How simply do you live?
#1426
Pedaled too far.
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I just wish I could find one of higher quality so it would last longer.
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"He who serves all, best serves himself" Jack London
#1427
Sophomoric Member
No car, and I bought my home for $4500 cash. So bills consist of property taxes (@1700 a year/12 months = $142 a month), Edison which is about the same for heat, electricity and cooking fuel, cable/cel phone (my biggest bill @ $160 a month) so my bills are LESS than $500/month. My employer has contracts with Ford Motor Company for multimedia support and almost every Ford facility I work at is LESS than 8 miles from my house. Even in wet and cold the ride is rarely unbearable. I own almost no "hard copies" of anything, instead everything is digital. My partner and I grocery shop almost everyday so there are rarely "perishables" on hand. We have a washing machine but no dryer... In summer we line dry outdoors, most things take a MAX of 12 hours and in the winter we hang things up on a line downstairs under the main duct for the furnace. Monthly payments are the bane of my existence and the taxes I pay are relatively high, BUT I think it's a SMALL price to pay for so much economic freedom... I should add that I buy most things second-hand and even my bike is a 1974 Schwinn Le Tour...
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"Think Outside the Cage"
#1428
Senior Member
iBarna is a man after my own heart.
#1429
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#1430
Pedaled too far.
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I assume since you mention that you are using like a coleman or Ozark Trail mattress? A couple to look at, which would be from backpacking company with the premise that they are higher quality simply because are made to either be able to be transported and still good or the luxury of car camping. The first a more car camping and like mini mattress would be the NeoAir Dream. Granted anything, especially the Neo Air camper/trekker would be good for a more traditional air mattress. Also you could do something as simple like the LuxuryMap/Basecamp. They also have more moveable, light cots that may be a good option that would be easy to move. Another brand to look at would be Big Agnes, which has more traditional ridge mattresses (though made for backpacking), is another choice In the top right you can click to see all the pads they have. Hope these help.
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"He who serves all, best serves himself" Jack London
#1431
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#1432
The Rock Cycle
I assume since you mention that you are using like a coleman or Ozark Trail mattress? A couple to look at, which would be from backpacking company with the premise that they are higher quality simply because are made to either be able to be transported and still good or the luxury of car camping. The first a more car camping and like mini mattress would be the NeoAir Dream. Granted anything, especially the Neo Air camper/trekker would be good for a more traditional air mattress. Also you could do something as simple like the LuxuryMap/Basecamp. They also have more moveable, light cots that may be a good option that would be easy to move. Another brand to look at would be Big Agnes, which has more traditional ridge mattresses (though made for backpacking), is another choice In the top right you can click to see all the pads they have. Hope these help.
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Gunnar Sport
Specialized Ruby
Salsa Vaya Ti
Novara Randonee x2
Motobecane Fantom CXX
Jamis Dakar XCR
Gunnar Sport
Specialized Ruby
Salsa Vaya Ti
Novara Randonee x2
Motobecane Fantom CXX
Jamis Dakar XCR
#1433
Senior Member
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Location: I'm in Helena Montana again.
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"You never know what you have until it's gone, and I wanted to know what I had so I got rid of everything."
Steven Wright
If a sink hole opened up and swallowed everything you own, and you had an insurance policy that would cover 100% of the loss with money to replace everything, no matter how old or worn out it was, what would you do?
Steven Wright
If a sink hole opened up and swallowed everything you own, and you had an insurance policy that would cover 100% of the loss with money to replace everything, no matter how old or worn out it was, what would you do?
#1434
Senior Member
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"You never know what you have until it's gone, and I wanted to know what I had so I got rid of everything."
Steven Wright
If a sink hole opened up and swallowed everything you own, and you had an insurance policy that would cover 100% of the loss with money to replace everything, no matter how old or worn out it was, what would you do?
Steven Wright
If a sink hole opened up and swallowed everything you own, and you had an insurance policy that would cover 100% of the loss with money to replace everything, no matter how old or worn out it was, what would you do?
2. I'd replace my computer, about half my dishes, my bikes, clothes, and food. I would probably end up with about half of what I have now, and invest the rest of the money.
