I ran across a good article in the Christian Science Monitor about Finland and happiness with a lack of consumerism that spoke to the fan of frugality in me:
What Finland can teach America about true luxury
Finns value time and solitude – along with a high quality of life for all citizens.
New York – What is true luxury? Just when I thought I’d settled on my answer – a flat-screen TV the size of Kansas and a leather-upholstered car that can travel at triple the speed limit – I made several visits to Finland. Shortly after my return the financial crisis hit. Finland has been on my mind ever since. In these hard times, we could learn a few things about luxury from the Finns.