Live on Less and Love It!

Wow, great article, a couple things to add,

Credit cards can be a benefit, but ONLY if you get a card with points, you pay off the balance every month, you use it alot, and you don't spend more than you can afford.

We use the points for our credit card to pay for about half of our yearly vacation every year.

eBay...

Seriously, you can get almost everything for less, don't forget to include shipping in your calculations. If you want brand-name clothes, get gently used, you probably already know what sizes are gonna fit you. I bought stamps on ebay for less than face value to use in my own online biz, I also got some energy bars for less than I can get in any store or other online place.
PLUS, if you have a retail store, that sells small, relativly light objects (like jewelry) then ebay is where you need to source, If you do, ebay will give you a kickback on what you bought, I have earned over $150 in kickbacks for items that I already was getting MUCH cheaper than any other outlet, by buying direct from the factories in china.

for city-dwellers, Craigslist is indispensable, I get everything off there, rotary lawn mower, kitchen cabinets, furnature, workout equipment, TV, you name it, if you can't get it cheap on ebay or WM, you can get it on CL

I loved this article. I have been living frugally for about 35 years. I haven't bought plastic bags or aluminum foil in all those years. When they come to me, I wash, dry and reuse them until holes appear. I dilute all soaps and detergents by at least 50%, and then start cutting in half how much I use until I find the tiniest amount that will work. I once used the same bottle of dish detergent for 7 years by doing that. Also, if you know people who buy store bought jams, jellies, and other things that come in jars with rubber rings around the inside of the lids, you can ask for and use those for canning instead of buying canning jars. Recently I started burning a candle once it gets dark instead of turning on the lights. And of course, everything stays unplugged until I need it, and as soon as I'm finished with it, I unplug it. Last electricity bill was $13.00, so my next challenge is to see if I can lower it even more. I also started catching all the water that goes down the drain while I'm waiting for shower water to warm up...I use a large mixing bowl, and put it into plastic jugs I've saved and cleaned. I use that to water the garden. I'm saving seeds from the garden so I don't have to buy seeds next year. I get free or almost free yarns everywhere I can, and knit gifts to give, and even my own blankets, drapes...I love sharing these ideas. Thanks for asking...and I have slept in my car on trips...

I live in Manahattan, after taking family leave and getting ill I eventually was let go from my job. I wanted to find a way to live my life without having to totally change it because I knew I could not go back to a 60 hour work week. Here are some of my cost saving suggestions for city dwellers:

Start your own business doing what you love....what ever you are/were doing for corporate America you can do without them. I provide the same services to the same clients and smaller clients my top ten firm would not consider taking on. I charge them less and I make more, working when I want, for whom I want and for a quarter of the amount of time because I dont have to worry about office politics, ass-kissing, innane paper work and face time. I work out of my home and can walk to appointments. I rent a conference room by the hour in my building when meetings are necessary.

I use the library as my second office, printing documents for free or at low cost. I don't need a printer or fax machine. I also got rid of my land line and my television....useless money wasters.

I still have my three bedroom duplex with a view on Fifth Avenue, only I now have two roommates that help me pay for it. When the market recovers I can sell it and retire in style in upstate New York. Already have the land I want to build my fully-sustainable home on.

I bike or walk whenever I can(I have walked up to 4 hours to save subway fare, avoid germs and get great exercise) I use the bus and train systems to travel outside of the city. I invite friends/family to stay and I visit them for free- instant travel buddy and tour guide. When I need a car I borrow from family or friends -who I invite to come along- and I return it with a full tank of gas and run their errands as well. If I arrive at a destination passed midnight, I would definately sleep in a car and check-in early the next morning making use of their courtesy suite to save the $200/night fee. Whereever I am staying

REDISCOVER YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY!!! Do it! I'm amazed the number of people I know who talk about learning something new by hitting the bookstore; or who use Blockbuster for their dvd rentals. ($3-5 a movie?) I love bookstores, but seriously...hit the library first. If it's a book you keep checking out over and over (like the book on Renovating Old Houses my boyfriend finally bought) then buy it online used. But if you're only reading it once or twice, borrow it! For free!

Plus, libraries have lots of programs your tax dollars pay for anyway....story tellers, classes for adults, movie nights, nice bi-lingual people who do taxes, videos, internet access, etc. Not to mention magazines and newspapers, so drop your subscriptions. You know they just pile up to be recycled after the first read-through anyway.

At the end of the school year, as my students turn in their school library books sadly, I always make them guess the price of a public library card. Little kids think free stuff is very cool. They are wise... they are wise.

