tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post4721562872493496546..comments2024-03-28T15:55:53.792+10:00Comments on down to earth: Setting yourself up for simple lifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-2285767996214833902014-04-24T21:26:34.399+10:002014-04-24T21:26:34.399+10:00Thank you to all who have contributed to this thre...Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread, it has been really interesting reading some of your thoughts.<br />About 4 years ago, I was driving into work and it struck me. <br />I had the feeling that I was a feed lot cow for the major corporations. <br />I felt that I was in debt for my education<br />I felt that I was in debt for a lifestyle that didn't feel right (working to pay for a house and our kids education)<br />I felt that what I was doing and how we were living was all just wrong.<br />What I did about it.<br />Stopped working away from home and for other people.<br />Got out of debt - (we don't own a house or credit cards)<br />Started growing our own organic vegies<br />Started educating our own kids<br />Cut out all proceeds towards major corporations including unethical business.<br />What we have found<br />That we would be spending close to $2k a week on education and organic food, that we provide for ourselves, at a cost of $2k per year<br />Our lives are much more connected with each other as a family and with our local community.<br />I am a far better home maker and teacher than I ever thought possible.<br /><br />It has been a journey of guts and determination and each morning I wake up <br />I am blessed : ) <br /><br />with love to all who are struggling with living simply decisions, I hope that we have helped with a different perspective x x<br /><br />Narelle Hetheringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00005748151288461798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-58001304290817661722014-04-20T17:10:37.842+10:002014-04-20T17:10:37.842+10:00I think you should do what is right for you and yo...I think you should do what is right for you and your family. It doesn't matter what others thinks. Good luck!rhonda jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08962112306968959985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-60807379530094315042014-04-20T15:24:15.324+10:002014-04-20T15:24:15.324+10:00Hello all!
Thank you for all the thoughtful and in...Hello all!<br />Thank you for all the thoughtful and intelligent responses! We have come to a tentative decision as a result of this post. Here are my thoughts.<br />I grew up in a big house by the ocean with a huge veggie patch and room to run around. I enjoyed that and wanted my kids to have the same. To fund that lifestyle my parents commuted hours per day in different directions, put us in childcare from morning until night, and ultimately divorced. I would have traded it all to spend more time with them. <br />So, after much contemplation we are considering putting an offer in on our rental unit here right in the middle of Canberra. We have a small yard big enough for a trampoline and a veggie patch, my husband bikes to a job he loves, my kids can walk to a good school, and I can afford to stay home as long as I like. We are on a wait list for a community garden, so that may help with feeling part of a more like minded group and learning some gardening skills in a new climate. We know some people may advise owning land as a better investment but that would involve a much bigger mortgage or a change in schools, longer commute, and possible requiring two cars. This does not seem simpler to me. <br />All for now. Thank you again everyone.<br />Sarah<br />Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09029456903175975605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-58167176766061183192014-04-20T07:49:50.048+10:002014-04-20T07:49:50.048+10:00Thank you Rhonda, I very much look forward to read...Thank you Rhonda, I very much look forward to reading it and hope that it is useful for lots of other readers too. Have a wonderful Easter xLady Sunsethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08781525706493444060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-54233952609115109242014-04-19T10:46:52.331+10:002014-04-19T10:46:52.331+10:00Hello Lady Sunset. It's difficult here buying ...Hello Lady Sunset. It's difficult here buying a home in the capital cities but still fairly affordable in the country and regional cities. I'll have to think about this first and then I'll try to write a coherent post when I can. Thanks for your comment. It's always lovely receiving thought-provoking comments from new-to me-readers.rhonda jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08962112306968959985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-58170546092866937512014-04-19T08:55:03.522+10:002014-04-19T08:55:03.522+10:00Thanks Rhonda for another inspiring post. My heart...Thanks Rhonda for another inspiring post. My heart does beat a little faster when I read about paying a mortgage off though. Where I live (in the UK) house prices are now so expensive that paying off a mortgage on one is nigh on impossible for most young people. For context a 2 bedroom cottage where I grew up cost £80,000 10 years ago and now costs £380,000. Friends my age and I (in our early 30s) have worked hard since graduating, lived frugally, paid off student loans and saved as much as we can but the dream of a reasonably priced house we can own just gets further and further away. I don't say this as 'poor us' as we have our health and are lucky in many ways but it does worry me as I am aware of the benefit of paying off a mortgage as quickly as possible in creating a simple life. Not to mention the security and being able to decorate and have a pet! I wonder if other readers would benefit