Simpler Living
(Page 2 of 4)
October/November 2008
By Wanda Urbanska
Live below your means. A sure way to weather turbulent times while working to secure your financial future is to live below your means. If you save and stash 10 percent (or more) of every dollar that comes your way, as the years pass, your savings will start to become substantial. If you’re game for ratcheting up this savings campaign, try to save 100 percent of a pay raise or bonus. Another ambitious technique, for a couple, is to live on one income and save the other.
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Frugality factor: Every tightwad knows that 10 percent of even small amounts quickly adds up to a bundle.
Buy used. Vehicles, clothing, tools and toys — whenever possible, take advantage of tremendous savings by purchasing gently used goods. Even items such as appliances may drop in price enormously once they’re taken from the storeroom floor. But be sure to inspect the merchandise thoroughly before you swipe your card or count your bills, as most used items are sold “as is.” Also, consider swapping items or re-purposing what you have. I transformed my mother’s favorite 1960s novelty skirt into kitchen curtains, which are full of personality and flair.
Frugality factor: You can save up to 100 percent when you swap or buy used. Some people will even give you things for the effort of carting them off. For free things, check out freecycle.
Choose local food. Whenever possible, buy locally grown food rather than trucked-in, long-distance food. Shop at farmers markets; buy a share in a CSA (community supported agriculture); and consider planting a garden of your own. Even if you live in an apartment, you can make a container garden by setting out a few pots of peppers or cherry tomatoes on your patio or deck. (Learn more in Container Cultivation. )
Frugality factor: Especially with food prices rising, you can save money by feeding your family in-season organic produce, especially if it’s from your garden. And you can’t put a price tag on the pride of ownership!
Create community. The decline of community life and personal bonds is one of the worst changes of the last 20 years. According to one recent study, fully one-quarter of Americans have no one in whom they can confide, more than double the number who responded similarly in 1985. Cecile Andrews, author of Slow is Beautiful: New Visions of Community, Leisure and Joie de Vivre (New Society, 2006), counters this trend with a “stop and chat” program in her Seattle neighborhood. To build bonds with others, Cecile and her husband Paul consciously make small talk with neighbors and try to engage with newcomers. “When you speak to a stranger, you learn to care for the ‘other,’ a step toward caring for something greater than yourself, ” she says.
