July 20, 2025
In the past, I always chuckled when I saw neighbors meticulously washing their cars every single Sunday. I never understood the devotion some people have for their vehicles. To me, a car is simply a tool for transportation. I use it to get from A to B. Why should I care if it's shiny when I don't view it as a status symbol? I cleaned my previous car exactly once: the day before selling it. Sure, cars get dirty, but as long as the interior doesn't resemble a rubbish dump, why bother?
Overall, I dislike buying new stuff and owning many things. Material goods don't mean much to me. Instead, I strive to own as little as possible. Admittedly, I'm not great at this, but I try. This minimalist mindset offers many benefits, but it has one drawback: I tend to neglect the condition of items because I don't value them highly. Since they're "just things," I often don't care much when something deteriorates or becomes unsightly. This applies to cars as well as other possessions.
Since getting my new car, I've made an effort to clean it more frequently. "More frequently" currently means once a year, but even this minimal effort makes a noticeable difference.
Taking the time to give my car a wash actually makes me enjoy using it more. This simple act creates a positive ripple effect as I begin to value it just a tad more. This increased appreciation also makes me more careful with it, which might extend its lifespan and ultimately reduce both environmental impact and my costs.
I'm happy not to care too much about possessions and actively want to reduce the number of things I own. However, taking good care of what I do have to extend their lifespan and delay replacement is the other part of the frugality equation I need to improve on. Washing my car is a step in that direction.