Voluntary simplicity

[Boxkicker]

Do you keep a stressful job to support a sumptuous lifestyle? Take inventory and decide if it's time for a change.

"I believe the definition of being 'rich' is no longer a large dollar (figure). I define it as an excess of both time and money. For frugal individuals, this can happen long before retirement and is not dependent on your income level," says Trent Lickteig, a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor in Scottsdale, Ariz.

"The two most important assets you can have in the current economy -- and it's not gold, and God knows it's not stock and it's not your house -- but in my opinion, the two greatest assets you can have are no debt and, maybe most important, the ability to live very happily on very little," says Jeffrey Yeager, author of "The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches."

Be frugal and join the voluntary simplicity movement

[CompoundInterestFan]

I'm sure you're preaching to the choir, but always good to be reminded of the importance of voluntary simplicity.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxkicker "The two most important assets you can have in the current economy -- and it's not gold, and God knows it's not stock and it's not your house -- but in my opinion, the two greatest assets you can have are no debt and, maybe most important, the ability to live very happily on very little," says Jeffrey Yeager, author of "The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches."

The Cheapskate himself will be along shortly to thank you for the plug...

BTW, I'm a big fan of voluntary simplicity. The involuntary variety - not so much...

[dex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CompoundInterestFan I'm sure you're preaching to the choir, but always good to be reminded of the importance of voluntary simplicity.

Definitely.

Welcome to the club.

Once you get on board with it life is better.

Remember balance. It is important to enjoy life along the way. What good is it to live frugally and not enjoy the fruits of your life; or to die with a large bank account but with a large "life experience/fun debt".

Also, remember it can color your thinking in a negative way if you take it to an extreme. Look at the posts about being afraid to spend or can not spend etc.

[Purron]

A simple life is better. No doubt.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo BTW, I'm a big fan of voluntary simplicity. The involuntary variety - not so much...

I'm sure we'll get to experience both at one time or another...

[friar1610]

Here is a web site I haven't visited for a few years, but I used to read it from time to time. Started by a guy who seemed to me to be doing a pretty good job of keeping his life simple.

Unconventional Ideas

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purron A simple life is better. No doubt.

"Some find it pleasant, dining on pheasant
Those things roll off my knife...
Just serve me tomatoes and mashed potatoes
Give me the simple life."

YouTube - "Give Me The Simple Life" Ella Fitzgerald 1969 Montreux

[Khan]

I got plenty of nothing
And nothing's plenty for me

YouTube - "I Got Plenty O' Nothing", Porgy and Bess

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxkicker Do you keep a stressful job to support a sumptuous lifestyle?

No, I live simply and I keep a stressful job so that I can retire that much faster.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxkicker " in my opinion, the two greatest assets you can have are no debt and, maybe most important, the ability to live very happily on very little," says Jeffrey Yeager, author of "The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches."

Jeffrey is quite right. And in that sense, I am doing pretty well. However, I intend to use these tools to help me gain the one asset that I think is worth working for, which is retirement and time of my own.

[barbarus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha "Some find it pleasant, dining on pheasant Those things roll off my knife... Just serve me tomatoes and mashed potatoes Give me the simple life."

The former Hoosier who penned those lines led anything but a simple life. I believe in the sentiment he's expressing though.

By the way ha, expect a letter from Cole's lawyers suing your pants off for copping even four lines of his work w/o paying him. Well, his estate anyway.

[Texarkandy]

The simple life has it's charms, but they are even sweeter when you don't have to live that way.

What was it somebody once said about: "Money can't solve all your problems, but lack-of-money is just one less problem for people who have it."

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texarkandy The simple life has it's charms, but they are even sweeter when you don't have to live that way.

I guess it makes the difference when you choose to live that way. DW and I talked about it a lot - if we had stayed where we were, if I'd finished the MS in Information Systems and gone with a defense contractor, if she'd stayed with FDA, our income would be around $300k/year by now.

