# Frugal Living and Writing



## Iain Ryan (Jun 25, 2014)

I've been reading Mr Money Mustache lately: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/

It's worth a look. Great tips on living large on the cheap. I was reading a post the other day about how, exactly, this couple managed to (a) retire at 30 and (b) maintain their quality of life on 30K p.a. and it all sounds like something fairly compatible with the writing life. Also: He's a writer. The blog is one of the main things he does with his time.

This is a good enough place to dive in: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/02/22/getting-rich-from-zero-to-hero-in-one-blog-post/

Side-note: I'm frugal by nature (and nurture) and I can't speak highly enough of his advice about commuting and bike-riding. Writing is often sedentary. Cycling to my day job has become a boon to my health, my wallet AND my creativity. That morning and afternoon cycle really clears my head. Also, I think the whole philosophy on display here lends itself further to a few other creative gains. I mean, the less cash you need, the freer you are pursue writing that is more ambitious.

Anyway, food for thought. I imagine quite a few Kboarders are living this lifestyle unwittingly.


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## over and out (Sep 9, 2011)

Great advice. If only we regularly stopped and took stock of how we live our lives and where we spend our dollars, I think we would end up with more of each. And have more time to write. 

And I couldn't agree more with you on the cycling commute. On driving days I wish for my bike instead!


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

We've lived frugally for all 25 years of our marriage. We've both been self-employed for the majority of it so from early on we lived on one income, and saved the other. We paid off our first home in 13 years, and paid cash for the second. 

We both have modest wants which were/are easy to meet, and I'm living the life I've always wanted. I feel very blessed I can work from home (I worked outside the home for a few years), be a wife and mom, write and publish.


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## D. Zollicoffer (May 14, 2014)

I've been thinking about money a lot lately. I'm FAR from cheap, my living room probably has $10,000 worth of gadgets in it. I'm actually starting to hate myself for wasting money on stuff I don't need.

I'm saving money now, not because I'm frugal, but because spending money on more crap feels pointless.  My cost of living is low because I'm a single guy living in Northeast Ohio.

I was going to get a bigger place once I started making six-figures next year, but I decided against it.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

We lowered our living expenses by 75% just by moving here to Washington State from Southern California.


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## D. Zollicoffer (May 14, 2014)

Cherise Kelley said:


> We lowered our living expenses by 75% just by moving here to Washington State from Southern California.


That's why I'm never moving out of Ohio. My friend lives in NYC and her rent is 3X higher than mine and my place is bigger. Forget that!


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Our part of FL is inexpensive, plus, no state income tax. 
We have a small home 1,100 sf. although it is on the water. Because we're on the water, insurance (plus flood, wind, contents) and property tax can be the killers if you live in a large home. Plus, I don't want to spend all my time doing housework.


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## Iain Ryan (Jun 25, 2014)

I figured there might be a few of us out there. 

What's good about the blog is that it's about lifestyle, not coupon-clipping (no dis). His take is, 'You'll be happier with less.' I find it quite reassuring most days. And it's a good match (but not the only match) for the writing life because what we produce is closely aligned to his values i.e. that time is worth more than stuff. I think many of us place our writing time at a premium within our lives. It's more important to me than a jet-ski or an infinity pool or what-have-you. 

And what I'm finding myself is that writing is a low-cost hobby that may have some perks down the track. I don't really *need* a lot to do this hobby. I need some quiet time, some software, a computer (I already own) and my kitchen table (or my desk at work or the library) and some editing money. Down the track if KBoards has taught me anything, I'll need some further seed money for promo...so I've been freelancing and building up a little nest egg for that. I used to be a musician. So my fiance is overjoyed at this self-sustaining project of mine compared to the endless cash-fire of being a touring indie musician (that said, it's fun).    

Anyway, I'm excited that everyone's jumping in on this because my one gripe is that KBoards gets a bit money, money, money and let's face it, there's easier ways to make cash. Meanwhile, writing has to be one of the best side-hustles going in terms of self-fulfilment and cost/benefit.


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## Iain Ryan (Jun 25, 2014)

D. Zollicoffer said:


> I've been thinking about money a lot lately. I'm FAR from cheap, my living room probably has $10,000 worth of gadgets in it. I'm actually starting to hate myself for wasting money on stuff I don't need.
> 
> I'm saving money now, not because I'm frugal, but because spending money on more crap feels pointless. My cost of living is low because I'm a single guy living in Northeast Ohio.
> 
> I was going to get a bigger place once I started making six-figures next year, but I decided against it.


