I Want A Bigger House But I’m Not Going To Buy One: Here’s Why

August 21, 2019

My name is Money Hacking Mama and I want a bigger house. It’s been one week since I last looked at houses on realtor.com. I think I have a problem, but this is how I’m going to deal with it.

My husband and I bought a great house in 2012 when we were in our early 20s and were making considerably less than we make now. But it’s not our dream home. The kitchen is small and we love to cook. The dining room is small and I’d like to entertain more. The floor plan isn’t as open and modern as I would like.

I want a bigger house. I’m ready for an upgrade.

But rather than jump into a major life decision like buying a bigger house at what I believe to be the height of the housing market, I’m trying to think differently and ask questions about my new desire.

Questions like: why do I want a bigger house and where is this desire coming from?

And some interesting things are coming up…

First of all, I realized that I’ve been following an Instagram blogger that is renovating a beautiful mansion in Florida. She is creating my dream home. I’m jealous. I want her life.

But do I really?

I have to remind myself that looks are deceiving and remind myself to keep asking questions.

Questions like:

Who is going to clean that giant house, and if it’s not her, how much is that cleaning person going to charge?
How much is it going to cost to cool and heat that home?
Will she ever be able to retire?

I also have a friend of mine who is looking for a house. She’ll get really excited, as she should, about putting offers in on beautiful homes that are twice as big as mine. It makes me want what she’s looking at too.

But then I have to remind myself that I don’t want to work until I die, and I already spend very little time at home. Again, I have to remind myself to keep asking questions.

Questions like:

How much longer would it take me to retire if my mortgage cost $600,000-$700,000?
How much more interest would I pay with that big of a loan?
Do I need a big house when I’m rarely home to enjoy it?
More importantly, what would I have to give up to be able to afford that? Vacations? Time with my son?

These questions help me keep my jealous consumerist competitive driven ego in check.

Because I’m sure I’ll need this in the future, here’s why I love my current home (please remind me of this if I try to buy a giant house in this inflated market):

It’s cozy and the perfect size for us
It is fully furnished and decorated the way I like
It functions well
The efficient size keeps our utilities low and helps us save for our big goal of early retirement
Small closets remind me to Kon Marie my house and get rid of things that don’t bring me joy
We have a low monthly payment and a low-interest rate
Those factors allow us to save a lot for my big goals like early retirement
A humble home will help us raise our son to not be an entitled brat
A humble home will keep our egos in check

I’m happy for the blogger building her (my) dream home and I’m happy for my friend who is buying her first home that will be much more beautiful and larger than mine. Our goals and dreams are different so I’m going to support them on their journey to achieve their goals and I’m going to gratefully continue down the path that I’m on as well.

What about you? Are you struggling with wanting a bigger house as well?

Rachel Jimenez

Rachel Jimenez is passionate about personal finance, passive income, and positive psychology. She is known for being a top digital product seller on Etsy, and loves sharing side hustle and money tips so people can reach financial independence and live the life of their dreams.

Graduation cap resting on U.S. dollar bills representing how to pay for college through savings, scholarships, investing, and financial planning

How to Pay for College: Smart Money Strategies for Parents

Here’s the truth most parents avoid until it’s way too late: College is insanely expensive. And not “wow, textbooks are pricey” expensive. I’m talking: Now multiply that by two or three kids. Yikes. The problem is most parents don’t start thinking seriously about college until high school… when the financial runway is already dangerously short. But here’s the good news: You do not need to be rich to prepare well. You just need to start early, think strategically, and understand the game better than the average family. As a self-made millionaire, money hacker, and someone deeply passionate about financial freedom,

Dripping outdoor faucet symbolizing money leaks and small expenses adding up over time.

10 ‘Invisible’ Money Leaks That Keep Middle-Class Families Stuck

I didn’t grow up with a lot of money. And I sure as hell didn’t become a millionaire because I nailed every financial move from day one. I used to wonder why I was working so hard yet never actually getting ahead. I had the degree, the job, the side hustle… and still felt broke. Looking back, I wasn’t failing because I didn’t earn enough. I was failing because my money was leaking out of my life like someone had taken a power drill to my bank account. The wealthy talk a lot about compounding, investing, and strategy.What they don’t

Female artist painting on a canvas in her studio, representing side hustles for creatives turning art into income.

5 Undeniable Side Hustles for Creatives Who Want to Get Paid Now

If you’re a creative, chances are you’ve been told this line at least once: “You’re so talented… You should totally sell this!” But here’s the thing: turning your creativity into cash doesn’t have to mean starving artist vibes, selling out, or waiting for your big break. You can get paid now, on your terms, with your talent, using side hustles that fit your lifestyle and your artistic brain. Here are 5 undeniable side hustles for creatives that are simple to launch, scalable, and actually fun to do. 1. Sell Your Designs with Print-on-Demand Sites Why it works:You design it once,

Woman peacefully sleeping in bed, representing lazy ways to build wealth through passive income and automated investing.

10 Lazy Ways to Build Wealth (That Actually Work Better Than Hustling Hard)

Let’s get one thing straight: I’ve done the “grind until your eyes twitch” version of making money. It made me money, sometimes. It also made me tired, puffy, and irritable. But here’s the plot twist nobody on Instagram wants to admit: A lot of people get wealthy by being strategically lazy, not manically productive. Yes, I said lazy. And before you click away in disapproval, let me define it: Lazy = choosing the option that makes money without requiring your soul, sanity, or 24/7 effort. This is the stuff wealthy people do quietly, consistently, and often with less effort than