But, when six months after we moved, friends and family said we were both more relaxed than they'd ever seen us, we knew we'd made the right choice.

[slimm]

Aaah, life's lessons....I learned sometime ago that money is nothing more than security and freedom...it's so simple really, and once a person develops the mindset, everything falls into place.

AND there is a huge difference between being miserly,as opposed to mindful.
My darling and beautiful lil sis is locked into a stressful job because she found it necessary to build a custom 3500 sq.ft. house (it is spectacular) and drive a brand spanking new Escalade. I love her and am devastated by the stress in her life - I wish I could make her understand that she doesn't have to live that way! On the other hand, she would never live as I do - snug little ranch house (no mortgage)with a 10 year old vehicle in the driveway.

[Urchina]

I love the fact that simple living gives me options. I find it powerful. I was able to get an advanced degree with no debt because I was willing to live very, very simply while in grad school. I made 1/3 of what my roommates made, but I was happy with my life and a year later moved out and on, while they were still stuck on the debt-spend-debt-spend cycle.

My trouble? Wanting to spread the gospel of simplicity, when really, most people don't want to hear it.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texarkandy The simple life has it's charms, but they are even sweeter when you don't have to live that way. What was it somebody once said about: "Money can't solve all your problems, but lack-of-money is just one less problem for people who have it."

Boy, ain't that the truth? It's kind of happening here at the youbet household. With the portfolio down 25% - 30% or so, we're still living more or less the same as always in RE. But, we no longer feel like our relatively modest/simple lifestyle is as optional as it once was! And suddenly we've found ourselves craving a few things that, when they were easily affordable, we hardly thought about.

[dex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urchina I love the fact that simple living gives me options.

That is very true - having money (& no debt) is all about options. You can spend more or less and still not have to work. Being free of the need to have things frees up many things - time, thoughts, and seeing what is truly important to you.

Options are why the down turn in the housing market and stock market is a pain. If I wanted to sell my house and move or sell and buy two less expensive homes I can't. The stock market downturn hasn't taken away any options for me right now. As a matter of fact the US dollar situation is setting up more options.

[hankster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urchina My trouble? Wanting to spread the gospel of simplicity, when really, most people don't want to hear it.

So true! And the ones that do listen, and even agree, succumb to the siren call of "stuff". I used to be just as bad. I called it the "one more toy" syndrome. If I just get that ______, then I'll be satisfied and willing to simplify the rest of my life. The trouble is, the list of widgets and toys is ever-growing. The commercials constantly remind us that we don't have "one of those yet".

[CuppaJoe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hankster So true! And the ones that do listen, and even agree, succumb to the siren call of "stuff". I used to be just as bad. I called it the "one more toy" syndrome. If I just get that ______, then I'll be satisfied and willing to simplify the rest of my life. ....

I seemed to have stocked up on everything I will need forever while working. The only luxuries I go for now that I've been retired for 11-1/2 weeks are expensive personal hygiene products (see other thread) and an occasional short trip.

That said, yesterday I went to Borders to spend a $50.00 gift card. It was agony; didn't see anything I wanted so I started thinking about those hygiene products, but they didn't have anything of interest.

I wound up buying some mailable greeting card photo frames--not too bad, leather frames, that takes care of four birthday cards. Spent the rest on two pounds of coffee beans, over-priced Seattle's Best. Worse that left $1.79 on the card, maybe will go back and get another greeting card. Border's must be in deep trouble because everything I looked at can be had a lot cheaper elsewhere, and I'm not even a good shopper to know that.

The transition into retirement really does feel like a time to simplify forever.

[Ultimate Cheapskate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo The Cheapskate himself will be along shortly to thank you for the plug... BTW, I'm a big fan of voluntary simplicity. The involuntary variety - not so much...

Yeah, Boxkicker, you're a cheapskate after my own heart. Simple is best.

BTW, did we by any chance meeting during the marathon Midwest book tour I'm doing a present?

Stay Cheap!
-Jeff Yeager