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A simpler life 2019
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RRacoon - hope your jumper dried in time!0
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Hi everyone
Joining in a bit late, hope you don't mind.
My simpler life I hope will be just that, just to live a lot simpler, not to be swayed by buying material things, eating more simply and using what I have before buying more and try to, for this year, not to buy unnecessary clothes, shoes etc (just buy under garments and footwear if needed and anything else either make or CS}. I have an allotment so I want to grow more on there, and only grow what I will eat - yes I know that sounds daft but I grow cabbages every year and I don't really like them that much (well the critters that live inside them) so I end up giving most of the greens away, so that is stopping this year. Im also going to say 'no' more, as I get a bit stressed out sometimes when I agree to do too much. Anyway that's a start. At the moment Im sorting some clutter out to CS/ give away and then Im going to get going on using some of my craft bits up to make cards, knit and mainly sew, I would like to do a quilt using up all my bits of material, it sounds a bit grand but it will only be squares as Im a novice!!!
Anyway off to bed I think
Nannyg£1 a day 2025: £90.00/365 Xmas fund0 -
Hi. I have dipped in and out of these threads, as i have made tiny steps towards a simpler life. It’s a long way to go to get where I want to be. We have spent the last year renovating an old house using a mix of traditional and modern techniques and materials, although it is still unfinished, it is a happy place and as we repaired it I could almost hear the house breathe a sigh of relief (it had been leaking for some time). This year is a focus on the veg garden and producing the food we love.
I have been lucky enough to be able to take my time in moving furniture and stuff into the house, and so much isn’t moving in with us. Hopefully others will benefit from things we don’t need.
I would like to work part time in a couple of years, but in the meantime I am hoping to find ways to commute less and enjoy the moment more .
S x£400,000 starting Jan 2020 current end date Aug 2041 I would love the end date to be 2027 but will aim first for 2037.
1% target £4000 so far £20 paid0 -
Meant to say, nannyg that I understand the stress when you agree to do too much so i am trying to succession plan my way out of a couple of roles for a while.
S x£400,000 starting Jan 2020 current end date Aug 2041 I would love the end date to be 2027 but will aim first for 2037.
1% target £4000 so far £20 paid0 -
I retired early due to stress after 33 years of full time teaching and have been at home for six years now. My DH was made redundant at 60 and failed to find another job so we are both rather strapped for cash.
Luckily we have also lived a simple and frugal life so we have managed so far. We are looking forward to collecting the state pensions we paid into for so many years but that is still four years off.
Some of aspects of our simple life involve the following:-
No or very few fancy holidays abroad. We sometimes travel to Devon and live the same there as we do at home.
I use my cleaning regime as a fitness workout and save gym fees. I work in the mornings on house and garden and clean, repair, decorate and maintain - all myself. I also wash, iron and mend my clothes which last years thus saving money.
I keep an accounts book which tracks every penny which come s in or goes out. I run funds for bills, the car and holidays so big expenses have cash to meet them. This means I can keep cost to a minimum.
I bulk buy imperishables when they are on offer and store them for leaner periods. When Christmas hit our finances in January we were able to live off
freezer and store cupboard supplies and only spent £35 for a week’s shopping.
My interests and activities are mentally and physically stimulating but nearly free. I do housework in the morning but, in the afternoon, I walk in the countryside and around the lovely surrounding Georgian towns, read, bake, cook, visit National Trust houses and gardens, see friends and so on.
I hardy ever go out to eat now but eat and drink well by cooking from scratch myself, often from yellow sticker forays and by the DH’s eye for bargain but good wines.
I use vouchers and coupons, sales and knockdowns to save money. I never buy anything full price.
When asked what I want for presents I say John Lewis vouchers but spend them in Waitrose on food bargains and then spend the equivalent cash when I actually need something and it is on offer.
Again, with presents, I have been ale to ask my lovely and generous family
to crowd fund something I really want or need rather than buying individual gifts of little use.
I am an avid reader and source books from the library. A reservation costs a mere 60 pence and does not clutter the house when it is read.
