Could you live like this (minimally)?

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E

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
vi edit said:
If I didn't have a family, probably. But it would take a retooling of my life. If you are even the least bit of a hobbiest this philosphy is completely thrown out the door. Photography, cooking, woodworking, scrapbooking, whatever...all of these hobbies have an entourage of things that accompany them.
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This. I could live very simply, but I wouldn't be able to get rid of my tools and electronics. Not electronics like the DVD player - I could live without that, but my inverters, batteries, solar panels, components, soldering iron, etc.. Not to mention all of my small engines.

Stuff like that would be part of living simply for me.
 
Z

Zargon

Lifer
Nov 3, 2009
12,218
2
76
just dont be as awesome as my buddies brother

hes trying to go as off the grid as possible in this house his parents own

no ac, wouldnt run the dehumidifier in the basement because they use power

now his dad is putting over a grand into the basement after it got moldy
 
Key West

Key West

Banned
Jan 20, 2010
922
0
0
Farang said:
Americans have a sickness that makes us want to consume. We're like addicts. It is really strange to see, I swear most people take up hobbies just to buy shit. When they talk about their hobbies, it seems half of the talk is about what they can buy next to solve whatever problem they are having.
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Uh, what's has to do with Americans? Germans, Koreans, Chinese, Dutch, Brits, Brazilian, Dutch don't do the same shit?
 
Binarycow

Binarycow

Golden Member
Jan 10, 2010
1,238
2
76
loki8481 said:
her kids are going to be thrilled with their student loans and hand-me-down clothes because mommy and daddy couldn't suck it up in their real world jobs.
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wahahahha, idealism always gets the **** knocked out of it every time it gets into a boxing match with reality.
 
I

iGas

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2009
6,240
1
0
My entertainment, eating out, and grocery is greater than $1000 a month and at time it reach almost as high as $2000 a month. Transportation cost me $800~$850 a month, rent $950, utility/phones/internet is another $225 a month.

It is sad that I save less than $1000 a month on an income of greater than $70K per annum.

The best I can do for now is cut back to 1 car and save $200 month, cancel land line phone to save $25 a month, less tools shopping & cut out eating out would reduce another $400~500 month easily. And, may be move to a cheaper place that is closer to work to reduce an additional $400~$450 a month. Grand total of $1025~$1175 a month saving.

Hell no, I can't do it because I'm use to living large.
 
JEDI

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
29,391
2,738
126
wow.. cant believe i read that whole article.

can i live with just 100 items? NO

can i scale down what i own dramatically, get close to that, and feel happier? Probably.

Going to start w/my computer room. it's full of stuff i havent touched in over a year
 
Modelworks

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
DanDaManJC said:
but without our consumer culture, how would our economy survive? obviously it wouldn't (in its current form), but it'd be interesting to see how things pan out...
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That is part of what got the countries economics to where they are now. People around the 1980's wanted more stuff but were not earning enough to afford it. Along came credit cards for the masses. Before then credit existed but most of the credit was in store type credit plans or bank loans. Around 1980 visa and mastercard started a heavy push into the consumer market. People found they could get regular stuff now and pay for it later. Wages didn't increase enough to keep up with the 'need' from consumers for more stuff. People borrowed more and more .

I have a brother like this. He is miserable when he doesn't have money not because he is doing without , he has a nice home, the latest electronics stuff, etc. As soon as he has money he is happy again and goes out and buys something else. It is like a drug to some people.
 
Binarycow

Binarycow

Golden Member
Jan 10, 2010
1,238
2
76
Modelworks said:
... I have a brother like this. He is miserable when he doesn't have money not because he is doing without , he has a nice home, the latest electronics stuff, etc. As soon as he has money he is happy again and goes out and buys something else. It is like a drug to some people.
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he sounds like most people I know so that makes him normal doesn't it.
money money money... <----- Mr. Crabbs. Good for him that he wants to spend when he has money, that keeps our economy running.
 
Ns1

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
I'm actually doing something similar, <100 items not including clothes + kitchen shit.

Been eBaying stuff for the past few months, need to unload my car this month or next...

Went from < 1000 to < 500
 
JSt0rm

JSt0rm

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
27,399
3,948
126
you do realize if the entire nation did this we would all be without jobs?
 
L

leeland

Diamond Member
Dec 12, 2000
3,659
0
76
IndyColtsFan said:
This. I've been trying to convince my wife to give up cable TV and we'd have OTA TV, Netflix, and PlayOn, but that idea has not gained traction.
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I am glad I am not the only one losing that battle...been trying to get off of cable in the worst way!

FUCKING cable company (Time Warner) can choke on a big fat one...

In the past 3 bills...our bill has gone something like this

97 dollars
111 dollars
127 dollars

No increase in service...all we have is internet and basic and standard cable with two HD receivers and one DVR

FFS for the hardware alone it is 25 dollars.
Internet costs me 40
so taxes and the crappy standard and basic is over 60 bucks
 
IndyColtsFan

IndyColtsFan

Lifer
Sep 22, 2007
33,655
688
126
leeland said:
I am glad I am not the only one losing that battle...been trying to get off of cable in the worst way!

FUCKING cable company (Time Warner) can choke on a big fat one...

In the past 3 bills...our bill has gone something like this

97 dollars
111 dollars
127 dollars

No increase in service...all we have is internet and basic and standard cable with two HD receivers and one DVR

FFS for the hardware alone it is 25 dollars.
Internet costs me 40
so taxes and the crappy standard and basic is over 60 bucks
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We're on Brighthouse (Time Warner) and have phone, internet, and cable TV with them. Right now, the cost is $180 per month give or take a few bucks. IIRC, we have digital cable plus the HD pack, a DVR, and an additional cable box. She wanted HBO for True Blood (don't even get me started), so we have that too.

I've been happy with their service, but I'd love to cut out the cable TV component. Of course they would probably jack up the internet and/or phone to compensate. My only alternative is AT&T and I hate them with a passion; I am paying more for my Brighthouse phone than an AT&T line and that is intentional on my part.
 
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J

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
7
81
I think if I didn't have kids and my wife and I lived like that, we'd have $1 million in the bank in 7 years assuming 0% investment growth.
 
T

techwanabe

Diamond Member
May 24, 2000
3,145
0
0
I don't think it is necessary to pair down to 100 items to achieve this, but for some maybe that process helps. While I get re-established and working on improving my employment situation I've looked around the neighborhood where she lives near Chantilly Virginia. The next door neighbor looks like the epitome of the consume and spend mentality. He has all the suburban toys - including 3 cars (Hummer, and two trucks) riding mower for a modest lawn, power washer and all the other toys.

If people could get off the materialistic treatmill that we live on in, or better yet just live within our finanical means, well, maybe we wouldn't be in this globoal recession?
 
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