Living Car Free - How simply do you live?

You can only feel guilty if somewhere inside yourself you really want to change your situation. Take a look. Change what you want to change. See how it feels. If you like it then great. If you want to change back or continue making new choices do so. Have fun with it.

I'm preparing to sell a bicycle I really like but can't ride. Leaning forward hurts my neck too much. This summer I'll make a choice about replacing it or foregoing it. This might be the year I switch to roller skates as transportation. They would certainly take up less space. :)


Its all good. As far as things I own that aren't bikes I can fit everything in one medium sized box.
I would like to spend less on food and things however especially now that I've just started commuting 30 miles 7 days a week, I spend a lot on food.
Better spent on whole vegan food than gas!!

I would like to spend less on food and things however especially now that I've just started commuting 30 miles 7 days a week, I spend a lot on food.
Better spent on whole vegan food than gas!!A while back I mentioned somewhere on this forum that I wanted to switch to eating a raw food diet to give it a try.

I really don't like vegetables much. I found a way to eat more of them and it turns out that it is saving me money. I buy plenty of bananas, whole pineapples, carrots, celery, kale, and other things. I make smoothies with the blender using these. With all the sweetness in the fruits and carrots, the kale, celery, and other vegetables taste OK. I learned to include just a tiny bit of lemon to cancel the bitterness of the kale. It works wonders. That is a good thing because kale is a very mineral packed green vegetable. Cinnamon also adds to the flavor.

If I ate only smoothies made of these ingredients I could save money every day. These smoothies contain all of the fiber too. If the blender is run on high for two to three minutes all of the fibrous stuff disappears. It's less pulpy than orange juice with pulp. To keep it cool I break up bananas into pieces and freeze them. They work like ice cubes. Be sure to add a couple of cups of pure water at first to allow it to blend. Otherwise it would just get stuck in a regular blender. The super blenders like Blendtec and Vitamix models have enough power to handle it without water.

Just a month ago the blender wasn't on my list of things to keep. Now it is.

Great idea about freezing the bananas & using them as ice cubes. I discovered green smoothies a couple of years ago & feel so much better since they are packed with nutrition. I have been downsizing the last couple of years, one step at a time & its very liberating. When you are not bogged down with "stuff" there is a lot more freedom. Next is getting rid of the car, not because I don't believe in them, I just don't have a need for it, haven't driven in months to the point that the battery is dead, good sign that I need to just get rid of it.

I make smoothies with the blender using these. With all the sweetness in the fruits and carrots, the kale, celery, and other vegetables taste OK.


+1 on the smoothies. If you aren't including Collard Greens, try them. They have a very neutral flavor, a nice texture and are at the top of the nutrition charts. :thumb:

Here's another aspect of simplicity.


No cell phone, email or social networking. (http://news.yahoo.com/90-days-without-cell-phone-email-social-media-015300257.html)

Has me thinking about doing the same.

I did something like this for a while after my wife and I first split up. I got off all my discussion groups, stopped participating in facebook, limited emails pretty much to work and some very close friends. And those emails with friends would be long, thoughtful and intimate (not in the sexy lingerie sense, but in the sense of being very open and honest) I focused on real-life, in person relationships. It was really great, and really an eye-opener.

Gradually, I let myself get sucked in to the online addiction again. I'm on conference calls a lot, many of them are boring, so it's easy to let the mouse wander over to see what's going on over at whatever online group.

But those few months showed me what life could be like without the hours a day of internet fluff ... and I've never gotten back up to the level of online obsession that I was at before my own Amish Experiment. And, I'm glad to say, I've still not ever gone back to wasting time on Facebook.

I have a question about this "hundred" or "fifteen" or whatever number of things you should limit yourself to in order to qualify as a true simple-living minimalist. Is one or more of those things a smartphone or tablet computer or anything else with an internet connection? If so, I think it should be given a weight of 1000 or more when counting up possessions, since it basically substitutes for a whole houseful of stuff.

I still firmly believe that simplicity is about attachment, not about the "thing-count". One internet-accessible device can provide all the attachment of all the riches of the richest man in the world, even of just 50 years ago.

One computer can't replace blankets, kitchen utensils, a bicycle, or numerous other things. It is an enhancement to my life. As part of my list of things to keep there are two computers. Having a spare computer is just as valuable to me as having a spare bicycle.

Having a spare computer is just as valuable to me as having a spare bicycle.