Would like to suggest that all of us learn one or more alternative healing practices so we can cope with minor situations without checking in at the emergency room. These could include simple herbal treatments, reflexology, and much else. Googling something like "alternative health treatments" should yield a lot of information; and if you settle on something like herbs you may be able to plant your medicines in your garden or buy them in the herbs and spices section of your local market.

Do you find yourself taking out payday loans just to survive until the next paycheck? If you are having a hard time making ends meet each month, you may consider reading the article on frugal financing found on the money blog at personalmoneystore.com. Practicing frugal financing is sound financing planning. Poor spending habits rob you of more things than you can possibly imagine. Get away from the cycle of late payments, a payday loan, and debt by implementing a financial strategy that is both practical and realistic. Design and implement a budgeting strategy that will suit your needs while allow for progressive financial growth of your net worth.There is a lot more you can learn about frugal financing by reading the article series at http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2008/12/31/frugal-finance-part-i-a-payday-loan-money-blog-report/

I heartily agree with a lot of what this article has to say. We live in a trailer which we found for free and hauled onto our property. We use wood heat (an exterior wood furnace because trailers are flammable), plug in our hot water heater only when we want to use it, and grow over half of our food.

I think that many Americans feel threatened by the notion that you can live well on less. In the end, it's all about time --- are you willing to do without some store-bought conveniences in order to live a fulfilling life with time for the things that really matter? I wouldn't live any other way!

--- Anna. (Check out http://www.waldeneffect.org where my boyfriend and I talk endlessly about living simply on 58 acres of swamp and woodland in southwest Virginia. :-)

The main value of this article is to get people thinking of an alternative to just whipping out the credit card when you need something or just want something.
Not many were new or useful to me, but I was inspired to rethink my recent spending habits.
I plan to rip out some overgrown shrubs and replace them with blueberries.
Because of limited space, I grow the vegetables most expensive to buy.
Sailing small boats has been an enjoyable cheap hobby for us.
Read ebooks if your library has them.
Challenge yourself to live a frugal life but do it with a conscience. Be responsible for yourself and your family and help others to do the same by your shining example.

Another fun way to save a few dollars. Several years ago, we bought 2 large, used aquariums from a college student who was moving back home. We got them really cheap, they came with all the extra equipment also. After we cleaned them up and set them up in our home we happily took off to the local pet shop. We were shocked! The price of tropical fish is up there. After thinking for a bit, and since it was late May, we packed a picnic, loaded the kids, buckets and fish nets and took off to a local state park that had several creeks. These were shallow creeks we could wade in. After having a fun day, wading and playing in the creeks, we had a nice number of different minnows, snails and small crayfish. They thrived in the aquariums! They were fun and educational to watch, and when they got too big for the tanks, we just scooped them into buckets and returned them to the creek. Believe it or not, fresh water fish can be colorful and kept in unheated tanks.

I agree with living frugally and many things should be cut out of our lives because they serve no purpose.
like living without credit cards. The credit business is a money grabbing scheme that for the most part gives nothing in return. National Health care is a great idea and evens the field for all citizens. I don't think we should freeload by letting someone else pay for things we are not willing to pay for. Live within your income and you'll save a lot. If you cannot pay for something you should be prepared to work for it in other ways.

This includes:
Gardening, bartering, permaculture, voluteering, reducing energy use.
Sometimes spending money helps save money:
Subscription to lifestyles magazines like Mother Earth News,
or Attending do it yourself, permaculture, alternative building and gardening seminars.

When we can't buy, barter or trade we then depend on others.
But avoid the credit trap if at all posible (you pay twice the price for anything you have contract payments on!)

I've always thought homesteading was living freely off the land.
something that we've, lost along with our freedoms.
I mean I try to live freely camping in the woods and know alot of other people who also do.
But we get ran off by the forest service every 14 days.
even though I keep my area clean and I'm not infringing on any others rights.
I don't believe in paying for land,because I believe it is the right of every living creature right to live freely on this planet, including man.
Paying someone for that right it is a infringment on our freedom.
(this system we live in is proof of that).
It creates a unessary hardship on us.
That we don't need.
And this idea that we need money to be organized and have a civilized society is total B.S.
Money is the problem,it is a total form of control over our freedoms and liberty's.

I would have to say that I cant believe the people that say the horrible things they do. I live in Canada, our health care is not free, everyone pays and yes we pay for everyone else when I am sick I get a doctor, when someone else is sick they get a doctor. SOME PEOPLE SHOULD OPEN THEIR EYES AND LOOK BEYOND THE US IT DOES NOT WORK. I WATCHED A SPECIAL ON TV ABOUT US HEALTH CARE. DISGRACEFUL AND SO ARE THE INSURANCE COMPANIES. THEY DENY CLAMS TO JUST DENY CLAIMS WHEN AMERICANS WAKE UP AND REALIZE CANANDIANS LIVE LONGER,HEALTHY LIVES MAYBE IF YOU ASK FOR CHANGE IT WILL COME.

