And we both did it several times while single, pre dating / marriage. I agree with the person who made the statement . . . the more you do it the easier it gets. So true. A great deal of things are still being store by the military, but there were truckloads upon truckloads that were given away or chucked. We are living with very little now and in very few square feet while we search for an architect / contractor. The backpack thing was definitely challenging for us too. One small bag each. While we both enjoyed not having to carry much whenever we jumped on a bus or chicken truck, there are times when I desperately wished we could at least have as much with us as the suitcase nomad girl above.
Really feels great when you get down to nothing, doesn't it?
I gave up my apartment, threw everything into storage/gave it away/sold it/chucked it, and now my husband and I live out of suitcases. Literally. We call ourselves modern nomads.
We don't have a home, no furniture, and we live in hotels paid for by my projects, and have NO fixed expenses except for car insurance + debt repayments.
It's so freeing to know that you don't have to worry about buying furniture or stuff for the apartment, or paying utilities...
By the end of 2008, I should be on track to clear my entire education amount, and truly begin life being debt free... until I get a mortgage of course !
OK, cleaning buffs. What do you use to clean a STAINLESS STEEL OUTDOOR GRILL? I have tried a number of items. I don't want to use something that will scratch the surface. Baked on grease and burn marks clean up, but it takes a long time of rubbing and rubbing and rubbing. I need an easy method. Any ideas??? Thanks for the help.
When I moved to Europe, I had to reduce all of my possessions to two suitcases and leave the rest of the stuff in storage with family. At first it was really tough, but as time goes by I don't even remember what it is I have there. There are only a couple things I really miss that have sentimental value. Besides that, it's amazing how you can really reduce what you need and all of the things you think you need, but really don't.
I've moved again in Spain and am going to move again back to the U.S. in a few months and am so relieved about how easy it was and will be again. When you need to move around, having a lot of stuff just becomes a burden.
I agree about the shoes though. Those are just necessary no matter what. :)
When I moved to Europe, I had to reduce all of my possessions to two suitcases and leave the rest of the stuff in storage with family. At first it was really tough, but as time goes by I don't even remember what it is I have there. There are only a couple things I really miss that have sentimental value. Besides that, it's amazing how you can really reduce what you need and all of the things you think you need, but really don't.
I've moved again in Spain and am going to move again back to the U.S. in a few months and am so relieved about how easy it was and will be again. When you need to move around, having a lot of stuff just becomes a burden.
I agree about the shoes though. Those are just necessary no matter what. :)
I loved your article and very much expresses how I feel, even though I have not yet gone completely through the journey of giving to live simply. In our next big move, this is what I'm going to suggest. Plus kids with family (which what our family will be by the time we move) can always use the space for making those forts out of cardboard boxes. Toys.. who needs toys?! :)
corporations still publish glossy ads, brochures, annual reports, TV ads and so on. The point here is that people take Wikipedia as a source of impartial information. Everyone knows a glossy mag or ad from a corporation will be one-sided, so they have their guards up. But if they believe Wikipedia to be an impartial source of information, their defenses are down and they are more likely to believe it.
Years ago I moved from SF to NYC in a 79 Camaro. I had a 2000 square foot loft in SF, so I had a LOT to get rid of. It was AMAZING. I picked the things that were most important, loved or small and expensive and took that with me. Everything else was either sold or donated to charity. It felt GREAT to get rid of that much stuff....
Of course, a few years later and I had filled up a 2000 square foot house; it's pretty easy to rebuild the collection. But I think everyone should have to do something like that every few years. Once you do, you start to see how easy it can be.
Corporations will always lie, but with Wikipedia it's harder for them to lie because they have to keep re-editing to counter edits by those citizens who tell the truth.
If Wikipedia didn't exist, corporations can publish expensive glossy ads in newspapers, magazines, television, etc where they cannot be edited by the general public.