Dude, I was the same.

What partially got me on this path was moving abroad. A couple of years back, I wanted adventure so I sold up most of my stuff, put the rest in storage (one 25 sqm crate) and moved to Berlin....where I lived like a king for the same money I was living like student (I was a student) in Australia. When my fiance and I got home, and got jobs, and moved into a new apartment back in Australia we found we had almost zero interest in reacquiring our stuff, including our car.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Iain Ryan said:


> I figured there might be a few of us out there.
> 
> What's good about the blog is that it's about lifestyle, not coupon-clipping (no dis). His take is, 'You'll be happier with less.' I find it quite reassuring most days. And it's a good match (but not the only match) for the writing life because what we produce is closely aligned to his values i.e. that time is worth more than stuff. I think many of us place our writing time at a premium within our lives. It's more important to me than a jet-ski or an infinity pool or what-have-you.
> 
> ...


It was drummed into me early, *things* don't make you happy. You are a slave to your things. They take maintenance and thought. You can learn to be happy inside with who you are, the people around you, and the experiences you have. 
You have to really think about who you are to have that inner sense. "Know thyself," as someone said.

Stephen Covey's story in The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People about the Rabbi in the concentration camp who decided to be happy and make the best of his situation really struck a chord in me. He became *friends* (by adding joy to their interactions) with the guards to get cigarettes. 
They knew what he was doing, yet they gave him their cigs.


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## Chance (Jul 2, 2014)

Personally I've been frugal for years because of the status of living in So-Cal. It's very expensive, and Nor-Cal/Bay Area is worse.

Once I'm getting settled on the financial side of things, I'm moving out of California.

It's just not worth living here anymore, even though I've been comfortable for the most part. But a lot of things the past few years have swayed my opinion of the So-Cal area as a whole.

Maybe I might be somewhat less frugal when I move to any state without a state income tax. But I doubt it...being frugal is a part of my life, instilled from family. 

But, you got to do what you got to do. Not all of us will be able to live in mansions or ride on yachts in this profession, let alone others.


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## folly (Apr 1, 2012)

I had to delurk for this one.  I haven't posted in a while. Stopped posting and reading then came back. but until now I just lurk.

I have read that blog, but we've been frugal for 17 of our 18 yrs. of marriage. I read Your Money or Your Life shortly after we went down to one salary due to my health(migraines). We created a plan and followed it for about 10 years. Dh basically retired at 40. He's been home 8 years now. He did do a little part time consulting for a while.  We homeschool and the 4 of us are home together. We live on about 20k and change.

It allows me to write though it is a bit noisy at times. We want to move to a few more acres next year. Eventually we may need some more money. Hopefully I'll make it someday through writing.

Being frugal has brought us great freedom.


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## lilywhite (Sep 25, 2010)

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## lilywhite (Sep 25, 2010)

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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

lilywhite said:


> My mother, through example, taught me QUITE differently, and it took me a lot of years to understand that she was wrong. Fortunately, I figured it out before I had kids, so that they didn't get the same lessons I did. In fact, one of the very few good things that happened when my mother wound up living on my couch for 6 months at the beginning of this year was the incredible feeling of pride it gave me to overhear her tell a friend "Tammi's kids just DON'T CARE about 'stuff.'" She was completely blown away that both of them the year before had specifically said they did not want a birthday present from me; each asked instead for a "mom & me" day doing a specific thing they enjoy (my oldest and I to the Victoria Mansion in Portland ME, my youngest and I to the Portland Children's Museum). This is not a thing that would have happened between my mother and me ... but I digress. Point being: Yeah, it's not "stuff" that matters.


Those are days they will remember forever. <3
We're big into experiences too.


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## Amanda M. Lee (Jun 3, 2014)

Unfortunately, I am not someone who wants to live frugally. You can't bike to and from work in the suburbs here in Michigan anyway. Forget that half the year has weather that won't allow it, but because of the automotive industry's influence here, mass transit and alternative modes of transportation have almost been completely eradicated for people who don't want to spend three hours (one way) on a commute. We don't have the sidewalks to do it on a bike either.
Also, I admit it, I have a shoe fetish. I just dropped $70 on a new pair of tennis shoes I didn't need -- on the same day my new Geeky Jersey's Boba Fett hockey jersey arrived, and in the same week I splurged on Christmas sales at The Body Shop and Victoria's Secret. I know I'm spending more now than I usually would (some of those Christmas sales are just too good to be true) but even when the new year hits, I like to spend. I wish I didn't feel that way -- but I'm a collector. My office looks like Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings exploded -- and my closet looks like I live in a Hot Topic that shares window front space with Think Geek.
I think that's why I work so hard on the writing. I have a lot of unfortunate shopping habits.