Hmmm. I only have 5 bicycles and 7 computers. Am I prepared? :lol:

Here's another aspect of simplicity.


No cell phone, email or social networking. (http://news.yahoo.com/90-days-without-cell-phone-email-social-media-015300257.html)

From the article (http://news.yahoo.com/90-days-without-cell-phone-email-social-media-015300257.html):

"I spoke with Reilly over the phone this weekend about his 90-day project, what he learned from living without electronic leashes and how it changed his life.
"

I have a question about this "hundred" or "fifteen" or whatever number of things you should limit yourself to in order to qualify as a true simple-living minimalist. Is one or more of those things a smartphone or tablet computer or anything else with an internet connection? If so, I think it should be given a weight of 1000 or more when counting up possessions, since it basically substitutes for a whole houseful of stuff.

I still firmly believe that simplicity is about attachment, not about the "thing-count". One internet-accessible device can provide all the attachment of all the riches of the richest man in the world, even of just 50 years ago.

Go to post #1112 (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/163801-How-simply-do-you-live?p=13546682&viewfull=1#post13546682), its on page 45. I did not repost it here because It is just significantly long. If you want to be somewhat legalistic and limit yourself you can but that is all up to you and how you approach it. The limits are more of a barrier. They guy who started the 100 thing challenge said that all shared items with his family such as furniture or Kitchen Items were not counted. He further said that you can count each sock as 1, each pair of socks 1, all of you socks as 1, or all of your clothing as 1. If you need to put things in groups that is great. The idea is to get rid of the clutter and unnecessary.

Go to post #1112 (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/163801-How-simply-do-you-live?p=13546682&viewfull=1#post13546682), its on page 45. I did not repost it here because It is just significantly long. If you want to be somewhat legalistic and limit yourself you can but that is all up to you and how you approach it. The limits are more of a barrier. They guy who started the 100 thing challenge said that all shared items with his family such as furniture or Kitchen Items were not counted. He further said that you can count each sock as 1, each pair of socks 1, all of you socks as 1, or all of your clothing as 1. If you need to put things in groups that is great. The idea is to get rid of the clutter and unnecessary.The point I was trying to make is that our new appliances - the ones that offer nearly infinite variety in terms of obsessive interaction, are probably more insidious from an attachment point of view than almost anything that existed even just 50 years ago. Someone who spends all day on FB, in discussion groups, twittering, texting, blogging, posting pictures, playing online games, etc and so on, is NOT living simply, even if that iPad or whatever is the only thing he owns. He's just substituted an alternate universe, complete with tons of virtual stuff, for the physical one.

The point I was trying to make is that our new appliances - the ones that offer nearly infinite variety in terms of obsessive interaction, are probably more insidious from an attachment point of view than almost anything that existed even just 50 years ago. Someone who spends all day on FB, in discussion groups, twittering, texting, blogging, posting pictures, playing online games, etc and so on, is NOT living simply, even if that iPad or whatever is the only thing he owns. He's just substituted an alternate universe, complete with tons of virtual stuff, for the physical one.

I think the Buddha would back you up on this one. It's not the stuff, it's the attachment to it that causes the most problems.

I'm just getting started, really. I got into simple living when I moved to university. The campus sat three blocks behind the main street of this very lovely town, and so almost everything was open to me on foot. For three years living there, I was completely free of a car...and loved it. I used my car once a month to visit my parents, and twice during that entire three-year span to visit the doctor. If I had a bike with me, I could have used IT on those trips. Restaurants, grocery stories, pharmacies, etc. were all reached on foot. I always looked forward to my weekly walk into town to visit the library. I spent little time in my room, which was described as "spartan" by those who saw inside: I brought a small TV, a computer, an end table, and a few books in addition to clothes and toiletries. By the end of three years I'd acquired two Thai box lamps and a bamboo plant. I spent most of my time outside -- reading on the quad, biking/hiking/stargazing/playing frisbee with friends, that sort of thing.

Although I have since graduated, while there I learned what I needed out of life: aside from food and shelter: I wanted a fulfilling job, friends, a sense of community, and some intellectual and artistic stimulation. Of these, the first is the hardest to find. Since leaving the university I've kept my life simple, though I am more car dependent now than I used to be: my current city is not as small as Montevallo. Still, as soon as I find regular work I intend on biking about town. I want to be as car free as possible, for many reasons -- using a bicycle for transportation means more autonomy, more self-reliance, and more interaction in the town. Biking is healthier for me and isn't noxious like motoring.