from your wisdom on this... I know I would. Do you think owning a house is vitally important in living a simple life? Do you think it is so integral it could be worth considering emigration and all the associated upheaval to achieve this goal? Or is it ok just to accept that no matter how hard we save we will always be renting and to just live the best simple life we can this way? I value your blog and books so much and they have taught me so much! I know it is an individuals decision but I would really appreciate your wisdom on this as I am sure there are lots of other simple-lifers in the same boat.Thanks for your time and thanks once again for your wonderful blog and books xLady Sunsethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08781525706493444060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-71482411918000456202014-04-18T11:18:53.844+10:002014-04-18T11:18:53.844+10:00I agree that paying off debts sooner is a fabulous...I agree that paying off debts sooner is a fabulous idea BUT I am also conscious that, for families with young children, it is important to set a good example. If they see US on that treadmill of rush rush rush work work work commute commute commute then they will grow up learning that that is 'normal' and not question it. I think Sarah is hoping to simplify her life before it is too late and set a much better example to her kids, of how life can be different. Tamarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16815443144524133992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-26950974936855725102014-04-18T00:12:23.237+10:002014-04-18T00:12:23.237+10:00Oh Susan....{{{hugs}}} After educating yourselve...Oh Susan....{{{hugs}}} After educating yourselves to work for the 'good life', you have both paid a terrible price with your health. I find that very sad. But it's nice to know you are now leading a healthier and more peaceful lifestyle.Gina E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07532527261977368083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-61905689043562262842014-04-17T23:09:26.801+10:002014-04-17T23:09:26.801+10:00There are so many beautiful little towns and commu...There are so many beautiful little towns and communities outside of big cities. You'll often find schools that are smaller which is a good thing. You'll find good teachers and families who have also made the move towards a simpler life. In Berridale (two hours from Canberra) the median price for houses is $200 000. Permanent work can be tricky but if one can find it then usually you can afford the cheaper housing available and you'll be on your way to a simpler life. We moved from the city to the Snowy Mountains and although it isn't exactly cheap to live here (electricity for heating, petrol etc) I can't imagine how much it would cost to live back in the city and be obligated to go out often and spend money at cafe/restaurants and family events with lots of costly unpractical gift giving. All the tv ads and junk mail make you think you need new things all the time. Certain friends and family members can do this too if their chosen lifestyle is different from yours. I am glad we are semi isolated from it all and can live simply - cook from scratch and make do without the pressure of having to live a certain way. We are in debt but I'm hoping we will get on top of it next year and be free to save for our first home. I feel we will be able to achieve our simple living goals if we are in a modest home (with a big shed for everything!) Zenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16373747863822737468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-78465102945458305842014-04-17T18:46:14.585+10:002014-04-17T18:46:14.585+10:00I think it is important to remember though, that c...I think it is important to remember though, that children grow up very fast. When a morgage is payed down the children won't be small any more and their lives will have been firmly set in the rat race. A simpler and slower life with time for eachother as a family is what we strive towards. It means material sacrifice but is well worth it. PamWinkel's Crazy Ideashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17934679165455175289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-8829269451841774862014-04-17T17:54:04.186+10:002014-04-17T17:54:04.186+10:00Great suggestion Sue. It's a great group of pe...Great suggestion Sue. It's a great group of people over there, I'm there when I have the time too.<br />Happy Easter to you and your family, and the bunny.rhonda jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08962112306968959985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-43601544174535548762014-04-17T17:51:19.617+10:002014-04-17T17:51:19.617+10:00Sarah we moved out of Sydney to the Illawarra whic...Sarah we moved out of Sydney to the Illawarra which allowed us to buy a home at a lower price which in turn allowed us to pay it off sooner. What I didn't realise when we made that decision was that a smaller city also offered us a way of life that was quite removed from the hubbub of the big city. One of us had to commute and that person was me but we drove our cars into the ground, we didn't update them more than once in ten years. I don't know your particular circumstances but maybe moving to Queanbeyan or somewhere else may be an option for you? I also advise deciding how many hours you will work outside the home and sticking to it, a good worker can say "no".Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14751315680374413649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-90013036345570135102014-04-17T17:21:59.658+10:002014-04-17T17:21:59.658+10:00Thank you Rhonda for reminding people that they ha...Thank you Rhonda for reminding people that they have to find a life that suits them, not the life that consumerism and the Joneses tell us we should be living. We were in the rat race. Both my husband and I are well educated and felt we should have careers which justified our education. We took several career moves which took us into urban areas, working in busy office environments. My health was the first to break down. I had to give up work, had lots of hospital tests before finally being diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue/ME. I couldn't stand living anywhere noisy or polluted so we had to move somewhere quieter. I was housebound for 5 years and although I have made a reasonable recovery, still have to pace and manage my energy or I relapse. My husband has had depression, stress etc for several years and has really struggled. He had a breakdown, was off work for a long time and realised he couldn't carry on doing the job he was doing and living where we were. He was recently diagnosed with Aspergers and Depression. We have been very fortunate to find him a decent job in a very rural area and we follow a quiet and simple life. I know some people think we are 'different' but it works for us and I would urge anyone else to follow what they desire, and believe in their dreams and goals. You have to do what works for you and your family. Good luck xSusanMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09622557936441532144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-16771280594748828382014-04-17T16:19:03.137+10:002014-04-17T16:19:03.137+10:00That's a great link you posted and a beautiful...That's a great link you posted and a beautiful challenge too. I find it very eye-opening that for our family this might be a 'fun' or 'useful' thing to try, but there are so many people out there who don't have the choice...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-2146996539943368592014-04-17T14:11:14.122+10:002014-04-17T14:11:14.122+10:00Chel, there is a problem with the forum network. T...Chel, there is a problem with the forum network. The whole thing is down. They're working on it but don't know when it will be fixed.rhonda jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08962112306968959985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-55735256655873835172014-04-17T13:25:59.973+10:002014-04-17T13:25:59.973+10:00You are so correct in saying, “You need to think a...You are so correct in saying, “You need to think about what you want in your life, what your own values are and decide to step back from buying everything you want.” We rented for 19 years in a situation that we felt gave many more benefits than building our own home. We valued the 5 minute walk to work and ride to school, cheaper rent and utilities, spacious community and opportunities for extra-curricular activities in the arts for the children. We planned for our own home as we saw changes coming. The early years with the children were used to expose and involve them in activities that would help them to embrace the values and desire for a simpler, healthier and more responsible lifestyle and of being a life-long learner. It was not always easy, but they slowly saw the benefits and found friends who embraced similar values. At 9 years of age, my younger daughter was already embracing the lifestyle, looking for ways and identifying ways to lead a more enriched simple life. My daughters now send me links to very interesting things and we discuss them. Oft times we decide who will try it out and share the experiences and results. My 6 year old granddaughter is getting involved, now, too. <br /><br />I am still learning and loving it. This week I bottled off my first gallon of tropical fruit (papaya, pineapple, banana) scrap vinegar with a feeling of accomplishment and confidence. All previous mini-batches were used for cooking before harvest time. Thanks for the introduction to making vinegar at home and encouragement that led to this success! I am looking forward to making other flavors in the future, after the rains start and I get my herbs growing. <br /><br />Today I received a link that may be very helpful for people trying to reduce their food budget. https://www.livebelowtheline.com/us?lang=en has an e-cookbook with recipes and cost/serving for the 3 different meals. <br /><br />The other piece of advice that was so helpful to me was, “If you can live in your house before you finish it, you will be better prepared to invest less and enjoy it more, because you know how you will be using your space and will finish it to maximize your benefits.” We did this and it has been a blessing, although at times we wondered… <br /><br />Your experiences and encouragement are very motivating – please keep sharing, it is inspirational!! And belated happy birthday! <br />csaugusthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03437819681801225936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-70121718659735520002014-04-17T13:09:35.562+10:002014-04-17T13:09:35.562+10:00Great post as usual, Rhonda. Lots of wisdom there....Great post as usual, Rhonda. Lots of wisdom there. My copy of your new book finally arrived this morning. Apparently there had been delays with getting the reprints. I did try to go on the forum to let you know but I haven't been able to get on for a couple of hours for some reason. Nanna Chelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500527266771727074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-55825900695021884182014-04-17T12:50:18.572+10:002014-04-17T12:50:18.572+10:00A lovely gentle reminder to step back onto the sim...A lovely gentle reminder to step back onto the simple path. Thank you Rhonda.Jac Calverthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08849727932376667912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-12537455709480217912014-04-17T12:02:09.488+10:002014-04-17T12:02:09.488+10:00What a great post. I think we are so preoccupied i...What a great post. I think we are so preoccupied in accumulating what we think will look like wealth in other people's eyes that we forget to live our own rich and fulfilling lives. Just because our peers live life one way does not mean that it is the best or correct way.