#1435
Membership Not Required
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: On the road-USA
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Move and buy a new (to me) vintage IGH bike.
I keep hopeing my lottery numbers will hit...
Aaron
I keep hopeing my lottery numbers will hit...
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
#1436
Newbie
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Hello
Hello everyone my name is Thomas. I’ve been reading through this thread for a while now and thought I would share my experience.
I first found out about minimalism and simple living from stumbling onto Leo Babuta’s Zen Habits blog. From there I found some other blogs that have also inspired me namely Becoming Minimalist by Joshua Becker and The Minimalists.
I am married with 2 kids and live in a fairly cluttered house, my family aren’t really into the simple living stuff and I respect that but I decided to pare down my own stuff.
I went from having a large triple wardrobe that was overflowing down over the space of a couple of years to a single chest of 6 drawers that comfortably hold everything I could ever need except of course for my bike!
I’m not allowed to drive as I have epilepsy so I commute everywhere by bike on my 29er hybrid. I own some work uniform a couple of changes of clothes, a laptop, a set of books, folder pencil case for my physics degree. I also have a small Buddhist shrine and a meditation mat. I have a kindle but may get rid of it as I’m reading more and more books for the library now, it’s just handy for the slightly more obscure titles you can’t get in the library.
My laptop doesn’t get much use, if it wasn’t for the university course software I have to have installed I figure I could easily manage using a local library or work for computer access. I got rid of my smartphone and am planning to keep a basic cell phone for emergencies.
I’ve never been happier and I really don’t see the need for any more possessions. I’m working to pay off what debt I have and just trying to enjoy life.
It’s great to meet a lot of likeminded people.
Thomas
I first found out about minimalism and simple living from stumbling onto Leo Babuta’s Zen Habits blog. From there I found some other blogs that have also inspired me namely Becoming Minimalist by Joshua Becker and The Minimalists.
I am married with 2 kids and live in a fairly cluttered house, my family aren’t really into the simple living stuff and I respect that but I decided to pare down my own stuff.
I went from having a large triple wardrobe that was overflowing down over the space of a couple of years to a single chest of 6 drawers that comfortably hold everything I could ever need except of course for my bike!
I’m not allowed to drive as I have epilepsy so I commute everywhere by bike on my 29er hybrid. I own some work uniform a couple of changes of clothes, a laptop, a set of books, folder pencil case for my physics degree. I also have a small Buddhist shrine and a meditation mat. I have a kindle but may get rid of it as I’m reading more and more books for the library now, it’s just handy for the slightly more obscure titles you can’t get in the library.
My laptop doesn’t get much use, if it wasn’t for the university course software I have to have installed I figure I could easily manage using a local library or work for computer access. I got rid of my smartphone and am planning to keep a basic cell phone for emergencies.
I’ve never been happier and I really don’t see the need for any more possessions. I’m working to pay off what debt I have and just trying to enjoy life.
It’s great to meet a lot of likeminded people.
Thomas
#1437
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
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Welcome Thomas. I keep wishing I had so few things. I realize I need more.
One change since moving into a rented room from a two bedroom apartment is my dinnerware. When I had my own apartment I could let dishes build up for a week by putting them into the dish washer and using it when it was full. Now that I don't have that ability I have adapted. I have one huge ceramic bowl and one metal pan to use for eating. If I cook something in a pot it gets dumped into the huge bowl. If I heat something in the oven I use a stainless steel cake pan for the cooking and eating. In the past I used pie pans that I had collected over time. I would heat food and eat out of them. Since I don't want to hog the dish washer I decided to upgrade my pan to a stainless steel one with sides about two inches. high. Since I wash everything as soon as I have used it, the one pan works great. It is much sturdier than the flexible pie pans. It is also probably healthier since it is steel instead of aluminum.
These two items would definitely be replaced if a sink hole swallowed all of my possessions. Not many people have replied to the question of how you might do things differently if you had to replace all of your stuff. Anybody else?