Wikipedia brings down the barrier to information. Many criticize Wikipedia for being an unreliable source from which to cite, but what else is reliable? Books? Corporations publish books. Propaganda and misleading information is often spread through books. E.g. The Protocol of the Elders of Zion. So really there is no need for this prejudice against Wikipedia because it isn't a glossy, nice-looking media.
Basically, go to the store with the receipt for the item (always keep your receipts for at least 3 months folks) and ask for a price adjust on the item that is now lower in price. That's it!
Farmer's deserve the money they get from their product, they got up at 4am to pick that item for you, it's worth an extra 30 cents isn't it?
Also on framing your own picture, it's what I do for a living. Yes, it is expensive, but you recieve the custom built frame, glass, matting, drymount (to prevent sagging and drooping of the picture), fitting and it's all custom mad; by a citizen, someone who earns his living through your community, who's kids go to the schools your kids do, not some cheap frame from Wal-mart that was made by a 10 year child making 20 cents an hour overseas.
Also tell someone you want proof of a pet recieving shots, and you will see the price of the pet in question go up $50.
Just wanted to add why I love owning a house compared to my experience renting for 12 years. One time I was told after renting a place for four years that the owner was selling and I had to move (very stressful!) and another time I was told the owner might be selling, they would let us know. I found it stressful not knowing if we could stay where we were, because I wasn't sure if I could find a reasonably priced rental on 30 days notice.
I like knowing that our mortgage is the same every month for 30 (now 25) years, and I love that no one can kick us out for any reason! It is true what everyone has posted about all the additional costs of ownership, we pay $2000 a year in taxes, also we budget $2000 for home repair (savings set aside for big things like roof, etc, included), and $600 for insurance (fire and earthquake [California]). It all adds up! I do like knowing, though, that no one can come tell me I have to move. Good luck to all people who are thinking of buying, make sure you run realistic numbers, because you can't compare rent amount to home loan payment amount, there are WAY more expenses owning a home.
What you guys are failing to regognize is that asking for a small discount does not force the vendors to do anything they don't want to do. Want to know how a small farmer really loses money? They grow vegetables that rot before they can be sold. The goal of the vendor is to sell 100 percent of the produce they brought, but not sell out until the last minute, and get as much money as possible per pound. Unfortunately, they lack the resources to be able to be constantantly monitoring supply and demand and adjust prices like a large retailer, so they have to do it a little bit seat-of-the-pants. People also don't like to walk by the stall 30 minutes and see that the prices have gone down, so they'll typically have to stick with a price once they've set it.
But by the time that the day is half done, they'll have a pretty good idea how close they'll be to reaching their goals, and if it looks like they need to move more product, they'll be happy if you offer them a little more money in exchange for a proportionately larger order.
That's why bargaining works. The merchant has some secret information about how much they'd be satisfied making, and the customer has some secret information about how much they'd be willing to pay, and when you bargain a little, everyone ends up happy. If the merchant doesn't want to take the deal you offer, they'll refuse. Don't be so lilly-livered about it.
And as for Mr. British, I wouldn't be so haughty about cultural differences. In many parts of the world. people would be embarrassed to pay what the vendor first asks for, because only suckers would do that. In the US, we don't have the culture of bargaining to that extent, and it's certainly true that some people try so hard to strike a bargain that they embarrass themselves and the merchants, but in many cases it's perfectly acceptable, and even expected. Think of it this way, when one big multinational company offers to buy another one (even a British one), they don't just take the first offer. They usually spend weeks negotiating back and forth. Now, it wouldn't be worth your time spending weeks haggling over a new plasma TV, but it should be worth at least fifteen minutes. If Best Buy is willing to throw in free delivery to get your business, then wouldn't it be a win-win?
I have a chevy. I just bought it and the moonroof completely stopped working. I's clicking, so I assume there's power going to it but I'm hoping it was something this simple because I pent every last penny on this car and all of my paycheck is going to insurance. If it's costly or anything more complex than a pebble then I'm S-O-L. Gotta love a chevy... Oh, and did I mention that the passenger door won't open from the inside and the CD Player skips?