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## Iain Ryan (Jun 25, 2014)

I also want to point out that their zero to retired timeframe was about a decade. Mr and Mrs Money Moustache had some pretty seriously upper-middle-class styled incomes coming in during that decade but even at twice as long -- with half the money -- you're done at 40 or so if you start at 20. If you earn a small wage, a bit of side-income from writing might be just what the doctor ordered. 

Thing is, because writing is a cheap craft to work on, it fits with this. It's not an expense that's going to get cut. 

On top of which, you can get really good at it in that 10-20 years. You may not retire at all, in the end. It might be more the case, like Lisa, where you pivot from day job to writer -- what 90% of the board wants -- without being Hugh Howey. Instead you live off savings/investments/401K. 

I am a pragmatist with a business degree. I know this is a daydream, to an extent, but this seems like a more rational daydream than a breakout novel/series to me. 

Anyway:


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

YodaRead said:


> Unfortunately, I am not someone who wants to live frugally. You can't bike to and from work in the suburbs here in Michigan anyway. Forget that half the year has weather that won't allow it, but because of the automotive industry's influence here, mass transit and alternative modes of transportation have almost been completely eradicated for people who don't want to spend three hours (one way) on a commute. We don't have the sidewalks to do it on a bike either.
> Also, I admit it, I have a shoe fetish. I just dropped $70 on a new pair of tennis shoes I didn't need -- on the same day my new Geeky Jersey's Boba Fett hockey jersey arrived, and in the same week I splurged on Christmas sales at The Body Shop and Victoria's Secret. I know I'm spending more now than I usually would (some of those Christmas sales are just too good to be true) but even when the new year hits, I like to spend. I wish I didn't feel that way -- but I'm a collector. My office looks like Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings exploded -- and my closet looks like I live in a Hot Topic that shares window front space with Think Geek.
> I think that's why I work so hard on the writing. I have a lot of unfortunate shopping habits.


Being frugal is not for everybody. Again, it's about knowing yourself. You know what makes you happy. 
Luke--I'm your tree.


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## lilywhite (Sep 25, 2010)

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## Iain Ryan (Jun 25, 2014)

As an aside, my bike ride to work is 9 kms. Four-seasons-in-one-day Melbourne is well serviced for backstreets and bike ways but an 18km round trip is a *thing*. I reckon its about the peak of what I'm capable of doing everyday but I'm getting pretty tight + I've really knocked a few plot kinks back into line thinking about problems while I ride.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Iain Ryan said:


> As an aside, my bike ride to work is 9 kms. Four-seasons-in-one-day Melbourne is well serviced for backstreets and bike ways but an 18km round trip is a *thing*. I reckon its about the peak of what I'm capable of doing everyday but I'm getting pretty tight + I've really knocked a few plot kinks back into line thinking about problems while I ride.


That's fantastic. I have nowhere to commute by bike to, and we have to travel one of the most dangerous roads in the US, so bike riding (except in the neighborhood which does have bike lanes) is out of the question.


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## Hugh Howey (Feb 11, 2012)

Living frugally is the primary reason I made it as a writer. For five years, we lived in a 750 square foot house that I was able to pay cash for after saving for over a decade and living well below our means (no expensive vacations, rarely eating out, doing free things for entertainment like hiking). Because of this, I was able to work a 30-hour-a-week day job in a bookstore making $10 an hour. That left me a lot of time and set up a good environment for writing. We owed nothing. No credit card debt, no car payments, no mortgage. It took us twelve years to get to that place. The hardest part was building up $150,000 between savings and equity in the house, but still living like we had nothing. It's so much easier to live as lavishly as possible, leverage ourselves with credit, and blow it all like there's no tomorrow. Peer pressure plays a role. I watched friends and family having a blast, but I also listened to how much they stressed about having to pay for it all. I knew that wasn't for me.

Kudos to those of you striving for a simple life. I can't help but think how much easier living like this would be with more positive peer pressure.