That was a great article. I love Mother Earth News. The WWoof sounds awesome and I am going to pass this info to my 26 year old son (who was born on Maui), but is lost in his life right now and needs a job and is such a gentle soul. This would be perfect for him and he works hard. Thank you for the info. We need to all work together to eventually live off the grid. I work at it everyday, but have a long way to go! xo

When are you good people of the USA gonna get a grip on reality and understand that National Health System doesn't mean free health care. It means free at the point of use not FREE! It is not a spongers charter.
What happens is that you ALL pay a national insurance contribution as a percentage of your wages, so that when you turn up at hospital after a car wreck with your guts hanging out through your ribs or your find out that you have cancer due to the effects of the industrial food industries that are trying to poison us all, you don't have to worry about form filling or will my insurance cover this/will I be bankrupted by going to hospital.
The only difference is that you don't pay your hard earned cash dollars to an insurance company that is there to make a profit for it's share holders first and treat you second using the cheapest methods and drugs available.

I cannot believe the anger and bitterness being spewed. Is this Mother Earth or Fox News? The article was really enjoyable with lots of great ideas!

Some of the thoughts in this article make sense, but I have to comment on the " sleep in your vehicle " suggestion. In today's world there are really no places to sleep in a car that are really safe. And how cheap can you get to sleep in a vehicle after being in it all day driving? I am all for being frugal; however, this is cheap! And the health care issue..........buy your own instead of making all of us pay for your insurance. There is a difference between being frugal and welfare!

Completely what I was saying... I don't use those deals that press the air out of your bags, or however it's done, they are expensive and refills are expensive. I use a long straw and it works great. It has saved me tons already, with a garden and freezing.

My husband and I do not use, or have, credit cards, we pay cash for everything or we don't get it. I haven't had a credit card in probably 15 years and regardless of what some think, you CAN live without credit cards. Sure it makes things tighter in an emergency, but that gives you more incentive to try and save during the better times, so you will have a few dollars in the bank during the rougher times.

We also make our own laundry soap. You can find recipes on the web and they do work. If you have a large family or just wash clothes a lot, this could be your solution. I also hang out all of my sheets and some t-shirts, etc... things that won't dry and be to rough and hard, like towels. That has saved us loads on electricity.

Anyway, that is just a few of my tips. Use them or not, that is up to you.

I found some of his ideas interesting and wish that everyone had stayed with the program, which was learning to live cheaper. I don't recall him saying anything about gardening, unless I missed that. We just bought a new home and 2 acres in the country and we borrowed a garden tiller from close friends and grew a garden this summer. It was our first since being children at home, and we are now in our middle 40's. We worked the garden all summer and then shared the vegetables with the friends that loaned us the tiller. Next year our garden will be much bigger and again we will share with our 'tiller' friends, as we cannot afford to buy a tiller of our own at the moment. We have invited them to plant veggies they especially like also.

Not only should we watch for sales and stock up at grocery stores when we can, which makes it cheaper, but everyone should learn how to freeze and can their own foods. They are so much better for you and cheaper. I bought a cheap water bath canner at Walmart, $18.00, and canned everything I could safely can. We are hoping that by next summer I can get a pressure canner so we can preserve the rest of our food without having to freeze it all. Your initial cost is a bit more because you must buy a canner and jars, lids, etc... but after the first summer you will have all of that to start the next summer with and all you'll be out is your seeds, water, time and energy. I love it. I've lost almost 20 pounds, my diabetes is right on track, my cholesterol dropped another 20 pts., and I feel 100% better.

I rewash freezer bags and use them again. I am careful with them and I do buy the good bags because they seem to be a lot tougher. When I've used them once, I wash them, dry them, and use them once more. I've used some more than 3-4 times with no holes and it kept great. With a garden that has saved me a ton. I don't use one of those deals that get the air out, they are expensive and r

I really found this family and some of their ideas inspiring, but I was a little disappointed to see the article promoting the idea of national health care. I DO believe that those who DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY to obtain health care through work, or self purchased should get the help they need. People that are disabled, elderly, or otherwise in a lower income bracket rely on government help to survive. That being said, how fair is it that hardworking individuals pay so much out in taxes to the government, to fund programs to help pay for those like this family, that simply don't feel like working for items as crucial as health care. Not my idea of fair at all! As Mother Earth News readers most of us are interested in somewhat alternative, self-sufficient, lifestyles and breaking free from mainstream ideas. I applaud this families efforts to break the mold and live in a way that makes them happy, but I don't think that they should expect government handouts. There lifestyle comes with consequences.