I am a terrible 'consumer'. I don't buy much, and when I do I tend to buy used -- especially books. I prefer to spend my evenings listening to a little jazz (I love the big bands -- Miller, Dorsey, Goodman) and reading. I cook most of my food, though I go out a couple of times a week: I have homecooked breakfast with friends on Sunday mornings downtown, and during the week I'll either pick up a Subway sandwich or go to lunch one day with someone, often a family member. I like having dinner in a restaurant, not so much for the good as for being out in the community.

I've been thinking about starting a little garden to learn the skills. One day I may be able to eat something that I (and the ground, and the sun...) have produced. :)

I think of myself as a "quasi-Luddite": I don't reject technology, but I question its predominance in our lives. I just turned 27, but I'm increasingly techless. I keep my cellphone turned off because I see it as intrusive; I only have it for emergencies, really. I've started preferring low-tech, self-powered ways of taking care of tasks -- handling the lawn with a reel mower instead of the motored variants, and hand washing dishes. I actually like washing the dishes: I put on some music and spend the next 40 minutes or so happily scrubbing and drying.

Much of my interest in living simply stems from my desire to be autonomous; I especially want to be free from having to use gas as a power source.

The point I was trying to make is that our new appliances - the ones that offer nearly infinite variety in terms of obsessive interaction, are probably more insidious from an attachment point of view than almost anything that existed even just 50 years ago. Someone who spends all day on FB, in discussion groups, twittering, texting, blogging, posting pictures, playing online games, etc and so on, is NOT living simply, even if that iPad or whatever is the only thing he owns. He's just substituted an alternate universe, complete with tons of virtual stuff, for the physical one.

I completely agree. At first when you said appliance I thought you meant Kitchen Appliance but then I realized what you meant. They have definitely become the worst obsession and our culture now says that you have to have them to have a fulfilling life. Just 25 years ago we did not have cell phones. Before that people got around for Thousands of years with out them. A cell phone is great but it can become an addiction. Though it makes you "Sociable" to some extent. At the end of the day are you really. I love this commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUGmcb3mhLM) for that reason. I'm scared it is even this way with my parents and I.

I think the Buddha would back you up on this one. It's not the stuff, it's the attachment to it that causes the most problems.

Agreed, but I think the Buddha would also say that it's very difficult (if not impossible) to have the stuff without having attachment to the stuff. It's a lot easier (and "simpler") to never have the Ipad than to have it and throw it away. That's the situation a lot of wealthy people are in.

But the hardest of all is to really WANT the Ipad, but to not have it. That's the situation of a lot of poor people.

Agreed, but I think the Buddha would also say that it's very difficult (if not impossible) to have the stuff without having attachment to the stuff. It's a lot easier (and "simpler") to never have the Ipad than to have it and throw it away. That's the situation a lot of wealthy people are in.

But the hardest of all is to really WANT the Ipad, but to not have it. That's the situation of a lot of poor people.

And that is why the one who has eliminated all attachment is called a Buddha. I imagine that even the Dalai Lama struggles with it a bit. But the less attachment you have, the simpler life is.

I'm just getting started, really. I got into simple living when I moved to university. The campus sat three blocks behind the main street of this very lovely town, and so almost everything was open to me on foot. For three years living there, I was completely free of a car...and loved it. I used my car once a month to visit my parents, and twice during that entire three-year span to visit the doctor. If I had a bike with me, I could have used IT on those trips. Restaurants, grocery stories, pharmacies, etc. were all reached on foot. I always looked forward to my weekly walk into town to visit the library. I spent little time in my room, which was described as "spartan" by those who saw inside: I brought a small TV, a computer, an end table, and a few books in addition to clothes and toiletries. By the end of three years I'd acquired two Thai box lamps and a bamboo plant. I spent most of my time outside -- reading on the quad, biking/hiking/stargazing/playing frisbee with friends, that sort of thing.

Although I have since graduated, while there I learned what I needed out of life: aside from food and shelter: I wanted a fulfilling job, friends, a sense of community, and some intellectual and artistic stimulation. Of these, the first is the hardest to find. Since leaving the university I've kept my life simple, though I am more car dependent now than I used to be: my current city is not as small as Montevallo. Still, as soon as I find regular work I intend on biking about town. I want to be as car free as possible, for many reasons -- using a bicycle for transportation means more autonomy, more self-reliance, and more interaction in the town. Biking is healthier for me and isn't noxious like motoring.