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## lilywhite (Sep 25, 2010)

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## Mike McIntyre (Jan 19, 2011)

I've been checking in with Mr. M for years. Great blog. He's also got a forum where people trade money-saving tips. Some of those folks approach cost cutting like an extreme sport. I'm not that hard core, but it does physically pain me to spend money on objects. No matter how shiny and new, they always depress me. I can actually make myself cry just thinking about that new car smell. Rather than things, I prefer to spend money on experiences, usually travel. All my best stories and memories come from travel. I can't think of a single happy memory that's come from a thing I bought. I don't even buy souvenirs. Nothing to declare except the pictures in my mind.


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## Iain Ryan (Jun 25, 2014)

Hugh Howey said:


> Living frugally is the primary reason I made it as a writer. For five years, we lived in a 750 square foot house that I was able to pay cash for after saving for over a decade and living well below our means (no expensive vacations, rarely eating out, doing free things for entertainment like hiking). Because of this, I was able to work a 30-hour-a-week day job in a bookstore making $10 an hour. That left me a lot of time and set up a good environment for writing. We owed nothing. No credit card debt, no car payments, no mortgage. It took us twelve years to get to that place. The hardest part was building up $150,000 between savings and equity in the house, but still living like we had nothing. It's so much easier to live as lavishly as possible, leverage ourselves with credit, and blow it all like there's no tomorrow. Peer pressure plays a role. I watched friends and family having a blast, but I also listened to how much they stressed about having to pay for it all. I knew that wasn't for me.
> 
> Kudos to those of you striving for a simple life. I can't help but think how much easier living like this would be with more positive peer pressure.


Thanks for this Hugh! This is so great. I heard the interview you did with James Altucher (or was it 'Sell More Books', one of the two) where you talked about writing 10 books before getting too crazy about notions of success and business and now it seems totally obvious that you'd be a living frugal as a means to support something speculative like that.

I think Hugh's post totally conveys the point I've been mashing my way towards up above: it's not just about living cheap. Frugal living is a means to give yourself the emotional and financial security to do something really kick ass + it's a way of legitimately living your values. If you value your writing, this is one way to be in the world that makes that decision real.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

folly said:


> I had to delurk for this one. I haven't posted in a while. Stopped posting and reading then came back. but until now I just lurk.
> 
> I have read that blog, but we've been frugal for 17 of our 18 yrs. of marriage. I read Your Money or Your Life shortly after we went down to one salary due to my health(migraines). We created a plan and followed it for about 10 years. Dh basically retired at 40. He's been home 8 years now. He did do a little part time consulting for a while. We homeschool and the 4 of us are home together. We live on about 20k and change.
> 
> ...


FYI, I went on a water pill for my blood pressure, and my migraines disappeared.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

The water pill costs a whopping $4 per month, although I do need to see a doctor every six months for the prescription.


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## hitext (Jan 16, 2014)

Six months ago, I sold everything I owned and moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand with my entire remaining worldly possessions packed into two suitcases. Here my modest but very pleasant apartment in the city costs me $130 a month. I can buy meals for 50 cents in the local market, or get a great meal for $3 if I want to splash out in a nice restaurant. It costs around $5 to fill my motorbike with gas. And as my income is earned outside Thailand, I don't have to pay a single cent in tax...awesome!

I can get by here on $500 a month (with change), or live a very good life if I spend $1000 a month. On top of that, I am loving living in a charming city that is always fun and interesting. I am enjoying making new friends and discovering a whole new culture and way of life. Because Chiang Mai is a major hub for digital nomads (for the above reasons), many of my friends are also Kindle/eBook authors. There are many, many cafes with free wi-fi, as well as some great co-working spaces, so there is always a new and interesting place to work from.

Better still, I can now live very comfortably on the modest royalties that the Mighty Zon sends me every month. So I can focus 100% on writing more books to make more money, without having to worry about bills, taxes and rent/mortgage payments.

One of the great benefits of being an author is the freedom to live and work anywhere you want. Here I can live very cheaply, but i don't have to live frugally...you can have the best of both worlds! Oh, and it's mid-winter here, but I'm still wearing shorts and T-shirt 

For those of you currently struggling with blizzards, storms, high bills and taxes, here is a link that could change your life...it worked for me!

http://bit.ly/1z5gZ4L


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## Justawriter (Jul 24, 2012)

Iain Ryan said:


> I've been reading Mr Money Mustache lately: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/
> 
> It's worth a look. Great tips on living large on the cheap. I was reading a post the other day about how, exactly, this couple managed to (a) retire at 30 and (b) maintain their quality of life on 30K p.a. and it all sounds like something fairly compatible with the writing life. Also: He's a writer. The blog is one of the main things he does with his time.
> 
> ...