I practice simplicity in my house. my DH and I are both tidy-freaks and have few but lovely items on display. We have frequent chuckouts and never leave a room untidy. My house is calm, clean and elegant as clutter and clamour unsettle me.
Our lovely children have allowed us to share their Amazon Prime and Netflix subscriptions and have bought us Audible story downloads as presents so we have saved a fortune on culture, entertainment and buying books and other things.
I have a Jacqui Lawson subscription for free greetings ecards and buy Pink and Greene discounted cards for other occasions.
And so on. In short I have a life which is probably more routine and monitored than most people could tolerate and am on top of too many things for much spontaneity. But needs must. I cannot afford to be too rash and I like to feel secure.0 -
I’d love to join you all! My DH and I are (very) early retired for health reasons and a simple life is essential for me to keep well mentally, physically and financially.
We live in a very small house with not much stuff but I’ve got out of the housework and home cooking habit and things have got messy. Since Christmas I’ve been so ill with a flu-type virus and I can’t wait to feel well enough to restart a lot of my old good habits.
I will keep looking on this thread for encouragement!0 -
if you have not made socks before, look at winwick mums blog and she has a great "how to" - its step by step and idiot proof - i am proof of that 100 pairs of socks later. wool warehouse is also a great place to source wool for socks and the cheaper brands like "drops" and "cygnet" are great and in the lower price bracket, but last and last and last.1 oxfam jumper, 19 hexagon jumpers and 1 beanie!0
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I can second Winwick Mum. I have small feet so get a much better fit when I knit my own. Her instructions are clear and well explained. My DD bought me her book, Super Socks, which covers the basics as on the blog but I think there are more options and I personally found it easier to follow in the book than on screen.0
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Hello everyone
Welcome to all the newbies!
It is a bright and sunny day here but it is quite cold and I regreted going out without gloves and a hat because I thought it was warmer....
I've did all my chores for the week and also went to the library to bring back some books and get two new ones. Am back in reading mood and will enjoy it while I can!
Tonight I'll go to IKE@ with my sister. We'll do our mothly shop for cats supplies and from that shop it is only a small drive to IKE@ so we will treat ourselfs to vegetarian "meat"balls for dinner. I've started to get quite good at walking out of the shop without any scented candles and other decor, so I hope I can stick to my shopping list which will be a few storage glasses and a new bathmatt in case they have one that matches my towels. Plus I will do a little groceries shop as I love their pickled gherkins...
Tomorrow I might go to knitting group, I've checked who was going and for once feel like joining. The knitting group meets each Sunday and we subscribe online so you can see who is going. Unfortunatelly there is someone who annoys me and she is there most times, so I often don't go because I spend my week dealing with nagging people and don't need that on Sunday as well...
I really wish someone would set up a knitting group locally in the evenings, there is one during the day but another one in the evening would be lovely...
Nannygladis, in case you need some motivation on the not-buying-more-clothes-than-needed front, there is a tread called Fashion on the Ration and we try to not buy more clothes than we would have been able to get with clothes coupons during WWII.
iamsalt, a move is always a good opportunity to part with things. Everything you donate or bin doesn't have to be packed and moved... :-)
juliapenguin, hope you'll feel better soon!
re socks; I always thought sock knitting was a waste of time until I decided to give it a try and asked my 90 year old friend for help. She really enjoyed giving me a sock-knitting-lesson and I now have a skill that I have learned from her, although I have customised the heel in the meantime as her way is a bit overcomplicated. Now socks count as small projects for me as a pair can be done in an average week, so it is an ideal gift. I have however also knitted much bigger things for presents, for example a poncho for a friend.
have a lovely weekend everyone!Fashion on the Ration 2022: 5/66 coupons used: yarn for summer top 5 /
Note to self, don't buy yarn!0 -
Your post at the start of the page is my kind of aim for life RicardaRacoon
I am tempted to spend a little down time really focusing on my vision for a simpler life, note it down altogether to really build a sense of where 'slow\simple' living lies for me.
Has anyone else done similar?
I find the words easy to say = I want to live a simpler life but it's harder to envision in real life actuality.Wealth is not measured by currency0
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