I am a terrible 'consumer'. I don't buy much, and when I do I tend to buy used -- especially books. I prefer to spend my evenings listening to a little jazz (I love the big bands -- Miller, Dorsey, Goodman) and reading. I cook most of my food, though I go out a couple of times a week: I have homecooked breakfast with friends on Sunday mornings downtown, and during the week I'll either pick up a Subway sandwich or go to lunch one day with someone, often a family member. I like having dinner in a restaurant, not so much for the good as for being out in the community.

I've been thinking about starting a little garden to learn the skills. One day I may be able to eat something that I (and the ground, and the sun...) have produced. :)

I think of myself as a "quasi-Luddite": I don't reject technology, but I question its predominance in our lives. I just turned 27, but I'm increasingly techless. I keep my cellphone turned off because I see it as intrusive; I only have it for emergencies, really. I've started preferring low-tech, self-powered ways of taking care of tasks -- handling the lawn with a reel mower instead of the motored variants, and hand washing dishes. I actually like washing the dishes: I put on some music and spend the next 40 minutes or so happily scrubbing and drying.

Much of my interest in living simply stems from my desire to be autonomous; I especially want to be free from having to use gas as a power source.

I don't really have anything to add; just wanted to say that I enjoyed this post.

And that is why the one who has eliminated all attachment is called a Buddha. I imagine that even the Dalai Lama struggles with it a bit. But the less attachment you have, the simpler life is.

I struggle with this all the time, and whenever I think I have it licked I become attached to womething else. Right now my main issue is a NEGATIVE attachment to me job. I guess I'm learning that if you hate something, you're even more strongly attached to it than if you love it! My mantra right now is, "It's only a job...don't take it so hard..."

And that is why the one who has eliminated all attachment is called a Buddha. I imagine that even the Dalai Lama struggles with it a bit. But the less attachment you have, the simpler life is.

I would argue the hardest thing for him is dealing with a "goes in bouts" (not sure about a good adjective to explain that) anger for being exiled and dealing with forgiveness. He has outer peace and our Outer emotions usually emit lesser (drawing toward a medium than extreme) than our inner so he must be at great peace that ever so often gets frustrated with exile.

I don't really have anything to add; just wanted to say that I enjoyed this post.

Same here. Welcome to the LCF section, smellincoffee. :thumb:

Also, anything is better with jazz. :)

edit: also with punk rock. :lol:

I just wanted to let everyone know that I really like this thread as well as the whole topic of minimalist living and living car free.

Now I don't want to offend anyone or be flamed for anything. But honestly, I grew up in southeast Texas and have been very car dependent my entire life. It's always been a staple of who I am. I currently own a 2006 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and a 2000 BMW r1100rt motorcycle, so I'm far from car free, plus my wife has her car. During the week I ride my motorcycle everyday to work, but that is because i've been too lazy to start riding my bicycle again after my foot heeled. I do plan to start doing that at least three times a week after my next trip for work next week. Because of where and how I grew up, this sort of living has always seemed pretty crazy and odd to me. But as I've grown older I have changed from who I was and am open to a lot of new things now. This site, and particularly this thread has helped change my views on a lot of things. So than you all for that. I'm not saying though that I'm going to sell the Jeep or my motorcycle, because I love them more than everything in my apartment. I do however try as hard as I can to use them as little as possible. I enjoy going off roading and camping, so I reserve the Jeep for that and as my occasional weekend vehicle when I have a longer trip. I also believe in treading lightly when I do venture off road and always try to leave things better than how I found it.

But if it had not been for this thread, I would still be chasing that desire to buy more stuff. Instead I have found myself reading about minimalist living and how I can better myself and the world by living with what I need instead of what I want. I will never get down to only 100 things, as I have more that 100 items issued to me from work. I'm in the Air Force. I have built a plan though that I am working through to see what I actually need and what I do not need. There are things that I haven't touched in the four years since moving to Tampa. I don't play games, so there is no need to keep the Playstation 3. It's decisions like that, along with how I think about purchases before hand that this thread has had a direct effect on my life.