You know, you might be right there, Philip. Although, this was one of their regular offers, not a short term thing . . . maybe because it was a lower income area they figured that fewer people would be able to take advantage of the deal? Either way, we were in love with the quality of their good stuff. We go through a fair amount of the boxed stuff too, but this stuff was really phenomenal for the price. Once the dust settles from the winterizing of the cottage, we are going to see if we can order it in bulk over the net. It was really that good, at least from our perspective.
... or you can pick from their really great collection of twenty-five to thirty-five dollar stuff.
I bet they figure that letting people enjoy a full case of truly fine wine is just the way to help them develop a taste for the good stuff. Of course, that can be a true win-win.
Generally buy only when specials available.Realised several years ago that the returns were as good if not better than investments. We had a special SSIA account last year the return was approximately 25% over five years. However if we purchased two packets of washing powder on special offer. We had an instant saving in the region of 30%. Its a great way to increase the return from your dollar or euro.
Great point! I had a blast doing that in Italy when I was walking distance from the lakeside plaza. You're right, if you feel the need to splurge on some portabellas or sun dried tomatoes it doesn't feel so bad if you know you are stocked up on cheap pasta and great wine at home. And you're going green by buying locally.
It's funny you mention bulk wine because one of the best deals we ever found was in southern Arizona. There's a great little winery that will sell you a case of bottles for $110, and you get to select any 12 bottles you want. The only ones off limits are their special reserves. Now, you can go pick out 12 bottles of 10 ten dollar wine and save 10 bucks, or you can pick from their really great collection of twenty-five to thirty-five dollar stuff. Of course you know what I chose, but hey, that's up to you. I don't know if they would go lower if you bought several cases or not. But getting a 30 dollar bottle of wine for less than 10 bucks is my kind of deal. I've had a bulk buying post in the works for a while now, but I have to say I hadn't even considered the extra bonus of what you just wrote up. Now I feel extra great about stocking up.
Years ago we went on a road trip up and down the length of California with our daughter and our husband's parents. When it got dark, we would stop at a hotel or motel and my husband would ask them if they would give us two rooms for the price of one. It was nighttime, the rooms weren't rented and they all agreed to the deal. One hotel gave us a two bedroom suite for the price of one room. If they had said no, we would have just driven to another hotel. We stayed in some lovely places. My father did the same thing years ago when we would go to Atlantic City in the 1950's-60s. He'd pull into a motel parking lot where there weren't too many cars and tell them we were going to be there for two weeks. Could they give us two rooms for the price of one? There were always people who took him up on it, and we also ate and paid full price in the hotel or motel restaurant, so they made money that way. Nowadays when I make reservations in advance I go online and then I'll call to find out if they give the Entertainment rate for the Entertainment card. A lot of hotels, particularly Holiday Inns, will do that if they have a lot of empty rooms for that night and the rate is lower than AAA or AARP.
As a business person I realize that sometimes it is better to collect less and still have a sale. They recognize the same thing.
Hi. I wasn't self-employed at the time. However, when my COBRA runs out, I can file for an extension of 11 months I believe because I'm deemed permanently disabled by social security. The premium is an extra 50% but I'll have to do it. After that, I believe I can get what's called a "conversion" plan but it might be something special because I'm disabled. Your insurance company could tell you if you are eligible for a conversion plan. Let me know if you need further help and if I know the details of your situation, I'll see what we can figure out. If you think you are insurable, call a good health insurance broker and tell them your situation. There is also another idea I can think of if you think you may be able to work at all by the time your COBRA runs out. Depending on your state, there are options.
