every day

Limited medication, many my age have a laundry list

Grandkids

New car every other year. Mine is a 2008. I'm keeping it till it dies or the heated seats give out.

A husband

The newest Iphone (never had one and wouldn't ever buy one)

an expensive designer dog (I have a lot of issues with this)

grandchildren (I do have a granddog and almost grandcat)

I certainly don't own a pair of white walking shoes!

I don't need reading glasses

I don't have dentures or partials

Sadly, no grandkids. And not likely at all to have any. ;{

I am 71. I too no longer have my husband :(. I also don't have any physical ailments other than copd from smoking for many years. It doesn't bother me much though and I don't use any medication for it. As for the electronics, I have no Alexa device and no Fitbit device

A desire to go shopping for fun.

A snow shovel

Husband

Vacation home at the beach

Grandkids

Botox or fillers

vacations (excluding this year)

sore back/ knees/ shoulders

grandkids

Prescriptions to take on a regular basis

A Consumer Cellular account (if we can believe the TV ads)

No debit card or cable TV ever

Apple products

I don't know of anyone my age (77) who has Alexa, but I do. I love it.

A dislike of cold and snow. I go with the flow and enjoy every day that I’m alive. If I can’t golf or garden, I bundle up and go for a walk, or ski, or skate, or ice fish....

no major physical ailments

no big loss of muscle tone

no cat

no deep wrinkles

Don’t have a lot of gray hair

no debt

Jim, that’s funny. I’ve never owned a snow shovel and don’t ever intend to buy one.

Probably a lot of things, many of which I am very thankful not to have.

Rusty

A love life

A social life

ATM card

Twitter account

Patience

A watch

A condo (hoping soon though)

Kids

I'm the same as many of you though I do like my cell phone and debit card.

I don't have and many of my peers do have/need:

Body pains

Prescription medications

Alexa type products

New car

Apple products

Dislike of snow/rain

Savings/owned home/retirement income

Me too; no now or future grandkids

Sleep disorder including sleep apnea

(Nearly everyone I know has sleep apnea.)

Cosmetic surgery or Botox

I sense an aversion that I don't understand, that some of you seem to express, concerning smartphones, debt and debit/credit/ATM cards.

Or am I misunderstanding the sentiments expressed?

Elmer, I think you're misunderstanding some of them, but probably not all. The fact that we don't have something doesn't necessarily mean we're averse to it. For example, if cable TV had been available where I live when I was raising my kids, I'm sure I would have gotten it. But it wasn't, so I never missed it.

I think others will agree that with many of the items there was no aversion involved; we're just content without them--or, in the case of physical ailments or prescription meds, grateful we don't have them.

I have a debit card and a credit card. I never use the debit card because I would rather keep my money in the bank as long as possible (to earn basically 0% but ohwell) and I do get cash back at the end of the year with the credit card.

Up until September when our house burned down I had never had a cellphone. When I'm out and about I really don't want to be disturbed by my DH or kids or friends. I have one now out of necessity but I do leave it at home when I go out. I also detest paying that much for a phone. My landline was bundled with my cable and cost $15. and my cellphone is $45.

Elmer we all reasons for not having certain things.

Sorry to hear about your house fire, I hope you're able to get your world back to normal in a reasonable time.

Yes, people often (not always) have reasons for what they do or don't do or have but they're not necessarily good ones. I was simply reflecting on what I sensed to be a surprising aversion to certain everyday things that so many people find to be useful to have.

Just as with the cell phone example - I carry it for me, not for others. When I don't want to get calls, I can turn it off or put it on airplane mode. It's there for my convenience and safety at all times. That's my spin, everyone can have their own. I find oftentimes people dislike or don't use tools when they don't know how to best use them. Nothing more.