So while I may not fit into this thread, I will continue to lurk and read and learn from all the posts here to better my own life and the world. So thanks to everyone that posts here.

John

Because of where and how I grew up, this sort of living has always seemed pretty crazy and odd to me. But as I've grown older I have changed from who I was and am open to a lot of new things now. This site, and particularly this thread has helped change my views on a lot of things. So than you all for that. I'm not saying though that I'm going to sell the Jeep or my motorcycle, because I love them more than everything in my apartment. I do however try as hard as I can to use them as little as possible. I enjoy going off roading and camping, so I reserve the Jeep for that and as my occasional weekend vehicle when I have a longer trip. I also believe in treading lightly when I do venture off road and always try to leave things better than how I found it.

Being open to new ideas is what makes us human IMHO. When we aren't willing to listen to new ideas, it's time to hang up the car keys.

But another thing to remember is that these ideas and your understanding of them is constantly evolving. You really need to see how well these ideas work for you. Remember that as you continue to mull things over, you will change.

When I started riding bicycle, I was able to commute to work 2 or 3 times a week. Within a year, that had increased to 4 on average and soon after that I was riding every day. However, years after this, I still take the bus to work occasionally when I want a rest day. And occasionally I go places in car... although I don't have one currently.

I'd use one if I needed it... but the question of need is what I work on.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I really like this thread as well as the whole topic of minimalist living and living car free.

So while I may not fit into this thread, I will continue to lurk and read and learn from all the posts here to better my own life and the world. So thanks to everyone that posts here.

John

You're welcome John. Wow you've been registered a long time and only have fifteen posts. That's true lurking.

In 1990 I was in a car accident that messed up my neck. It ended my career as a musician. I loved my guitars. Each one was picked out and superior to their assembly line brethren. They were great and I felt I loved them. In 2005 I needed some money and started selling them. Since I wasn't performing with them they were no longer tools. They were things I loved. They had memories attached to them.

They've been gone a long time and I really don't miss them. The first week just seemed odd to not have them around. That was because I was still thinking about them. My attachments to them were still there. Not much afterwards the thoughts faded away. Sometimes I reminisce.

Letting go of such important items in my life seemed difficult at first. It was the decision to part with them that was the toughest thing to do. The moment of releasing them from my hands to the music store where they were to be sold was the peak of doubt and regret. Logically I knew it was the best course of action to get the money that was needed. So the transaction went forward.

Life without those things was fine. Nothing Earth shattering happened. The money solved a problem and the whole experience was a huge lesson to me. I now know that I can give up things and it is OK.

One realization that came to me was that everything is always changing. In time I might actually find something far greater than the things I've given up and enjoy that thing even more.

Letting go of one thing just might lead to having another thing that is even better. It is possible that having no thing is better than having the original thing. Does having an attachment to something prevent one from experiencing something else? If one is too fixed to attachments then one can't see new opportunities.

It is because of these thoughts that I'm shedding my unused possessions. That is the first step for me. When I get down to the things I think I need I'll take another look. By then my perspective will have changed again regarding what is really necessary.

A lurker too.

Thank you EVERYONE for your continued posts.
During some hard times, this thread really inspired me.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I really like this thread as well as the whole topic of minimalist living and living car free.

Now I don't want to offend anyone or be flamed for anything. But honestly, I grew up in southeast Texas and have been very car dependent my entire life. It's always been a staple of who I am. I currently own a 2006 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and a 2000 BMW r1100rt motorcycle, so I'm far from car free, plus my wife has her car. During the week I ride my motorcycle everyday to work, but that is because i've been too lazy to start riding my bicycle again after my foot heeled. I do plan to start doing that at least three times a week after my next trip for work next week. Because of where and how I grew up, this sort of living has always seemed pretty crazy and odd to me. But as I've grown older I have changed from who I was and am open to a lot of new things now. This site, and particularly this thread has helped change my views on a lot of things. So than you all for that. I'm not saying though that I'm going to sell the Jeep or my motorcycle, because I love them more than everything in my apartment. I do however try as hard as I can to use them as little as possible. I enjoy going off roading and camping, so I reserve the Jeep for that and as my occasional weekend vehicle when I have a longer trip. I also believe in treading lightly when I do venture off road and always try to leave things better than how I found it.

