Hi David,
I agree with most of what you said except the part about needing health insurance. What will you do if something really tragic happens to yourself or a member of your family. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis a couple years ago and without the insurance my life would be not worth living. Without the health insurance I would not get the expensive medications I need to live a relatively decent life and hopefully not become a complete burdeon on my family or society.
I live well below my means, live very frugally, grow much of my own food, unfortunately do have a
mortgage but am paying it off very quickly, but in the event of no health insurance I will soon become unable to do any of the above and at under 60 years old may be totally dependent on someone else to take complete care of me. At least living in the US, it is a necessity to have health insurance unless you don't mind the government telling you what you can and cannot get as far as medical treatment.