Thanks for this. I'm not familiar with this one, will check it out. I try to be more frugal, but like yoda, I have some bad habits. My biggest spending area is going out to eat. I've cut back, but it still adds up. Buying books too....but at least I can write that off. 

This is a great blog too, that I've followed for a few years. Some really great tips here, on finances as well as living frugally, eating cheaply, even making your own soap!http://www.thesimpledollar.com


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## Melisse (Jun 3, 2012)

We are considering a trip to Ecuador to check it out as a retirement destination--have a friends that lives there and I know two authors and a copy editor who moved there in the past three years. I could 'retire' from the day job  and write full time, but from what we have researched, between hubby's retirement and my book earnings we'd be comfy.


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## josephratliff (Dec 10, 2014)

The frugal lifestyle, it's a great one.

When you're not under the weight of "stuff" ... you can feel liberated. I thought it was hard to live this way too, until I realized the reason I thought it was hard.

The reason? The attachment to that stuff, the restaurants, and trying to "make more and more money."

But back in March of 2011, my life changed. I got a serious wake up call, and from that point forward, I realized I had to change the way I was living, or I might not make it much further.

I started to meditate (a good book is "Mindfulness" by Joseph Goldstein). I lost 74lbs over the next 12 months once I stopped drinking soda and going to restaurants all the time. I walk 3 miles every day as well.

Then, I dropped the stuff. I reduced my overall "stuff count" by about 80% in 60 days. Don't think about it, just do it, IF you're even _considering_ it. Do it *fast*, that's what helped me.

I do read that some people think it's hard to live this way (another good book, Early Retirement Extreme by Jacob Lund Fiskar).

I challenge that thinking, it's *not* hard, it's just different. People don't really care about the stuff you have, you're not going to be remembered for that stuff, and if you think about it, you probably don't really need the stuff that you haven't touched for over a year anyhow.

(Why keep dragging it around with you and storing it? Or worse, *pay* to store it?)

And even if you do get recognition for the stuff, cars, house, etc... that you have ... how long does that recognition last? Be honest with yourself here.

15 minutes? A day?

Is that recognition really worth dragging around, upgrading, spending on, and dealing with that stuff?

Or when that person says "nice car," or "YOU have the latest 5312 LTE i-Whatever I'm jealous!" do they really care? Or are they just envious? (I'm referring to "beat the Joneses" here)

*And here's the kicker...*

When you have less stuff, you have less stuff to think about, maintain, upgrade, replace, store, pack, move, lift, etc... (that's the cost of the stuff you DON'T see on the price sticker)

You'll save money, time, and at first, yeah ... it can kinda feel weird not to have all that stuff, not to go out to restaurants all the time, but...

... you will get over it. And the feeling you get when you do get over it is GREAT! You'll breath deeper, you'll feel liberated.

You can replace that time you wasted on stuff with time to look at how the trees move in the wind, the birds that fly by (I have 27 different types of birds that fly by my HOUSE!). You'll notice you have more time to write (the point of being on this forum, right?).

You'll notice more of your life, instead of what's on sale at J.C. Penny's.

And heck, you might just add a few years to that life. We only get about 75 or so trips around the Sun, so why not invest some of those trips *doing* something, instead of _buying_ something?


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## Censored (Oct 31, 2014)

Awesome post @josephratliff!


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## josephratliff (Dec 10, 2014)

FictionFugitive said:


> Awesome post @josephratliff!


Thank you.  If I hadn't made the changes I outlined in it (and more) ... I wouldn't be here to write that post. Scary thought.


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## JR. (Dec 10, 2014)

I'm living on 600$ a month at the moment, fairly comfortably. I'll cut it down soon enough though, and start a better life. Once my house sells I'll be moving to my partner's hometown, buying house and land for around $15k, and investing the rest locally to bring in a few hundred a month, which we (the whole family) will be able to live off. I'm hoping selling some books will make it a comfortable life. Either way, I can't wait. I'll have a house on the Mekong, a motorbike and a boat. No worries, no stress, and nobody in the whole village that can speak English! Yes, I am that much of an introverted book grub that I look forward to that. 

Though my happiest thoughts are of breaking away from my day job, where 'bosses' prefer sycophancy over any amount of skill, work ethic, dedication, results, etc. I have had a long line of those, and moving out of the western world has given me great freedom. Now I can just write, read, swim, explore, and play with my baby girl.