But if it had not been for this thread, I would still be chasing that desire to buy more stuff. Instead I have found myself reading about minimalist living and how I can better myself and the world by living with what I need instead of what I want. I will never get down to only 100 things, as I have more that 100 items issued to me from work. I'm in the Air Force. I have built a plan though that I am working through to see what I actually need and what I do not need. There are things that I haven't touched in the four years since moving to Tampa. I don't play games, so there is no need to keep the Playstation 3. It's decisions like that, along with how I think about purchases before hand that this thread has had a direct effect on my life.

So while I may not fit into this thread, I will continue to lurk and read and learn from all the posts here to better my own life and the world. So thanks to everyone that posts here.

John

John, I hope you do more than lurk, ecause I feel your ideas are worthwhile. For you as a person, whether you decide to lead a simple life, or a carfree life, is not the most important thing. It's far more important that you have decided to live YOUR OWN life.

Socrates (IIRC) said that "the unexamined life is not worth living." It always makes me happy to meet somebody like you who has figured out that little lesson!

:)

I rent a room.old laptop and no cars, sometimes go to work on foot or by bus.
Simple life make it easy.


http://www.herfree.com/avatar1.jpg

I rent a room.old laptop and no cars, sometimes go to work on foot or by bus.
Simple life make it easy.


http://www.herfree.com/avatar1.jpg
Welcome to LCF, lphin1983.

I rent a room.old laptop and no cars, sometimes go to work on foot or by bus.
Simple life make it easy.I've been looking into alternative Linux operating systems and there are some that make really old computers run as fast as newer ones with fast chips and plenty of RAM. One of them is www.Bodhilinux.com.

There are some Youtube videos showing old hardware operating like fast new computers. Since Bodhi has such a small footprint on the hard drive and is designed to use very little resources, it really makes old computers seem like new ones. If anybody just needs simple word processing, web surfing, and the usual home computing stuff, Bodhi Linux should work great. It will save you the money you might have spent getting a new faster computer.

Bodhi can be downloaded free or you can buy one of their 4GB USB flash drives for $15 with it already installed. That price includes world wide shipping.

Not buying more stuff is part of simple living. Making old things work better fits into my idea of saving the environment. I just thought lphin1983 might like to know about it in case the old laptop was becoming a drag to use (this is only true of Windows OS machines). Old Macs don't really get slow.

I've been looking into alternative Linux operating systems and there are some that make really old computers run as fast as newer ones with fast chips and plenty of RAM. One of them is www.Bodhilinux.com.

There are some Youtube videos showing old hardware operating like fast new computers. Since Bodhi has such a small footprint on the hard drive and is designed to use very little resources, it really makes old computers seem like new ones. If anybody just needs simple word processing, web surfing, and the usual home computing stuff, Bodhi Linux should work great. It will save you the money you might have spent getting a new faster computer.

Bodhi can be downloaded free or you can buy one of their 4GB USB flash drives for $15 with it already installed. That price includes world wide shipping.

Not buying more stuff is part of simple living. Making old things work better fits into my idea of saving the environment. I just thought lphin1983 might like to know about it in case the old laptop was becoming a drag to use (this is only true of Windows OS machines). Old Macs don't really get slow.

Biggest problem with using an old laptop is lack of parts availability. I have and old 1998? Compaq Pressario, it was a Win98 machine when it was new. I switched it over to linux several years ago, mother board has finally crapped out and I cannot find any replacements...oh well somethings don't last forever.

Aaron :)

I make a good living, so it's tempting to spend the money on stuff, but I don't. I save it. The exception to this is the wonderful bicycle I am currently building up and my Steinway grand piano.

I definitely live more simply than most though.

-I don't eat out, EVER. I cook every meal myself, and I daresay I do a better job of it than most restaurant chefs I've run into.
-I am car-free.
-I live in a small cottage.
-During winter, I resist the urge to warm my home with the furnace, prefering to put on extra layers.
-I hand-wash all my clothes with a 1940's clothes plunger, and hang them to dry outside.
-I grow my own. :groucho eyebrows:
-I hate forms, credit cards, insurance companies, attorneys, etcetera. I try to avoid these things as much as possible.
-My favorite activity is camping by bicycle in summertime.

what is " 1940's clothes plunger",can u post a pic?

what is " 1940's clothes plunger",can u post a pic?

Probably looks something like this one (http://www.lehmans.com/store/Natural_Goods___Laundry___Rapid_Laundry_Washer___66RW?Args=)....my grandmother had one. Still available today, there are also plastic modern reincarnations of it.