Wow, I read this article; some worthY and some worthless but some of you should be ashamed of yourselves.
What ever happened to free speach and love thyneighbor. I intended to give my ideas but this became too political for me.
I just would like to know how a simple article about living for less got so blown out of whack. You all must need a hobby.

I thought there were some terrific ideas in this article. We bought our land, home, and paid for our septic, power pole, and water meter, with cash. We did have to finance a very small portion, but did so, with a quick payout. When we moved into our house, we realizes that we had neglected to buy any furniture! We had no bed to sleep in, no couch, etc. We had no credit cards and didn't want any. Our motto was to use what we had. We did our own plumbing, and electrical installation (my husband is an electrician), we bartered, freecycled, garage saled, and did whatever it took, to get started.
Now, you are constantly hearing about people who are driving cars, that they owe more on than what the car is worth, houses that they have paid on for years, but can't afford to sell, for the same reason, and people who have relied on their credit cards in order to deal with the ever increasing cost of living.
We, as a nation, have been living beyond our means for years, and now it's all coming back to bite us in our nether regions. We are being forced now, to do a reality check, like it or not. It's not easy.

Or you could just go on welfare and let everyone else take care of you for the rest of your life. Thank you democrats.

OFF THE SOAP BOX and back on track!

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Wow, well there are many varied opinions about living well and saving money. Sad for those who do not wish well those that are creative enough, and willing enough to work at putting a plan together and reaching those goals that do no longer rely on corporate America, nor do they need to "donate" to such factions they have chosen not to need. I truly beleive in the volunteerism as both a giving back and progressing forward, and bartering could easily be incorporated into such activites, thus creating a more caring and self-sustaining society. Have we grown into this busy society of large business and busy lives so much that we are unable to accept the choices of those wanting a healthier, happier and less stressful existence? That may be so. I recently had the "pleasure" of having my partners mother, a recent victim of a stroke, in our home for three months as she convalesed. I learned a lot in that time. Here was a professional woman who had many years ago made a conscious decision to lessen her "needs". Her idea was that as she did this she did not "need" to work as much. She gave up many conveniences and "things" for this choice. She lived in the middle of a big city, with no washing machine, no stove, small tv with rabbit ears, etc....She washes even her linens by hand. I personall saw that as a lot work to avoid work. My point, you have to weigh certain things in the balance. Some things may be more work than you are saving, and are there needs put onto others to take care of yours. Mother chose not to have a vehicle thus putting many chores onto others as they run all over town for her. Sure she is saving a lot of money on car pymts and insurance only for others to be put out. Just be considerate to how your choices may effect those around you. I am all for cutting back, i believe we have created a far to needy and mindlessly dependant society. I am just not as ready for it as I hope to be one day.

Some good ideas were presented, and a little borderline free loading as well. As for the issue of national health care system so prevalent in the discussion here, I think that more a controlling of greed should be the focus then on a complete paid system. Insurance companies and health care providers bills are completely out of control in the US. $150 office visits that last less then 10 minutes (not and ER visit those are $500+ WITH insurance), and HMO premiums of $400+ a month to keep insurance that restricts you to going to see only their approved doctors. These are issues that need to be addressed, and even more important the insurance company should never determine what treatment you get from a doctor but this takes place far too often as well. Since doctors know that if they get black listed by the HMO the will lose most if not all their patients.

I'm very late to this forum, but I do have a comment and a suggestion or two. Most of the concerns seem to be with the author's suggestions for using free clinics and food pantries, and campaigning for national health care, coupled with his pride in making so little money that he doesn't have to pay taxes. It is true that most of the free programs he advocates are paid for by someone, somewhere. I wish he had given more emphasis to how to "repay" those services: if you don't have money, give your time. Volunteer at those food pantries, libraries, and clinics. There are also non-obvious ways to give to charity: some credit cards--and we all need those from time to time--donate money with every purchase, and some internet sites donate per search or per click. Another suggestion I wish he had made: the radio as a source of news and entertainment. You would have to subscribe to a good newspaper and several magazines to get the information available on some programs. Again, those are paid for by someone else, so maybe save your pennies to donate. It's not all about getting more and spending less; if you belong to a community, I think you should do you part to keep it going. My 2 cents. :)

What's wrong with Ann Coulter? Look, Long before M.E. News, there
were good old fashioned, hard working folks in the countryside who
lived the life everyone seems to think is so "progressive." It's
time to get off hate-conservatives-train.