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## HappyToHelp (Sep 27, 2014)

I've been a minimalist in training for about five years now.  I don't consider my lifestyle frugal--I consider myself to be continually examining and differenciating between the noise and the necessary in my life.  I'm not in a race to get more stuff.  I'm in a race to build a life, like Seth Godin says, that I don't have to escape from.  

I value my time (as well as my time with others) over stuff, but wasn't always this way. When I was married, we lived in a 3500 sq.ft. home in Las Vegas.  We both worked full-time at jobs we hated. We were miserable.  I have zero desire to ever live like that again.  My life after my divorce has been all about pairing down and trying to figure out who I am and what I want my life to be about.  I lived in a house that off the grid for about two years, with no running water and no electricity (we had propane lights and water storage tanks).  I loved living like that.  I am still recovering from the financial fallout from my divorce, but once that passes, I could see myself starting up a hippy commune of sorts where I have land, build off the grid homes and have a huge garden/greenhouse.  I would love nothing more than to write, make jewelry, read and cook.  I'd love to surround myself with like-minded people who'd like to share in the responsibilty of building and maintaining this lifestyle.


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## D/W (Dec 29, 2010)

Great thread! Thanks for starting this discussion, Iain.



LolaWilder said:


> I'm not in a race to get more stuff. I'm in a race to build a life, like Seth Godin says, that I don't have to escape from.


Love that!


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## Crystal_ (Aug 13, 2014)

Most of us are better off with less stuff.

But writing is such a solitary, introspective activity. I worry about being frugal when it comes to experiences that will enhance us as people are writers. We can easily lose touch with the outside world and have nothing worth writing about.


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

At a guess I'm somewhere in the middle on this. I don't make an effort to be frugal, but fancy things don't hold much appeal. I look at big, expensive cars and think _what a waste_. I live in a pretty rural area, so a car is necessary, but I love my Honda Fit. Somehow I just don't have the gene that makes big tv's and fancy phones among life's attractions, then again a Kindle is among life's necessities. However, I did have horses most of my life, and they are a true money suck. Now I have dogs, and while they're not quite as bad, vet bills can get you where you live.

When talking about moving to less expensive places, keep in mind not everyone likes the same thing. I'm in Colorado and hate summers even here where they aren't that bad. I have a neurotic fear of bugs and can't even contemplate visiting anyplace that stays warm all year. People who visit Hawaii, Florida, or other places that don't have winters with a hard freeze talk about seeing a spider *this big*, and among life's certainties is that the only way to get me somewhere like that would be to kidnap me and force me there, and I'd hate every second.


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## D. Zollicoffer (May 14, 2014)

I don't think I'll ever be frugal or cheap. I'm leaning towards minimalism. I'm just starting to feel overwhelmed by my possessions. One of the  things I'm working on is a Science Fiction novel about consumerism, overindulgence, and techie culture.

I'm 28, never been drunk, never did a single drug, but I'm addicted to buying gadgets. Looking around, I see two computers, two iPads, two iPhones, five gaming consoles, a 60 inch TV, etc. I couldn't even really afford all this stuff on my meager income.

It's useless crap, and I don't even use half of it! I'm supposed to be the owner, but the truth is -- this stuff owns me. 

I use to want a big house and fancy car, but I had a change of heart. None of that crap is going to make me happier. I'm searching for something that can't be bought...

For me it's not about the money. I'm just ready for some major changes


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Can I copy and paste this entire thread to my grown children?


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## folly (Apr 1, 2012)

Cherise Kelley said:


> FYI, I went on a water pill for my blood pressure, and my migraines disappeared.


Thanks, they went away once i quit the job! My dh was glad. He thought maybe he was causing the migraines (we were newlyweds).


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## kathrynoh (Oct 17, 2012)

I can't really say I'm frugal since I just got back from overseas last night but I am very conscious of my life priorities when spending money.

For most of my life, I lived from payday to payday and just frittered money away. I never cared that much about big, expensive things to impress other people but I think if you aren't happy in your every day life, you feel like you deserve all kinds of little rewards of things that are unnecessary.

For me, I've found it's not so much that leading a minimalist life has made me happy but that creating a lifestyle that makes me happy means I don't need a lot of stuff in my life any longer. The thought of spending an afternoon trawling around the shops looking for "bargains" (nothing is really a bargain if you don't need to begin with anyway) has absolutely no appeal and I can't believe I actually spent so much time doing that.


