I guess he didn't teach english and grammar.:p

I live way more frugal than the rest of my family. I like to hang my clothes out to dry. My family likes the dryer cause it removes all the lint and the clothes don't come out stiff. I use my bicycle. My family don't own their own... wait. My son owns one. It's collecting dust. I drink water from the tap like they did in the 80's. My family insists on buying bottled water by the case. We need 4 cases per week here. At least were not much for pop drinkers which I think is rare in the United States.
One day they'll come around,but I live my life to please them. My frugality is my choice,but man have I saved a lot of money.
I RARELY drive now. In fact,I think the last time I drove was two weeks ago.

I prefer clothes dried on the line, try using a 1/4-1/2 cup of white vinegar in the final rinse on the washer, it will help soften the clothes up.

I don't like the flavor of tap water and chlorinated water when heated for coffee has a bitter taste to it. I use a filter pitcher or filter on the tap to clear that up. No bottled water for me! We do keep a bit on hand for emergencies (ice storms, hurricanes, etc)

Aaron:)

Vinegar. I'll try that. THANKS WAHOONC!!

+1!
Everyone thinks I'm crazy for drinking tap water. We have good water here! (Denver) I didn't even think of that as part of living simply, but it's true... I hate purchasing something that comes out of my sink and drinking fountains for free, and I hate buying a disposable container for something that I carry three reusable bottles for on my bike ride.

And, my family also thinks I'm crazy for willingly going without things they use (like a car.)

I try to set an example for my kids and it hasn't worked.
Some day when the world will close in on them they will know.
They will know.
Until then,I will smirk.
I will smirk!

I almost lived this when I toured for three months on my bicycle in Australia a few years ago. For three months I lived out of two panniers, a trunk bag, and a handlebar bag ...... and interestingly, they contained everything I needed during that time. It was a very eye-opening and freeing experience learning how little I could live with, and still be comfortable.

Apologies if this quotation is a repeat (I haven't had time to read everything on this thread) but it's one of my favorites:

"My riches consist not in the extent of my possessions, but in the fewness of my wants."
- J. Brotherton

Need less.

i dont own a car, furniture, cd's, tv / appliances.

i do own a futon, clothes, books, laptop, bike.

i cook most all my meals.

i am 100% debt free.

i own a 'pay as you go' phone.

i dont flush the toilet if i take a piss.

i bag my groceries in my mess bag.

i buy a pair of shoes when my current pair are fubar'd.

i dont use / own an air conditioner.

etc, etc.

Or there's cynical, jaded and bitter adult life. How's that working for you, old dude?

I don't go for all the communal stuff, but I sure wish I had a couple neighbors who wanted to go in on a bike trailer. I can't see buying one for myself, since I'd only use it a couple times a year, and I can get along without it. But it would be nice to own a share in a trailer, so I could use it when I want it.

I suppose that sounds pretty juvenile and radical to you. I guess stretching your dollars by cooperating with others is just too "new age" for an old age cyclist like you.

I just finished reading the full thread.
 

It took me two or three days, but I read it all. With the exception of a few trolls, it's by far one of the most interesting threads I've ever read online. Great discussion, folks. I registered just to be able to add my two cents.

I've been gradually trying to simplify my life, with various degrees of success. At the start of college, I took at least two big cases and my guitar over, and for the first two years of travel, I'd lug one of the cases back and forth when flying home--along with my guitar. It was ridiculous. I got tired of it, and started traveling just with my guitar and backpack. I never owned a TV (can't stand commercials), and I never had a need for it. I graduated this past spring, and threw/gave away everything I couldn't fit into my guitar case, one large case, and my backpack. Even with that, I still came in over the weight limit in my luggage case, and paid at least $50 in fines when flying back home. In reflection, I'd have been better off mailing the clothes instead of trying to carry them with me all the way to the airport (it was hell dragging it until I found a taxi) and paying a fine due to the weight.

Now I'm at home, and I've spent some time trying to get rid of all the junk in my room. I've also pulled out most of my clothes and sorted them (sweaters, jeans, shorts, etc) in a visible place, so I can get an idea of how much I have. I'm heading to grad school in the fall, and I want to keep things simple. Ideally, I'll only take a few sets of clothes (maybe five sweaters, five jeans, five shorts, etc), my guitar, my ukelele, and my backpack (which will include my laptop). Oh, and the textbooks I've bought for the first semester of the program. That's it.

When I get there--to my apartment--I'll pick up a mattress, a microwave, a ground fan, and perhaps a wireless router. I'll also try to get a bike; I've decided not to get a car. Throughout college, I either walked or took public transportation to gt wherever I needed to go; 99% of the time, I got around on foot. Hope to do the same in school, but if that's not possible, I'll gladly get a bike before looking into a car. We have several run down ones here at home, and if there's room, I might try to squeeze one into my parents' van for when we drive to the campus. If that doesn't work, I'll do my best to get one over there.

Anyway, part of what simplicity means to me is having fewer things I don't need. I've spent too much of my life lusting after things, and it would be great to move past that. Stuff can't bring lasting happiness; that comes from being around people, and doing things truly meaningful to you. I realize if I'm lucky enough to find someone to spend the rest of my life with, I might have to compromise on many things (like television). Those are compromises I'd be willing to make, if needed. But right now, I'm single, and I'd like to see what it's like to live freely from being controlled by my wants, as so many people seem to be these days. Keeping up with the Joneses is a losing proposition, and companies spend billions annually convincing us we can find fulfillment in material objects instead of through each other. But I don't think we can. At either rate, I was very happy to find a thread like this when browsing google, and glad to read about people's experiences pursuing simplicity, and coming to terms with what such a way of living means to each of us. Keep this thread up, guys!