One change since moving into a rented room from a two bedroom apartment is my dinnerware. When I had my own apartment I could let dishes build up for a week by putting them into the dish washer and using it when it was full. Now that I don't have that ability I have adapted. I have one huge ceramic bowl and one metal pan to use for eating. If I cook something in a pot it gets dumped into the huge bowl. If I heat something in the oven I use a stainless steel cake pan for the cooking and eating. In the past I used pie pans that I had collected over time. I would heat food and eat out of them. Since I don't want to hog the dish washer I decided to upgrade my pan to a stainless steel one with sides about two inches. high. Since I wash everything as soon as I have used it, the one pan works great. It is much sturdier than the flexible pie pans. It is also probably healthier since it is steel instead of aluminum.
These two items would definitely be replaced if a sink hole swallowed all of my possessions. Not many people have replied to the question of how you might do things differently if you had to replace all of your stuff. Anybody else?
#1438
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Welcome indeed Thomas. A few questions: has the space freed up by your paring down been cluttered by someone else's stuff yet ? How does your family react when you talk about simple living and how they could start living like that too ?
Sorry I was letting the question "sink" in, hehe. But seriously, there are very few items I would buy again immediately. I'd rebuild a desktop computer, a do-everything bike, buy a metal bowl to eat everything in, a few utensils and all the personal hygiene stuff. Then I'd buy things I rarely need, as the need rises up. It would surely help to have all the stuff I want to get rid of right now but have been waiting just disappear (because of the time it takes to sell things and to get rid of them properly (not just throw everything in the trash irresponsibly)). But there are a few items that I would be sad to see go, just because I've had them for a long time and they don't make them anymore or I'd have to settle for a lower-quality version.
Anyway, it's a good question for sure. For the insurance money part, I'd buy what I need and save the rest if possible.
Anyway, it's a good question for sure. For the insurance money part, I'd buy what I need and save the rest if possible.
#1439
Senior Member
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I definitely beleive in living the simple life. My family thinks I'm a complete nuthead when I say I'm not gonna get a car. I hate how society has made people beleive that a car or motor vehicle is "NEED" in order to survive. Plus the fact that the average cyclist saves about $8,000 a year compared to motorists.(That's what I read)
#1440
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My wife is into simple living in principle but I don't think she is ever going to want to reduce her possessions all that much. That's ok I love her and always will its just I've chosen to release myself from reliance on possesions. We are having a bit of a clear out at the moment as the rest of the house was getting too cluttered so that is good.
In answer to the question I'd mostly replace what I've got if something swallowed all my possesions. The bike is my primary means of transport so I'd need that. As for tools I'd simply as now collect on a basis of need when something goes on the bike. Couple of changes of clothes, some work uniform, meditation mat, university course book, pencilcase and a drawing pad & pencils.
#1441
Uninformed Senior Member
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My wife cancelled our cable last week. Between the two of us we were watching less than an hour a day (weekdays). A homemade television antenna will receive all the HD channels from Buffalo. Unfortunately many of the Canadian channels will be blocked due to the position of our condo (we do not face the CN Tower where they broadcast from, and we do not have a building northeast of us to bounce a signal off of).
When we do watch TV, it's sports, we're both big soccer fans, so we replaced our $90 a month bill with a subscription to a streaming sports service for $20 a month.
When we do watch TV, it's sports, we're both big soccer fans, so we replaced our $90 a month bill with a subscription to a streaming sports service for $20 a month.
#1442
In the right lane
I did a similar thing a few years ago. Replaced my cable with a Netlix account. $7.99 and tons of movies you won't want to watch.
#1444
Senior Member
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Won't want to watch?? Are you not happy with netflix? I've considered a account with netflix for my laptop since I left my 40" lg flatscreen with the ex-gf.
#1445
In the right lane
Well... it's better than cable television, but you soon reach a point where new, interesting titles are hard to find.
#1447
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#1448
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That's true, on the days when I don't have a Netflix DVD to watch, my wife and I are watching new BluRay and DVDs of TV series and movies we hadn't seen before. In the past 2 weeks my wife and I watched the first 3 seasons of Justified and the seventh season of Dexter. From Netflix we have just finished the third season of Boardwalk Empire.
#1449
In the right lane
Lately I've been watching all the Austin City Limits shows on my computer... maybe I should sell my TV.
#1450
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You are not a movie person.