Is this Mother Earth News or Ann Coulter Online? Why all the anger
about advocating for universal healthcare? As a
now-well-insured-upper-income professional who clawed my way out of
abject poverty, I sympathize all too well with the parent who can't
bring their kid to the doctor for antibiotics to treat strep throat
because they don't have insurance or $200 for an emergency room
visit. The government should heed the old adage "an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure" and set up a minimal level of
routine preventative medicine for ALL citizens(annual checkups,
immunizations, acute care for accidents and sudden illnesses, and
treatment for common public health ailments such as hypertension
and diabetes), provide treatment at no-frills locations (such as
having your kids line up at school to reaceive their measles
booster every year), and then have the insurance companies compete
for varying levels of additional protection (such as catastrophic
illness or "frills" care). Free market ... only make the drug
companies compete with the largest existing insurer,
Medicare/Medicaid. Personally, I'd prefer not to wait in line and
would be willing to buy extra coverage in case I get cancer, but
the health insurance/drug lobby industry has so infiltrated
Congress and gutted out the traditional "family doctor"
relationship where your doctor would charge a fair rate for a
routine 7-minute visit that it's disgusting!!!

Some folks just don't get the idea of national health care. The
idea is that proper health care should be right, not a privilege
that you get only if you can afford it. In this country, the level
of care you receive if you're sick is directly proportionate to how
much you can afford to pay. Don't you see how very wrong that is?
The idea of a national health care system is to level the playing
field for every economic level. If you are diagnosed with cancer,
you should have the same treatment as anyone else regardless of
your means. As a healthcare worker, who pays plenty in taxes and
insurance premiums, I see the disparity in care between the "haves"
and the "have nots" every day. What makes people angry is the abuse
of the current system. That is a different issue entirely. Believe
me, people who truly abuse the system amount to a small percentage
of patients. I do know that a lot of poor people show up in the
emergency room with a condition that can be taken care of in a
doctor's office, but they don't go due to... LACK OF HEALTH
INSURANCE! There just isn't another option. Similarly, people will
not see a doctor at the onset of symptoms and show up in the
emergency room when they are in far worse shape and their treatment
becomes far more expensive. We as a country are very short-sighted
on this subject. We need to be more focused on promoting healthier
lifestyles and preventing illness, with a healthcare system that
treats all Americans fairly, with yes, a system in place that roots
out abuses and corruption (THAT'S stealing, Curt). I would like to
see someone do a study on what the American taxpayer shells out for
treating the uninsured vs. a comprehensive healthcare program for
ALL Americans that is focused on disease prevention from an early
age (your kids are being fed garbage laced with chemicals in
school). Like most things in life, I suspect it would cost LESS to
approach this the

Ohh he missed one, always read magazines online thus cutting their
revenue stream and putting them out of business. He's a freeloader.
Theres living frugally which I'm for, and theres pulling food from
the mouths of others, which I'm not. Pulling for a health care
system you do not pay for when your a physically and mentally able
is just like stealing. If you don't pay for it it isn't yours.

As a Canadian reader, I was shocked to see how violently some of
you opposed the mere suggestion of a national health care campaign.
Until recently, I have virtually taken for granted the fact that I
can see a physician or have emergency surgery (which I did need,
about 7 years ago) without seriously harming my family's already
precarious financial situation. I know that national health care
may seem outrageous to those who have decent incomes and/or
insurance provided through jobs, but the truth of the matter is
that the poor are oppressed. I have farmer friends who would not be
able to afford a cast for their young son's broken arm if it were
not for the national health care here in Canada. I feel blessed to
have grown up under such a system, where care for sickness is
covered - even if that means that the rich have to foot more of the
bill. No one is giving a poor person a better quality of life -
many of them will still be eating beans from a can - but I feel
proud of the fact that no one here will be denied medical treatment
for lack of financial prosperity.

Oh for goodness' sake. I found this article very interesting,
sometimes funny, certainly one person's idea of how to live well
without much money. I'm grateful to hear his methods, whether I
choose to use them or not. Lighten up, folks! We all go through
life hearing (and reading) advice, and taking it with a grain of
salt -- thanks to Craig for sharing his way of life with us!

I'm shocked at the comments attacking Mr Idlebrook actually calling
his family freeloaders! Does this reflect the belief that one's
impact on the taxpayer is ultimately more important than one's
impact or the environment . Should all ideas to simplify our lives
be weighed against the impact it may have on the public kitty and
corporate America ? Are these the people who read TMEN ? Should
this magazine become nothing more than a catalog of trendy
emviro-gimmics for the upper middle class who can afford them?

I read Mother Earth because it offers different ways of approaching
living in and experiencing our earth. How very disappointing to
read the comments of the various readers who took this as an
opportunity to grossly mischaracterize what the author was
suggesting. Those readers clearly are caught up in mainstream ways
of doing things. Why bother reading an alternative magazine just to
spout mainstream propaganda? By the way, most of the negative
responses were by people who clearly did not understand the main
idea of the article. But, they are probably busy working 60 hour
weeks, the kids are with the nanny and the wife subcribes to Mother
Earth because it's her way to making a contribution to society?
How's that for taking something out of context?