<br /><br />For those with young families (and that is me) I say figure out what you want your life to look like and then make it happen. It doesn't have to look like your friends or co-workers. If it is what you want and will make you and your family happy then it is the right thing for you. It may take time and patience but you will get there, just stay the course.<br /><br />Thanks for the post Rhonda, it has given me a lot of food for thought!Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721621676698279333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-19325391060342871962014-04-17T11:14:55.888+10:002014-04-17T11:14:55.888+10:00I think one of the hardest aspects of living outsi...I think one of the hardest aspects of living outside of how you really wish to be living, is to fall into the trap of keeping up with the Joneses. We used to live in Canberra too and found so many of our friends had the high-paying public service position but also the high debt and the spend all the time lifestyle - and while you might not agree, because you hang out with them, it is more natural to spend more.<br />So, my suggestion is to really surround yourself with those that you want to be like - those that aren't on the treadmill for the sake of being on the treadmill but also want to live life like you do. That may not be obvious from the outset in Canberra, but it is certainly there.Annethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05277567837590067506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-59122257048236577572014-04-17T11:12:22.660+10:002014-04-17T11:12:22.660+10:00Thanks Rhonda. Your writing is a great force for g...Thanks Rhonda. Your writing is a great force for good in the world, and I appreciate your work very much.Natashahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00058071486716587767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-20697311527895102372014-04-17T10:59:52.980+10:002014-04-17T10:59:52.980+10:00It sounds like simple life to me, Natasha. You kep...It sounds like simple life to me, Natasha. You kept looking until you found the right place for your family and now you're reaping the benefits of that. Good luck in the future. xxrhonda jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08962112306968959985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-80365803414308436412014-04-17T10:40:58.037+10:002014-04-17T10:40:58.037+10:00When my son was born, I quit my corporate, high-st...When my son was born, I quit my corporate, high-stress job, moved to the country and lived on a teacher's salary. By the time my son was ready for school, we realized that our local schools were really bad. The poverty in our area was high and the teacher's overworked. I tried homeschooling for two years, but honestly did not feel it was a good fit for me or my son. By the time my daughter was born, we made the decision to move to a better school district. Now we live near Olympia, Washington, and not only is it an incredible community but we also have great schools. Also, we are close to cultural events, music lessons, ballet, and so on. We've created a family culture that values education, music and the arts, and living in this area supports those values. Some may not consider this the simple live, but we all have to create a life that is rich and fulfilling for us. It is up to each of us to define. Now, we are close to a small city, but have six acres, vegetable gardens and soon, chickens. The downside is that home prices are higher here than where we lived before due to the great schools, but we consider this important and an investment in our children. We wish we had done better research and moved here in the first place. Now I work part-time and my husband teaches full-time. Where you choose to live is incredibly important. I do feel we escaped the "treadmill" that your reader loathes. I could return to a full-time job and double our income, but that is a choice we are not willing to make for our family. We agree that time is precious, and we must spend it wisely. Natashahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00058071486716587767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-74976487910543900242014-04-17T10:15:35.258+10:002014-04-17T10:15:35.258+10:00Great post, Rhonda as always.
I would urge Sarah ...Great post, Rhonda as always.<br /> I would urge Sarah and any-one else feeling isolated and unsure of how to live a better life to come over to our forum(link at the top of the page) to connect with the many members who have already made big changes and are enjoying a much simpler, happier life. They have plenty of advice, inspiration and encouragment for all ages.<br />Happy Easter to all your readers and your own dear family too<br />xxxSue xxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15087301722255232731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-47063960750986342372014-04-17T05:54:35.955+10:002014-04-17T05:54:35.955+10:00In the USA it is very common for families looking ...In the USA it is very common for families looking for your lifestyle ideal to home school their children. I home schooled our five for 23 years. It is a much slower pace since we were home all day and we did not have expenses for outside schooling such as clothing and sports teams. I do not know if it is feasible or even legal there but I would not trade those years at home with my children for anything.momma-lanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02975411711120382015noreply@blogger.com