Simplifying your life - ideas?

featherstick · Post by **featherstick** » 25 Jan 2012, 11:31

mikepepler wrote:Agree on TV - we got rid of ours 6 years ago now.

Also a good point made on budgeting - we went on a money management course back in May, as I was interested in running the course myself, and putting it into practice has helped us step up our mortgage overpayments. We also use cash as far as possible now, and rarely use the credit card (even though it's paid in full at the end of each month anyway). I've done the training and am running the course for others now...

Can you share? Sounds great.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 25 Jan 2012, 12:03

I've never had a credit card. My wife has one for minor purchases and pays off every month.

I took my first mortgage at 15.6% interest rate. As the rate went down, I kept the payments the same. Paid off in 6 years. I only ever delayed paying a bill once, a service bill on my car, too avoid going overdrawn. Cleared the delay with the garage first.

Post by **mikepepler** » 26 Jan 2012, 09:41

featherstick wrote:
mikepepler wrote:Also a good point made on budgeting - we went on a money management course back in May, as I was interested in running the course myself, and putting it into practice has helped us step up our mortgage overpayments. We also use cash as far as possible now, and rarely use the credit card (even though it's paid in full at the end of each month anyway). I've done the training and am running the course for others now...
Can you share? Sounds great.

It's this one: https://www.capmoney.org/

Runs nationally, hosted by local churches. CAP also does free debt counselling (including negotiating with creditors) for those who need more help than the money course can give them.

featherstick · Post by **featherstick** » 26 Jan 2012, 10:11

THanks Mike.

FS

sam_uk · Post by **sam_uk** » 27 Jan 2012, 20:53

Most important one is get rid of your TV.

Once you have done that you will find you don't 'need' all those things in the 17,155 adverts that the 'average' UK TV viewer submits themselves to each year.

Post by **clv101** » 27 Jan 2012, 22:18

Lord Beria3 wrote:Any ideas on how to simplify/reduce costs in your life?

One idea is getting rid of the car, but what else?

A few things we've done; certainly get rid of the TV. It's a huge waste of time and money and sows all sorts of silly ideas in your head (no matter how immune you think you are). Give up supermarkets (buy food from a local wholesalers / food co-op). Again saves time, money and teaches you to cook by only having basic ingredients, also get a milkman. Get rid of random gadgets that aren't really needed (dish washers, toaster, bread machine, smoothie machine...). Get rid of clutter - unneeded furniture, clothes, nic-knacks etc. Finally, just stop buying things!

There's a load of good ideas here: http://zenhabits.net/simple-living-mani ... your-life/

Snail · Post by **Snail** » 27 Jan 2012, 22:51

That Zen list was great. I personally like tip no.55:

55.Learn to do nothing. Doing nothing can be an art form, and it should be a part of every life. Read the Art of Doing Nothing.

Reminds of the Idler Forum I used to like visiting.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 28 Jan 2012, 11:03

clv101 wrote:
There's a load of good ideas here: http://zenhabits.net/simple-living-mani ... your-life/

I've never been keen on buying stuff, but I do like having stuff. Especially stuff which is old and proved its worth and will continue to be of worth for a long time. I would quite like to live in a museum. Come to think of it, I probably do live in a museum. What's the point of an empty shelf?

mobbsey · Post by **mobbsey** » 28 Jan 2012, 11:11

So basically, especially for those of 'a certain age', we're talking here about "The Good Life" then?

Coincidentally, I had an argument with Mark Thomas at one of his gigs in London a few years ago about the validity of trying to change the world with comedy -- and I used "The Good Life" as an example. The lowest viewing figure for an episode was 5.9 million; the highest was 21 million -- and yet we didn't see a sudden rush for more lower-consumption lifestyles as a result of the programme's popularity.

Likewise, Hugh Fairly Whitty-not's programmes gained an audience on Channel 4, but it's his influence with "the chattering classes" that's led to changes in chicken production, etc., rather than a real systemic change in attitudes.

In that sense would the final grudging acceptance of ecological limits -- e.g. peak oil -- represent, paradoxically, a far more "positive" basis from which to argue lifestyle change for everyone (especially the poorest) rather than the present moral/aesthetic appeal of TV programmes (e.g. "It's not Easy Being Green") or movements (e.g. Transition Towns) to a largely middle class/affluent audience?

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 28 Jan 2012, 11:34

But when will we get the final grudging acceptance of ecological limits? For now we just seem to be creating one scapegoat after another to blame for proximal issues rather that accept limits.

mobbsey · Post by **mobbsey** » 28 Jan 2012, 12:20

biffvernon wrote:But when will we get the final grudging acceptance of ecological limits?

That's why I'm trying to get people to think pro-actively, to get themselves ready with experience and information ready to pass on to others, when that grudging acceptance finally manifests itself. Then, because we're prepared, we can try to lead the agenda towards more forward looking solutions, rather than the panicked, "let's have more of the same, only more aggressively"-type solutions we've seen in the wake of the present financial crisis.

We've started that phase -- with the French Prime Minister and most recently the journal Nature calling "the peak". Arguably the reality of that isn't going to sink in until production falls off the present plateau, which is probably 2013-ish.

jonny2mad · Post by **jonny2mad** » 28 Jan 2012, 12:26

You ain't seen nothing yet when it comes to scapegoating my god scapegoating's got a long way to go.

Remember waterworld and the oil tanker, they were still blaming greens and talking about consumption being their destiny, with the whole planet flooded and most of the people dead.

Its like trying to turn Jeremy Clarkson green

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 28 Jan 2012, 16:51

sam_uk wrote:Most important one is get rid of your TV.

Ever since Chateau Renewable "went Digital" I've not been able to work ours, so we're effectively shot of it, except for Fils (the only one who can work it) and the wretched simpsons.

It mainly gets used as a dvd player. Latest exploits: Jeeves-and-Wooster, Sherlock Holmes. It's in the same room as the woodburner, so if everybody's watching, I can turn the heating off on the Q

bealers · Post by **bealers** » 29 Jan 2012, 09:01

sam_uk wrote:Most important one is get rid of your TV.

This is our 4th year without. We had quite a bit of pushback from the 2 eldest (they were 5 at the time) but it's OK now. With young kids it's a tad more challenging but we allow a few DVDs a week and occasionally we'll let them watch some iPlayer, e/g a Dr Who episode.

They love going to friends or families houses as they get to watch 'adverts tv'

the_lyniezian · Post by **the_lyniezian** » 29 Jan 2012, 14:13

For me:

-Cutting out buying newspapers and magazines could be a good thing. I probably waste money on them and only really skim through them.

-Not buying videos, records, books, games etc. for the same reason, and getting rid of a few.

-In fact I think I could at least get rid of the Mega Drive and all the games, likewise the various old computers I seems to have around the place (after I've done 'em up).

-Not setting foot in a pub, moderating drinking in general.

-Probably wasting less time on the internet too, to free up time to do the things I need to do and get those books read, &c.... life will be a lot simpler if I do this!

PowerSwitch

Simplifying your life - ideas?

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