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

I woke up thinking about that blog and actually did the eyeballs meditation he suggested this morning.  Thank you so much for sharing it!  My gratitude has been running on fumes recently and this is just the fill-up I needed.  Thanks!


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Hey oakwood, 
Perhaps the next time,  that person says you need a new car, tell him to buy it for you.  (Unless of course he actually would.)


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

folly said:


> Thanks, they went away once i quit the job! My dh was glad. He thought maybe he was causing the migraines (we were newlyweds).


Awwwwwwww! *hugs for you to give him*


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## rjspears (Sep 25, 2011)

> This is a great blog too, that I've followed for a few years. Some really great tips here, on finances as well as living frugally, eating cheaply, even making your own soap! http://www.thesimpledollar.com


This is a great blog. I've been following it for several years

I love this thread and wished I had lived the frugal lifestyle in the past because I know live one out of necessity. I made a big life change a few years ago, moving from a small town with walking commute to my office to a big city with a driving commute. A promotion was dangled in front of me to draw me to the new job, but due to a departmental merger, that went off the page. To make matters worse, we bought a house not outside our means, but certainly stretching them.

Anyway, it may sound like I'm whining about bad choices, but really I'm throwing it out there as a cautionary tale. Examine your choices before you make them and measure the risk. Instead of thinking overly optimistically, be realistic and even conservative.

Here's how we save money now:
We dropped cable
We rarely eat out
We drive cars that are paid for (and hope they keep running)
We cut our cell service in half going to a WiFi-based cell service
We cut our utility bills by using our fireplace to supplement our heat and turning down our thermostat
I've reduce my penchant for buying the latest and greatest in technology by simply saying no to myself or looking for bargains (I'm currently typing this on a $120 Chromebook)

Anyway, I love my writing hobby and I hope someday that it helps my budgetary situation, but when it comes down to it, I know I'm writing because I love it, and that is priceless.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

For me, living frugally was always a bridge to being able to live lavishly; taking the bumps so that I could indulge later. My wife and I did this before my writing took off and before she went into the medical field. We do not spend more than we can afford. Our credit cards are paid off every month. And we ALWAYS make sure that we have a solid financial cushion. But, with those ducks in a row we are of the mindset that we've worked to get where we are, and we don't deny ourselves the "pointless" pleasures. There's a quote I like, "They say money doesn't buy happiness, but have you ever seen a sad person on a jet ski?"

Pretty much sums it up for me.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

JV said:


> "They say money doesn't buy happiness, but have you ever seen a sad person on a jet ski?"


I've seen plenty of sad people at Disneyland, and it breaks my heart, every time.


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## jesrphoto (Aug 7, 2012)

I've been thinking about down sizing a lot lately.  My husband and I are both quite spendy.  He loves his electronics, and I really appreciate clothes and shoes and products, and all things lady.  Though, we live in a modest house and an area that is fairly low cost (for New York).  Hopefully we can transition into a thriftier lifestyle with some little habit changers.


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## kathrynoh (Oct 17, 2012)

> There's a quote I like, "They say money doesn't buy happiness, but have you ever seen a sad person on a jet ski?"


No offence, but I've seen a lot of unhappy people on the beach when those noisy, horrible things appear! Not to mention the harm to marine life.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

kathrynoh said:


> No offence, but I've seen a lot of unhappy people on the beach when those noisy, horrible things appear! Not to mention the harm to marine life.


They're unhappy because they're not on the jet ski. Besides, the guy on the thing is smiling away. Can't be sad on a jet ski!

Besides, it's a joke, so need for us to seriously take apart the allegorical nature of the statement.


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## Harry Manners (Jul 6, 2013)

I'm so glad this was posted up. I'm still at university (debt, debt, DEBT), but I plan to live as frugally as I can. With the housing market and job prospects as they are in the UK right now for a young person, I'm not holding out for early retirement. But I can reach some kind of balance with low working hours so that I can concentrate on my writing, that'll be just fine with me.

I'm not one for things and stuff. Don't get me wrong, I can spend. But I can also go for months without buying a single cup of coffee because that £1.90 Americano is £1.90 I won't have to earn back later.


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## dgrant (Feb 5, 2014)

For us, it's not about the things we don't have. It's about putting our money where it matters. 