And we both did it several times while single, pre dating / marriage. I agree with the person who made the statement . . . the more you do it the easier it gets. So true. A great deal of things are still being store by the military, but there were truckloads upon truckloads that were given away or chucked. We are living with very little now and in very few square feet while we search for an architect / contractor. The backpack thing was definitely challenging for us too. One small bag each. While we both enjoyed not having to carry much whenever we jumped on a bus or chicken truck, there are times when I desperately wished we could at least have as much with us as the suitcase nomad girl above.
Really feels great when you get down to nothing, doesn't it?
I gave up my apartment, threw everything into storage/gave it away/sold it/chucked it, and now my husband and I live out of suitcases. Literally. We call ourselves modern nomads.
We don't have a home, no furniture, and we live in hotels paid for by my projects, and have NO fixed expenses except for car insurance + debt repayments.
It's so freeing to know that you don't have to worry about buying furniture or stuff for the apartment, or paying utilities...
By the end of 2008, I should be on track to clear my entire education amount, and truly begin life being debt free... until I get a mortgage of course !
Great post!
OK, cleaning buffs. What do you use to clean a STAINLESS STEEL OUTDOOR GRILL? I have tried a number of items. I don't want to use something that will scratch the surface. Baked on grease and burn marks clean up, but it takes a long time of rubbing and rubbing and rubbing. I need an easy method. Any ideas??? Thanks for the help.
When I moved to Europe, I had to reduce all of my possessions to two suitcases and leave the rest of the stuff in storage with family. At first it was really tough, but as time goes by I don't even remember what it is I have there. There are only a couple things I really miss that have sentimental value. Besides that, it's amazing how you can really reduce what you need and all of the things you think you need, but really don't.
I've moved again in Spain and am going to move again back to the U.S. in a few months and am so relieved about how easy it was and will be again. When you need to move around, having a lot of stuff just becomes a burden.
I agree about the shoes though. Those are just necessary no matter what. :)
When I moved to Europe, I had to reduce all of my possessions to two suitcases and leave the rest of the stuff in storage with family. At first it was really tough, but as time goes by I don't even remember what it is I have there. There are only a couple things I really miss that have sentimental value. Besides that, it's amazing how you can really reduce what you need and all of the things you think you need, but really don't.
I've moved again in Spain and am going to move again back to the U.S. in a few months and am so relieved about how easy it was and will be again. When you need to move around, having a lot of stuff just becomes a burden.
I agree about the shoes though. Those are just necessary no matter what. :)
I loved your article and very much expresses how I feel, even though I have not yet gone completely through the journey of giving to live simply. In our next big move, this is what I'm going to suggest. Plus kids with family (which what our family will be by the time we move) can always use the space for making those forts out of cardboard boxes. Toys.. who needs toys?! :)
corporations still publish glossy ads, brochures, annual reports, TV ads and so on. The point here is that people take Wikipedia as a source of impartial information. Everyone knows a glossy mag or ad from a corporation will be one-sided, so they have their guards up. But if they believe Wikipedia to be an impartial source of information, their defenses are down and they are more likely to believe it.
Years ago I moved from SF to NYC in a 79 Camaro. I had a 2000 square foot loft in SF, so I had a LOT to get rid of. It was AMAZING. I picked the things that were most important, loved or small and expensive and took that with me. Everything else was either sold or donated to charity. It felt GREAT to get rid of that much stuff....
Of course, a few years later and I had filled up a 2000 square foot house; it's pretty easy to rebuild the collection. But I think everyone should have to do something like that every few years. Once you do, you start to see how easy it can be.
Corporations will always lie, but with Wikipedia it's harder for them to lie because they have to keep re-editing to counter edits by those citizens who tell the truth.
If Wikipedia didn't exist, corporations can publish expensive glossy ads in newspapers, magazines, television, etc where they cannot be edited by the general public.
Wikipedia brings down the barrier to information. Many criticize Wikipedia for being an unreliable source from which to cite, but what else is reliable? Books? Corporations publish books. Propaganda and misleading information is often spread through books. E.g. The Protocol of the Elders of Zion. So really there is no need for this prejudice against Wikipedia because it isn't a glossy, nice-looking media.