Aaron :)

http://image.lehmans.com/lehmans/Images/products/large/66rw.jpg

One point I often make is about the difference between a financial offence and a financial defence. The offence — earning or acquiring more money — is a difficult task and most of us will not see a substantial increase in pay by switching jobs. The defence — controlling how the money is used — provides an easy way to live more comfortably.

One point I often make is about the difference between a financial offence and a financial defence. The offence — earning or acquiring more money — is a difficult task and most of us will not see a substantial increase in pay by switching jobs. The defence — controlling how the money is used — provides an easy way to live more comfortably.

Very well put - simply put! I will use this often.

thanx

I have my bike, macbook(for school), iPhone(for work), a small house with a friend. My diet consists of egg omelets, PB&J, protein bars, the occasional backyard barbecue, and water. No cable, no car, no video games, bootleg movies, and $50 electric bills.

My diet consists of egg omelets, PB&J, protein bars, the occasional backyard barbecue, and water.

Simple living sometimes involves vegetables. ;)

Simple living sometimes involves vegetables. ;)

Yeah, otherwise sounds like constipation could be a factor. I'm not sure what that would do to simplify life.

Yeah, otherwise sounds like constipation could be a factor. I'm not sure what that would do to simplify life.

Well, you'd have plenty of time to sit and philosophize.

I don't own a car, I read more then I do anything else, I use old computers with Linux to keep them modern longer (my current laptop is an IBM Thinkpad T21 running Vector Linux) ..and I don't do cable TV.. there are other little things I am sure... but I can't think of them

I use ubuntu on a twelve years old laptop :D

I use Linus Mint on a 6 year old desktop machine. It's great. Driver support has improved enormously over the years. It still isn't as easy to update drivers and such as Windows, but it's getting close. But Mint has a great setup and right out of the box, it has about 95% of what you'd need to get going. My only complaint is that the web cam I installed last year was a real nuisance. But everything else -- camera, printer, network -- installed flawlessly.

I've got a 2002 Gateway desktop computer that I don't use because it has a cooling problem. It could be fixed for $100. My newest one is a desktop dual booted with Vista and Ubuntu. My laptop is a Mac Book. I don't use the desktop computers unless I need to do a separate job at the same time the Mac Book is running. They both use over 250 watts of power whereas the Mac Book uses a maximum of 65 watts.

Perhaps this summer I'll sell the desktops and buy another laptop that has a Thunderbolt connector. I'll mostly use Linux on it and keep Windows 8 for Netflix. Once that is working I'll sell the Mac Book and buy a used netbook as my spare (just in case) computer. I prefer hooking up my large monitor to the computer instead of using the small laptop screen. Doing this saves energy because the screen uses only 33 watts.

Having two small laptop computers would take up so little space that I'll be able to keep them in a desk drawer or safe when I go out.

This Article (http://www.theminimalists.com/counting/) is a pretty good read on how minimalism or, even broader, how simplicity i not about Counting things but it is on getting rid of the unnecessary.

I love the Linux Ubuntu operating system and I use it for my netbook. It does what I need and so far, I have found just one shortcoming. There are a few pieces of software which do not exist for Ubuntu. Microsoft Word is one. Apple's iTunes is another. There are workarounds for both, but those are not as good as the products they replace.

For some writing, I need to have it saved in Word format. I'm not happy about this, but it's the format I need to follow. OpenOffice (which is in many ways just as good if not better) does not follow all Word's protocols and structures. I have had times where I have written something in Open Office on my netbook and then converted it to Word on my desktop computer.

The issue with iTunes is, at this point, an annoyance. None of the other pieces of software have the same ease of functionality as iTunes. And they do not work with an iPod the way iTunes does.

There are a few other examples of software which have been designed for Windows and Mac, but have no Linux equivalent.

Apple and Microsoft both have software formatted for each other's platforms. It would be good if they could do the same for Linux.

There are a few other examples of software which have been designed for Windows and Mac, but have no Linux equivalent.

Apple and Microsoft both have software formatted for each other's platforms. It would be good if they could do the same for Linux.They don't want the competition. Libre Office is supposed to be an improvement over Open Office.

I've seen music players out there that operate with different formats that work work with Linux. To this day I haven't bought an MP3 player because I don't like the low quality of digital audio so far. Even 320 bits per second isn't that great.