For clothing budget example, I go to work wearing $7 jeans from the thrift store, a free shirt given by my company at a function, and $150 shoes - because the shoes keep me from limping on both knees by the time I've done 12-14 miles (19-22km) on concrete in a shift. (I bring home the health insurance and steady income, while Peter works on the next book.) 

Similarly, my desk is a salvaged plastic folding table with a milk crate and two reams of paper on top to adjust the laptop monitor to eye level. But we went top of the line for Peter's treadmill desk and the chair he sits in, so he won't get further crippled by bad ergonomics. I may take leftovers to work every day for lunch, but we have fun making good meals from scratch, and don't skimp on the spices. 

In this way, we've erased over $30K of debt in under 4 years, but we've never felt deprived. After all, everything that matters to us is quality; it's only the stuff we don't care about that we save skip or skimp. (Sorry, mum, but my towels will never match. I don't care enough.)

We're almost debt free, working on the last loan with everything else paid off. But that doesn't mean we seek to get rid of all our money pits. I have a pre-WWII airplane, passed down from owner to owner with the promise to protect, preserve, and cherish being part of the price. (At some point in the life of the best things, people go from being owner of a thing to the caretaker of a piece of history. I have no idea how they know, but when I take her places, the veterans come out. I can tie her down in the grass at a back corner of a deserted airport, and come back in half an hour to find a big strapping guy in a cowboy hat tenderly pushing a frail wisp of a man in a wheelchair up close enough that the elderly gentleman can inspect this bit and that bob on the undercarriage, and haltingly talk about things his family never heard before, back when he was fighting island to island in the Pacific.) She'll always be a significant chunk of the monthly budget - but unlike trendy clothes or tv or eating out, she matters, and my life is richer for having her in it.


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## Mark Philipson (Mar 9, 2013)

dgrant said:


> For us, it's not about the things we don't have. It's about putting our money where it matters.
> 
> For clothing budget example, I go to work wearing $7 jeans from the thrift store, a free shirt given by my company at a function, and $150 shoes - because the shoes keep me from limping on both knees by the time I've done 12-14 miles (19-22km) on concrete in a shift. (I bring home the health insurance and steady income, while Peter works on the next book.)
> 
> ...


What type of aircraft?


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## D/W (Dec 29, 2010)

folly said:


> I read Your Money or Your Life shortly after we went down to one salary due to my health(migraines). We created a plan and followed it for about 10 years. Dh basically retired at 40. He's been home 8 years now. He did do a little part time consulting for a while. We homeschool and the 4 of us are home together. We live on about 20k and change.


I read _Your Money or Your Life_ in the early 1990s. It transformed my relationship with money and brought about other positive changes as well. That book truly altered the course of my life.

Some of the investing advice in the original edition isn't relevant today, but there is an updated 2008 edition: Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence: Revised and Updated for the 21st Century.


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## D. Zollicoffer (May 14, 2014)

JV said:


> For me, living frugally was always a bridge to being able to live lavishly; taking the bumps so that I could indulge later. My wife and I did this before my writing took off and before she went into the medical field. We do not spend more than we can afford. Our credit cards are paid off every month. And we ALWAYS make sure that we have a solid financial cushion. But, with those ducks in a row we are of the mindset that we've worked to get where we are, and we don't deny ourselves the "pointless" pleasures. There's a quote I like, "They say money doesn't buy happiness, but have you ever seen a sad person on a jet ski?"
> 
> Pretty much sums it up for me.


 

I love that quote! I understand where you're coming from. Some people just save and save, and eventually it gets ridiculous. You can't take it with you when you die -- spend "some" of it!

It's not about the money for me. I'm just tired of buying stuff. I'll still grab something if I really want it, though.


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## Rue Hirsch (May 4, 2014)

Oh, living frugally is every author's dream, right?   We live as tightly and simply as possible: cabin in the woods, cook most of our own meals, have the basic necessities, and our vacations/fun trips consist of hikes, road trips, and video games (we don't spend a whole lot on that either), get our clothing at thrift stores, etc. This is the way we decided to live from the time we were married. Why? Because someday, when we're close to retiring, we won't have to worry about needing work. I can still write my books though, I will probably do that until my fingers no longer work. But living simply is healthier and funner than most would expect. And within the last year, we also cut out alcohol from our lives entirely and we've actually been saving more doing the sober thing. Amazing how much beer money can add up to be.


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## Redacted1111 (Oct 26, 2013)

I'm really enjoying this blog. Thanks for posting.


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