Basically, go to the store with the receipt for the item (always keep your receipts for at least 3 months folks) and ask for a price adjust on the item that is now lower in price. That's it!
Seems like the lesson of this story is that you should estimate your own discount rate early on and stick to it.
Farmer's deserve the money they get from their product, they got up at 4am to pick that item for you, it's worth an extra 30 cents isn't it?
Also on framing your own picture, it's what I do for a living. Yes, it is expensive, but you recieve the custom built frame, glass, matting, drymount (to prevent sagging and drooping of the picture), fitting and it's all custom mad; by a citizen, someone who earns his living through your community, who's kids go to the schools your kids do, not some cheap frame from Wal-mart that was made by a 10 year child making 20 cents an hour overseas.
Also tell someone you want proof of a pet recieving shots, and you will see the price of the pet in question go up $50.
Just wanted to add why I love owning a house compared to my experience renting for 12 years. One time I was told after renting a place for four years that the owner was selling and I had to move (very stressful!) and another time I was told the owner might be selling, they would let us know. I found it stressful not knowing if we could stay where we were, because I wasn't sure if I could find a reasonably priced rental on 30 days notice.
I like knowing that our mortgage is the same every month for 30 (now 25) years, and I love that no one can kick us out for any reason! It is true what everyone has posted about all the additional costs of ownership, we pay $2000 a year in taxes, also we budget $2000 for home repair (savings set aside for big things like roof, etc, included), and $600 for insurance (fire and earthquake [California]). It all adds up! I do like knowing, though, that no one can come tell me I have to move. Good luck to all people who are thinking of buying, make sure you run realistic numbers, because you can't compare rent amount to home loan payment amount, there are WAY more expenses owning a home.
What you guys are failing to regognize is that asking for a small discount does not force the vendors to do anything they don't want to do. Want to know how a small farmer really loses money? They grow vegetables that rot before they can be sold. The goal of the vendor is to sell 100 percent of the produce they brought, but not sell out until the last minute, and get as much money as possible per pound. Unfortunately, they lack the resources to be able to be constantantly monitoring supply and demand and adjust prices like a large retailer, so they have to do it a little bit seat-of-the-pants. People also don't like to walk by the stall 30 minutes and see that the prices have gone down, so they'll typically have to stick with a price once they've set it.
But by the time that the day is half done, they'll have a pretty good idea how close they'll be to reaching their goals, and if it looks like they need to move more product, they'll be happy if you offer them a little more money in exchange for a proportionately larger order.
That's why bargaining works. The merchant has some secret information about how much they'd be satisfied making, and the customer has some secret information about how much they'd be willing to pay, and when you bargain a little, everyone ends up happy. If the merchant doesn't want to take the deal you offer, they'll refuse. Don't be so lilly-livered about it.
And as for Mr. British, I wouldn't be so haughty about cultural differences. In many parts of the world. people would be embarrassed to pay what the vendor first asks for, because only suckers would do that. In the US, we don't have the culture of bargaining to that extent, and it's certainly true that some people try so hard to strike a bargain that they embarrass themselves and the merchants, but in many cases it's perfectly acceptable, and even expected. Think of it this way, when one big multinational company offers to buy another one (even a British one), they don't just take the first offer. They usually spend weeks negotiating back and forth. Now, it wouldn't be worth your time spending weeks haggling over a new plasma TV, but it should be worth at least fifteen minutes. If Best Buy is willing to throw in free delivery to get your business, then wouldn't it be a win-win?
While Target does sell electronic displays they won't sell furniture displays since they would incur some liability if it breaks.
You've made the best case for buying in bulk I've ever read. i love it. thanks!
OK guys, this is called a "hoax" ...