I can't imagine my current life without a cell phone!! It goes everywhere with me. When out and about, I can easily ignore calls if I don't wish to answer them but as a single woman of advancing years, it is an absolute safety necessity to have that phone handy to call for help if and when needed.....car breakdown, if lost (no GPS in car) or if I encounter any personal difficulty. When I broke my ankle at the entry of my residence a few years ago, I was all by myself with no close neighbors and without my cell phone to call 911 for help, I could have laid there for hours!!

I even take my phone with me when I take my daily bath in case of any unforeseen issues with slipping or falling. It is my connection to the rest of the world!

I also would never be without my debit card, as I have no easy physical access to my bank and that's the way I access any cash needs.

I have wondered about the atm/debit card thing if the people do not have a bank account, tore up the debit card which is an atm card or do not understand what they have. Although my personal sample is small even the place I have a savings account with has sent me a debit card.

What I do not have is an older car that when something goes wrong and it will the repairs would cost as much as the car is worth.

gardengal - exactly. You get it.

You too, maifleur.

No prescriptions. Almost no gray hair. No fine lines on my face (at last I'm thankful for oily skin!) No Facebook account. No grandchildren...yet. No pets.

No debt, no grandchildren, no date for dinner

Here’s one that I’m getting and I like. Grey hair. It’s coming in just the way my mom’s did. A streak. At least it seems like it.

I don’t have any prescriptions I take regularly.

I like the smartphone. It’s a handy thing to have when out and about.

I’ve had a debit card for decades. I don’t how you’d function without one. I rarely handle cash or visit a physical bank. I can’t remember the last time I was in one. That’s the norm here. My kids laugh at me for having money in my wallet at all. Many places don’t even accept cash since covid. I haven’t written a cheque in years. When I go out and don’t want to carry a bag I just take my card and my phone.

I don't have:

a car

a television

dyed hair

any medical issues

grandchildren

Cell phone

Aches and pains

Difficulty sleeping

Pets, either dog or cat

Twitter account

Children

Divorce issues

Mortgage or rent payments

School or credit debt

A credit card or much a a credit score/history

Years ago there were fiscal problems, so out went the credit card use. Paid off the debts, which took more years. Through a lot of luck and planning got the house all paid for. Got a good car that does not have payments. Both my love and I had our first marriages young, and his kids are young adults now. Last few years have been just living off the money we make, no credit nothing. Paying the regular bills, and not making larger purchases that require installment payments. Being careful and frugal with what we got.

Most of the folks I know currently are still in the more swamped part with the debts and getting or paying for their homes and having car payments, student debt, getting married or divorced and those debts. A lot of people my age have older kids in school and college, and younger ones too.

Grandchildren and I love snow and the cold.

A job

Debt

Spouse

Disability

Health Issues

A grave. (I'm old)

Smart cell phone

More than one grandchild

I don’t have fear of new things or learning of new ways of doing things.

anti depressants

A mortgage.

Debt

Thinning hair

Much dental work

Children or grandchildren

Health issues

To each his or her own,we all don't agree on the same necessities,toys or whatever it may be.It's such a shame that some on here have to ALWAYS ridicule,correct and or try to act like their a professional at everything and a authority on every subject.

I found this thread interesting and maybe helpful in getting a perspective.

I didn't find it judgemental at all. I think most people are basically explaining why they feel something is important to them or not.

It started me thinking and I am fixating that I think I have no apple products at all. I did have an ipod way back when but I have not recollection of what happened to it. ( Uh oh.... can't remember!)

"I didn't find it judgemental at all. I think most people are basically explaining why they feel something is important to them or not."

Yes, of course. Sometimes some people fnd it necessary to lash out at others who may have something or know something they don't. To discredit the other person in their own mind. Call it a needless defense mechanism in situations when no defense is needed.

An AARP card or a roadside assistance like AAA.

Husband

Children

Grandchildren

Debt

Paid Television Service

Cell Phone Service - have Apple iPhone 6 but only use it on home Internet (personally don't feel the need to be connected when I leave the house) Use it mostly for taking pictures and videos

Car - never learned to drive

Prescription Meds