Welcome, uke, and good luck in grad school. What field will you be in?

I hope you read some of the other stuff here and we can convince you to use a bike!

:)

Thanks, Roody! I'll be in child psychology. Not sure how it'll turn out, but hopeful. And yes, I'd love to use a bike to get around there. It was only through reading this forum I found out people actually had to pay monthly insurance on cars owned. In addition to gas, that's just another reason to try alternate transportation if possible. It looks like the biggest obstacle will be navigating roads with traffic (or sidewalks with pedestrians). I'll see how it looks when I get to the area.

College campuses are usually bike friendly. I went to grad school (also psych) at Michigan State and I still live near there. There are thousands of bikes on campus, and extensive bike paths, combined with bike lanes on most roads. Watch out for bike theft and vandalism. They're common on campuses.

Do you think you'll live on- or off-campus?

well, roody, you live in lansing. not so far from our grand rapids... what kind of trailer do you want to split up?

Yeah, I'm going to get a u-lock and hope for the best. This is part of why I don't want an expensive bike; I want to know I could replace it after a brief period of mourning, rather than feeling as if I'd gambled away my life savings. I'll be living off-campus, but no more than a couple of miles, so it wouldn't be more than a fifteen minute ride on smaller streets. :O)

In my town (Peachtree City, GA) you can go anywhere on the cartpath system. Originally it was called the bikepath system, but most people use a golf cart. But there are tons of bikes who use it too. Every single neighborhood, school, church, business, etc. is on the system.

Ever see a bike or golfcart in a drivethrough? You will here.

Our path system is independent from the roads. Only the true roadbikes are going out on the highway. Everyone else uses the path system.

And, yes, they're paved and smooooooth (except a couple rough spots here and there).

In most of Georgia they came up with a solution for bikes and cars. No, they didn't build bike lanes or widen the roads.

They put up thousands of signs that say, "Share the road." :rolleyes:

After graduating, I plan on spending a year interning in Chicago before getting into college. I'll live with a roommate or 2 and anything that doesn't fit into a small moving van is left home. The car is being sold to my dad who will love twice the gas mileage in addition to his bike. Right now, I see taking 2 bikes, clothing, my home theater & equipment rack (biking and movies are passions 1 and 2), laptop, Zune, and some of my cooking gear. The more I realize it, that's about all I ever use. Even then I guess I live fairly complex compared to some of you guys.

I'm not living as simply as I was, mainly because I have moved across a large portion of Canada from Banff Alberta to Guelph Ontario. I left behind a tiny apartment and a good 25% of my stuff, bought a pickup, and moved with my boyfriend. Now, the truck is for sale, my boyfriend and I are in a larger apartment, and I drive too much, mostly to work and back. Most of the important stuff is within walking and biking distance, though, so I intend to be more active as soon as posible.

Ah yes, the head of transportation in my town stated that we have four, count them, four miles of share the road "facilities". :lol: He was bragging, btw.

Traffic signs that say "share the road" are about as effective as those "Slow, children at play" signs in neighborhoods.


Ever notice the "no littering" and "no loitering" signs are in the various places where it's the biggest problem? That would seem to make sense, but it still doesn't solve the problem.

Well I just finished with page 9 (still in 2006) and will pick up where I left off some time soon. This is one of the most interesting threads I've stumbled upon.

I believe we do not have as much control over our lives as we think, and things happen or are allowed to happen for a reason. I've personally been up and down, over and out as the song goes. We do not own anything our possessions own us. An $80,000 investment turning into $600,000 in 30 years is great. May lightening never strike.

I and a partner once made an unbelievable amount of money, in a relatively short amount of time, not being very materialistic, we really didn't know what to do with it. He suggested investing in "x" because of what "x" was going for at that time, that's exactly what he did with his portion. I disagreed because no matter what "expert" or "book" tells you something is worth the most important factor is finding the person willing to pay that amount. I invested my portion in cash and gold, only because I'm a numismatist.

Here's my take, the only thing we really own is this moment, we can only hope for more.

Another thing, ya can't take it with ya.

It may be anti-American to say but we as Americans are a spoiled, arrogant mix of people. I Love this country so much so I volunteered for Vietnam twice. By the way we didn't loose that war, we simply left.

Wanna get rich quick, count your blessings.

Apologies IBarna if I got us off track again.

I live pretty simply is comparison to most on this thread. I can fit most of what I own in the truck of a small car. The only bulky things are my collection of books and movies (I dont watch TV) which you can pry from my cold, lifeless hands. However, I just graduated college as well and am off to South East Asia for 2 years to work with the peace corps, then to grad school. I have to get rid of everything i own, save a couple boxes of movies/books that a friend is watching for me. I dont want to pay for 2 years of storage fees for the small amount of crap I own! Also, I am getting rid of my bike which I have no room for. I am considering buying a bike in Asia and doing some touring, maybe bring ti back with me if I like it! That would be cool to have some crazy Chinese bike no one has ever heard of! :)