I have a chevy. I just bought it and the moonroof completely stopped working. I's clicking, so I assume there's power going to it but I'm hoping it was something this simple because I pent every last penny on this car and all of my paycheck is going to insurance. If it's costly or anything more complex than a pebble then I'm S-O-L. Gotta love a chevy... Oh, and did I mention that the passenger door won't open from the inside and the CD Player skips?
You know, you might be right there, Philip. Although, this was one of their regular offers, not a short term thing . . . maybe because it was a lower income area they figured that fewer people would be able to take advantage of the deal? Either way, we were in love with the quality of their good stuff. We go through a fair amount of the boxed stuff too, but this stuff was really phenomenal for the price. Once the dust settles from the winterizing of the cottage, we are going to see if we can order it in bulk over the net. It was really that good, at least from our perspective.
I bet they figure that letting people enjoy a full case of truly fine wine is just the way to help them develop a taste for the good stuff. Of course, that can be a true win-win.
Generally buy only when specials available.Realised several years ago that the returns were as good if not better than investments. We had a special SSIA account last year the return was approximately 25% over five years. However if we purchased two packets of washing powder on special offer. We had an instant saving in the region of 30%. Its a great way to increase the return from your dollar or euro.
Great point! I had a blast doing that in Italy when I was walking distance from the lakeside plaza. You're right, if you feel the need to splurge on some portabellas or sun dried tomatoes it doesn't feel so bad if you know you are stocked up on cheap pasta and great wine at home. And you're going green by buying locally.
It's funny you mention bulk wine because one of the best deals we ever found was in southern Arizona. There's a great little winery that will sell you a case of bottles for $110, and you get to select any 12 bottles you want. The only ones off limits are their special reserves. Now, you can go pick out 12 bottles of 10 ten dollar wine and save 10 bucks, or you can pick from their really great collection of twenty-five to thirty-five dollar stuff. Of course you know what I chose, but hey, that's up to you. I don't know if they would go lower if you bought several cases or not. But getting a 30 dollar bottle of wine for less than 10 bucks is my kind of deal. I've had a bulk buying post in the works for a while now, but I have to say I hadn't even considered the extra bonus of what you just wrote up. Now I feel extra great about stocking up.
Years ago we went on a road trip up and down the length of California with our daughter and our husband's parents. When it got dark, we would stop at a hotel or motel and my husband would ask them if they would give us two rooms for the price of one. It was nighttime, the rooms weren't rented and they all agreed to the deal. One hotel gave us a two bedroom suite for the price of one room. If they had said no, we would have just driven to another hotel. We stayed in some lovely places. My father did the same thing years ago when we would go to Atlantic City in the 1950's-60s. He'd pull into a motel parking lot where there weren't too many cars and tell them we were going to be there for two weeks. Could they give us two rooms for the price of one? There were always people who took him up on it, and we also ate and paid full price in the hotel or motel restaurant, so they made money that way. Nowadays when I make reservations in advance I go online and then I'll call to find out if they give the Entertainment rate for the Entertainment card. A lot of hotels, particularly Holiday Inns, will do that if they have a lot of empty rooms for that night and the rate is lower than AAA or AARP.
As a business person I realize that sometimes it is better to collect less and still have a sale. They recognize the same thing.
the black helicopters are no doubt en route to your postion as we speak. good post though.
-patry
Hi. I wasn't self-employed at the time. However, when my COBRA runs out, I can file for an extension of 11 months I believe because I'm deemed permanently disabled by social security. The premium is an extra 50% but I'll have to do it. After that, I believe I can get what's called a "conversion" plan but it might be something special because I'm disabled. Your insurance company could tell you if you are eligible for a conversion plan. Let me know if you need further help and if I know the details of your situation, I'll see what we can figure out. If you think you are insurable, call a good health insurance broker and tell them your situation. There is also another idea I can think of if you think you may be able to work at all by the time your COBRA runs out. Depending on your state, there are options.