ON SOAP BOX: I am writing in support of the overall theme, but
responding to specific comments such as seeking national
health-care causes no harm or that we shouldn't value the taxpayer
dollars because it goes to fund warmongering. I don't national
health-care or support the war (although war is necessary, none of
our current adventures fit the category of necessary war). These
are both harmful because they both destroy individual rights,
individual rights are necessary for self sufficiency. Individual
rights are destroyed through excessive taxation. My eventual
freedom from the "wage slave" is slowed because close to 50% of my
income goes to government programs (federal/state income, excise,
sales, property taxes, and licensing fees, and inflationary
policies). The founding fathers revolted over a Tea Tax that
amounted to less than 1%, why should we tolerate being kept as
"wage slaves" because the government needs "tax slaves". OFF
SOAPBOX: I will use some of his tips to move towards freedom,
however all are not realistic. Wireless internet at a hotspot
requires me to have a laptop. A laptop costs more than my 5 year
old desk top with less performance. Another tip to explore for my
fellow wage slaves is look into High Deductible (Catestrophic)
health plans and save your money in a tax deductible Health Savings
Account (not a Flexible Spending Account that expires). The High
Deductible Plans save you from medical disasters, while the Health
Savings Account allows you to save money over time to cover routine
visits to the doctor etc. It is "safer" than self insurance, but
much cheaper than a standard plan that a healthy person rarely
needs, and definitely doesn't destroy property rights through
excessive taxation like national health care. P.S. Health Care is
provided by doctors, and prior to the '70s they routinely wrote off
care or had an adjustable rate for "poor" patie

ON SOAP BOX: I am writing in support of the overall theme, but
responding to specific comments such as seeking national
health-care causes no harm or that we shouldn't value the taxpayer
dollars because it goes to fund warmongering. I don't national
health-care or support the war (although war is necessary, none of
our current adventures fit the category of necessary war). These
are both harmful because they both destroy individual rights,
individual rights are necessary for self sufficiency. Individual
rights are destroyed through excessive taxation. My eventual
freedom from the "wage slave" is slowed because close to 50% of my
income goes to government programs (federal/state income, excise,
sales, property taxes, and licensing fees, and inflationary
policies). The founding fathers revolted over a Tea Tax that
amounted to less than 1%, why should we tolerate being kept as
"wage slaves" because the government needs "tax slaves". OFF
SOAPBOX: I will use some of his tips to move towards freedom,
however all are not realistic. Wireless internet at a hotspot
requires me to have a laptop. A laptop costs more than my 5 year
old desk top with less performance. Another tip to explore for my
fellow wage slaves is look into High Deductible (Catestrophic)
health plans and save your money in a tax deductible Health Savings
Account (not a Flexible Spending Account that expires). The High
Deductible Plans save you from medical disasters, while the Health
Savings Account allows you to save money over time to cover routine
visits to the doctor etc. It is "safer" than self insurance, but
much cheaper than a standard plan that a healthy person rarely
needs, and definitely doesn't destroy property rights through
excessive taxation like national health care. P.S. Health Care is
provided by doctors, and prior to the '70s they routinely wrote off
care or had an adjustable rate for "poor" patie

I found your article to be a well thought out article, filled with
many ideas to stretch your income. It is a shame that some folks
have a problem with people who try to be frugal, but of course
someone always has something to complain about and you can't please
everyone. I believe this article is great for people on a fixed
income as well. I can't wait to read your next article!

Yes, it really works. I think more people need to get a hold of
this infomration and also take advantage of their local co ops-
especially for items like child care, sustainability environments
and home eco friendly renovations with reusable materials.

Good up to 46....lost me there

You guys pushing for national healthcare forget what the government
is for. It surely is not for you to mooch off of. Everyone else
needs to get off their butt and take the opportunities available
for work and pay for things yourself. If you choose to live in this
manner, good on ya, but don't expect me to foot the bill when you
get in a pinch, or feel sorry for you when you can't pay to take
care of your kids.

On cars, learn economic driving, ie to drive efficiently

I am surprised at the negative responses to this article. Although
not all of the authors tips are applicable to my life, I like the
message. I think the point of the article is to evaluate your
living and develop ways to conserve the money you work so hard to
earn. Let's face it, we all have stuff we dont' t need. In the last
two years I have challenged myself to own as little as possible and
I have never been so happy!