A month ago I came across a video of Neil Young (famous musician) being interviewed by Walt Mossberg. He does tech reviews for the Wall Street Journal. Neil said that the data recorded on digital recordings of music is equal to only five percent of the information on an analog vinyl record. He has been pushing the industry to create a codec that would capture all of the musical information that would equal analog recordings. Neil said that he spoke to Steve Jobs about it and he was interested in developing it, but it hadn't really taken off. Now that Steve is dead Neil doesn't know if it will ever be developed.

The equivalent analog recording in digital form would take thirty minutes per song to download with a high speed connection. I think the music industry should create such a format. It would give them the excuse to resell all of their libraries again at a higher price. The computer industry could make tons of money selling people numerous terabyte drives just to store the songs.

To keep iron.wren's line of thought going, I have an example of why counting things isn't the primary objective in Living Simply. I own a hair clipper so I can cut my own hair and save money in the process. I do have one more thing in my inventory (which I never wrote down, not a fan of lists either lol), but it saves me from having to go to the hair dresser. Just like having pots and pans would help you save money on food by cooking yourself. :D

To keep iron.wren's line of thought going, I have an example of why counting things isn't the primary objective in Living Simply. I own a hair clipper so I can cut my own hair and save money in the process. I do have one more thing in my inventory (which I never wrote down, not a fan of lists either lol), but it saves me from having to go to the hair dresser. Just like having pots and pans would help you save money on food by cooking yourself. :D

Wow, very good point. I'm not a fan of the list method either. For one thing, I would have to own a pencil and paper just to make the list--and that's two more things right there! ;)

I used to live really simple. Like third world simple. No running water, no electric, in a shack built out of what ever free stuff I could find. I bought 5 acres of swamp for 8 grand when I was 21. Sold just about everything I owned (which wasn't much) to come up with a down payment.

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The shack. I lived in it for a couple of months. The roof leaked, the critters came in, and one could hear everything going on outside. I remember hearing deer outside eating grass 5 feet away from the shack. Also there used to be this little owl that used to hang out by my window. He'd hoot all the time waking me up. Since the shack was built very poorly there were plenty of holes for critters. First I had a real mouse problem. Once I was taking a nap when a mouse got on a rafter and took a whiz which landed on my face :eek: Then the mice disappeared replaced by snakes. I used to have to shake out the blankets on my cot to make sure snakes weren't hanging out. I sat on one once, it wasn't cool. I only had kerosene lamps for light.

Then I got word of a free mobile home. I pulled it myself using a borrowed tractor (it was a 45x14 feet). It was way better than the shack. Still no power. I then bought a power inverter and ran it off my car battery. I did that for a year. During the winter it would get quite cold inside. I could keep frozen items in the house which was heated with a mix of wood and kerosene. During the winter I'd melt snow for water for the cat and washing. The next year my uncle died leaving me his very modest off-grid setup. It was a big improvement. Most of the time I had electric lights although still had kerosene for back-up. Lived like that for another couple of years. I then sorta got forced out by the DNR after they changed the definition of a wetland :mad: Sold the place for almost double what I paid for it and used it for a down payment on the house I have now.

It was abandoned and really cheap, but had a good well and septic. The first year I had no running water. I now have running water, electric, and teh internetz :D Still no sink though. It makes washing dishes a pain. I live on less simply because I don't make much. I figure I can work 10-20 hours a week and still live better than 80 percent world's population. I like to take trips and generally do what ever I feel like. The place I have now still looks like a shack, but what can I say I hardly stuck any money into it.

I think I still live pretty simple compared to most although I do have a lot more stuff (which was almost all freebies) than I used to. I heat with wood 100 percent which is a lot of work. It also means going car free is not practical at all (not to mention I have to 45 miles one way for work).

I also tend to collect what other people throw out. I got a big stack of wood and tin I've collected from over the years. I put it to use this last summer to build a shed. I think I have 10 bucks into it.

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Now I got a nice shed to store my bikes and tools built out of stuff that would been thrown out. Heck even the nails were used although I did buy new gasketed ones for the roof. I repair stuff instead of throwing it out and stuff that can't be repaired is taken apart so I can use it to fix other stuff. I feel that too much of the emphasis today is on replacing things and throwing them out. Even a lot of going green emphasizes throwing perfectly good things out to replace them with more efficient stuff. I like to take what is there already and improve it if I can.