I am surprised at the negative responses to this article. Although
not all of the authors tips are applicable to my life, I like the
message. I think the point of the article is to evaluate your
living and develop ways to conserve the money you work so hard to
earn. Let's face it, we all have stuff we dont' t need. In the last
two years I have challenged myself to own as little as possible and
I have never been so happy!

In Craig Idlebrooks' article, "Live on Less and Love It!", The
auther suggests that purchasing produce from local farm stands can
be an economical alternative to supermarket food. I live in a rural
community in Carroll County MD, having moved from Baltimore some
years ago. I have yet to find a farmstand or farmer' market that
sells produce for less than the retail market value. In most cases,
the cost is more, or at least the same. The reasoning behind this
is that the consumer will pay at least the same amount, and usually
a bit more for fresher food from a local producer. The sad fact is,
at least in my neck of the woods, is that farmers cannot make a
reasonable living farming for the local market. Global market
crops, such as corn and soybeans are all that is produced. The few
farmers who grow vegetables, raise beef, chickens and honey do so
as a sideline to suplement their incomes. Those of us who can
afford to do so visit the local producers to bring home wholesome
things to our tables, and help our neighbors. Those of us who
cannot must content ourselves with the vast array of bland and
potentially hazardous items at the chain supermarkets. For me
personally, purchasing anything other than the odd bushel of apples
or greenbeans is not exactly a very thrifty venture. Luckily, I
have a small lot on which I can grow many of my own vegetables that
I am able to can, dehydrate or freeze. Keep up the good work, I am
inspired, enlightend and delighted by Mother Earth News every other
month.

to answer sarah's questions: a "internet hotspot" is a place that
offers free wireless internet to its customers. lots of restaurants
(even fast food) are now offering it as well as hotels, cafes,
coffe shops, etc.

Sarah, A wireless hotspot is a location that offers wireless (via
radio) connection to the internet. Your computer - a laptop
obviously - needs something called a wireless modem. Some hotspots
are free. There's a coffee shop near my house that offers free
connections. Other hotspots - like Macdonalds and Starbucks charge
for the connection - usually $1-3 per hour.

On the positive side of item #46, I have had the experience of
being self-insured. When I turned 65 I was, essentially, forced
into the Medicare system. The difference? My bi-annual Prostrate
checkup cost $65 per visit before Medicare; it cost $115 after.
Ditto for the lab fees. What this means is that most folks can
self-insure and then back their own resources with a catastrophic
policy which should cover a family of four for less than the cost
of a pack of cigarettes a day. Finally, I want to point out that
State managed "Health Care" programs have, without exception,
proven to be a disaster (e.g. UK, USSR). If we must involve the
collective in our health care, the only scheme which has worked at
all is a National "Health Insurance" system. That having been said,
I want to thank TMENs for publishing this article. Exception noted,
it is full of excellent suggestions for living well and for less.

I have found this article highly instructive, and I definitely
think this kind of hands.down info is missing in the wwweb. Why
should a person by attacked for pursuing his own ideal life style,
when no one else is harmed in the process? I am sure Mr. Idlebrook
has a far more constructive contribution to his community and to
society at large than that of your regular salesman or insurance
company office worker. Why should your frustration about your
hard.working life be a reason to attack those who refuse the wage
slavery? Last question: why do you place the taxpayers's money on
such a high place, when half of it goes to murderous, hate.driven
conflicts all over the world? Shouldn't you be reclaiming those
precious sums for empowering yourself and your community?

#53 Above; What is a Wireless Hotspot, & just how/where do you
locate them?

A great article showing how little you need to get by on. The UK
has a national health care system which is mainly used by those who
don't adhere to tip No 1. If you eat healthily and exercise, you
won't normally need a health care system, especially like the one
here where you come out with more diseases than you went in with.
Be careful of what u wish for....

Hmmm.. Guess I'm out of the mainstream again, I like the article.
The article missed a couple of favorites of mine. 1) Public
transportaio, or walking or biking to anything in reasonable
distance 2) Learn to cut/style own hair, or get it done at a beauty
school, or let it grow. 3) Straight razor lasts much longer than a
disposable. 4) Find a local food-bank. There are more than you
think and not all require qualifiying, although most will ask for a
small donation (1-2 dollars) for expenses. Volunteer some time
there. 5) If in an active agricultural area ask about gleaning the
fields after harves. You'd be suprised how many companies will
allow this activity.

Hmm. I was one of TMEN's earliest subscribers; still have most of
the issues from at least the first five years. I found the list of
75 ways to live on liss to be true to the TMEN philosophy of being
self-reliant, frugal, and sparing of the use of the world's
resources. I can only hope that the letters to the editor that
Mother receives on this article are much more positive than the
nay-sayers who have posted online! Rather than applaud what Craig
has suggested, some here have chosen to berate him. If you don't
like all that he suggested--then skip those! Perhaps they will be
of use to someone else. Finally: Many years have passed since my
early experiences with TMEN. I have a well-paying job in software
development and am at the midpoint of my career. I'm single, thus
have no tax deductions for dependents. Even after charitable
deductions, I suspect that I am paying much more in Federal taxes
than many of the righteously indignant commenters who have posted
here. But I sincerely appreciated the article. Not everyone out
there has had the breaks that I have had. Many people HAVE to live
frugally. My home is in a rural area with many elderly retired
people, who live very simply on fixed Social Security incomes (most
were farmers, so never made very much money while they were in the
work force). Yet they embody so much of the
thrify-in-dollars-but-rich-in-creativity lifestyle that TMEN has
always tried to encourage. I applaud TMEN for making this the cover
story.

It relieves me to see that most of the feedback about this article
is negative. It surprised me to see that MOTHER would print this
article, and tout it on the cover as the main article of this
issue. What a shame, that such a great magazine about
self-suffiency would ever print such a free-loading-friendly sermon
written by a person who doesn't even earn his freedom to do so.
MOTHER, how could you? When I receive my much anticipated issue in
the mail, I can't wait to read the great ideas shared with, and
written by, people I've always thought of as hard-working folks
trying to reap the most they can from their efforts. Mr.Idlebrook
isn't even close to being one those people. MOTHER, you owe your
loyal readers an apology.

Here's 5 more suggestions for living on less: 1. Don't bother with
health insurance, just go to the emergency room as a vagrant or to
free clinics (how much did the birth of his child cost?). 2. Apply
for food stamps. 3. Ask your local small business for free or
reduced goods, after all, those capitalistic pigs are living off
you! 4. Sue random people. 5. Cut your hair, spin it into wool and
knit clothing out of it. I can't believe MEN printed this article.
The audacity!

Very good article. I sit on top of the fence of National Health
Care, but in defense of the comments above, why shouldn't a person
who has obviously taken the time to come up with 74 other ways to
save money, expect the other "non-self sufficient" citizens to pay
for national health care? He and the rest of those who choose to
spend more time with family shouldn't be refused a government
program. I wouldn't think of it as taking advantage of those who
work an average of 45 hours per week. The self-sufficent society
will, most likely, be the minority for quite some time... so why
not...go for it!

I read with interest your October/November, 2007 issue cover story,
75 Ways to Live on Less and Love It. The article’s title got my
attention as I believe we could all do a better job of living on
less and ultimately, living within our means. Although Mr.
Idlebrook presented many good, common sense ideas to enjoy life,
while spending and consuming less, I took exception with two of his
ideas. Suggestion number 46 recommends campaigning for a national
health care system. Mr. Idlebrook proudly proclaims that his 2005
family’s income was a little over $4300, with 2004 income being
half of that. For someone paying minimal to no federal income
taxes, I find it outrageous that he expects U.S. taxpayers to fund
his family’s healthcare, while he does his best to minimize his
income and, therefore pay minimal to zero income taxes. Suggestion
number 75 recommends swallowing your pride and accepting your
family’s help every now and then. I have to assume that Mr.
Idlebrook means financial help. I find this suggestion equally
outrageous. In my opinion, taking money from your family, while you
consciously choose to earn minimal income is a form of
“freeloading”. We should all be striving to live simpler, more
wholesome lives. But, our goal should be to achieve this lifestyle
independently, not by way of handouts from our fellow taxpayers and
families. I found it ironic that this story was under the section
titled “self sufficiency". Mr. Idlebrook should “regurgitate” his
pride and enjoy life more while spending and consuming less,
proudly, independently, and by way of SELF sufficiency.

This article does have a few good ideas, but I have a major problem
with a person who is willing to brag about getting by on 4300
dollars, especially a parent. I guess when your family needs
medical or dental care, you depend on the people who are willing to
work more than 20 hours a week and pay taxes to make up for your
laziness and inadequicies. What kind work ethic are you teaching
your daughter? I'm guessing you become adept at being a paristic
scrounge when you are too lazy to actually support your family
yourself. I very much enjoy this magazine, but I think they should
screen their contributors a little more closely.

Most of your suggestions are sound but some take a mite of further
consideration. Take college. My daughter's tuition at Truman State
in Kirksville, Mo. was less than it would have been at Illinios
State at Normal. It also had a highter academic rating. And don't
overlook dumpster diving. It can be a source of great entertainment
as well as a great source of food and stuff. Retailers through away
the darndest things!

Very interesting article but how does 46. Campaign for a national
health care system! fit with a self sufficient life style? It
definitely does not fit with efficiency. The government never makes
anything more efficient. .