Good morning to all. Hope this finds all well and safe. Cool morning here, but it will be a lovely day. Probably the best of the week. It was about 42 when I got up - maybe going to 70*F today. NICE!
I sure hope all the storms have died down, and people can pick up the pieces of their lives again. So many sad situations out there.
I have been doing some reading over the weekend and I spent a good deal of time going through my old notebooks and articles that I have kept around for a long while. It is funny, I came across some things from early in the 2000's (around Y2K) - and here we are! Some I thought were kind of comical as well. People just didn't have a real clue to real life for many!
"People taking personal responsibility for sustainable, simple and frugal lifestyles are a wave of the future. Catch the leading edge of this epic transformation that will change the face of the nation forever. As it turns out, you are not your stuff."
Really?? Wave of the future? How about the way many have lived all along? How about how our ancestors did?
This was a big wave around Y2K, then again around 2008, and now again! Maybe, just maybe if people had lived like this all along - there wouldn't be a problem!
I know many live a totally different kind of life and have always lived differently. But suddenly, this is a NEW thing again. Everyone seems to think 'the sky is falling'. Well, it has happened many times in the recent past, and we made it through. YES, WE MADE IT THROUGH!
I am one of those that hasn't really changed a thing in the way I live, as I have lived a very sustainable lifestyle for many years.
Just a little common sense is what is needed. A little less WANT, and more NEED. A little more looking at things differently. A little more caring about the earth and others. A little more of just being frugal and responsible.
I look at this blog as a piece of all of us. We all contribute recipes, ideas, tips, memories, etc. We are passing on a little piece of ourselves and our families to others. We are passing on history!!! How cool is that?
People need to take more personal responsibility for creating a better life. Stop blaming problems on everyone else.
We change things one person at a time, one decision at a time, one household at a time. BE the change that you want to see. Talk to others and tell them. Educate others. Learn.
Don't give up or despair. Don't feel sorry for yourselves. Sow goodness and blessings wherever you go and to all you meet, and you will be amazed how you will reap blessings and kindness back.
You aren't living a second-class life, when you try to live a more frugal (or sustainable) lifestyle. You are learning to live a first-class, worry-free lifestyle. You realize what is truly important - and it isn't stuff. The more you learn and practice living a simpler lifestyle, the more control you have over your life. This makes you less vulnerable, and you will learn how to get through just about any situation.
REMEMBER a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step!! Start today, make one change, and a second tomorrow and so on. You can do this. Stop the fretting and the anxiety - we are here for each other. Let us all continue to use the wisdom of our ancestors and the wisdom we have acquired over the years to help each other.
BUY what you use, USE what you buy. Recycle and make positive changes in life. Learn to live on less of everything - you will be amazed how freeing it really is.
Have a fantastical day!!!
Hi Cheryl. I read this article today and it ties in with everything you are saying so I thought you might enjoy. https://notbuyinganything.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-simple-life-not-so-simple.html
ReplyDeleteEnjoy this beautiful day!!
Thanks Lori - I will check it out. I totally enjoy reading articles about these things. Some things never change. You enjoy as well!
DeleteI agree with this mostly, but I don't think we can gloss over that in that same period of time, wages have stagnated and costs proportional to income have gone up. Some families/people already live as frugal as possible and still can't make ends meet and simply do without needed nutrition, health care, or live in substandard and overpriced housing. My humble opinion.
ReplyDeleteI have seen a tremendous uptick in raising minimum wages all over the place. I know people who live on very little and they do a really good job. I am sure those during the depression thought the same way. I live on the same amount of dollars I did a decade or more ago - maybe just a couple different choices in decisions. I watch vlogs every day on how big 'families' have figured out ways to succeed on limited incomes.
DeleteI understand what you are saying, but I look at it very differently. I see life as being a learning game, and we can rise to levels all along the way.
Last night I made a rice & bean dish using Moroccan spices. I had everything. No exotic ingredients required. It was soooo good. I can't wait to have the leftovers today.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, it's so liberating knowing I can nourish myself and my family in an affordable way. It's one less thing to worry about.
That sounds really good. Today, I am kind of doing the same thing. Veggie fried rice with all kinds of veggies that needed used, an egg and rice. It is a wonderful meal and will be greatly satisfying! I feel the same way! We can do anything we can put our minds to.
DeleteSounds like a good path to a lot of gas.
DeleteThat's funny anonymous. I eat beans every day. Never have a problem. I love them! Many populations around the world feature beans as a regular part of their diet. I guess if you're not used to them it could be a problem.
DeleteI don't have trouble with beans generally either. I eat them often. I like them. :)
DeleteMaryB
I have never had a problem with beans nor veggies. Eat them often as well.
Delete"Just a little common sense is what is needed. A little less WANT, and more NEED." Golden words of wisdom! I pinned the Five Ethics of Life on my quotes board on Pinterest. Also wrote it in my quotes journal. I had a bad habit of speaking before I thought, interrupting people, and waiting for them to take a breath so I could express my opinion. Bad habits! Instagram may seem like a nonsensical platform to some, but I have learned much from the people I follow. One lady who shops in the charity shops says that if some trend catches your eye, check Goodwill in a few months and it will be on the shelves. The color burgundy, brown suede handbags and barrel jeans were big for a while and mostly gone now. Those would be classified as wants, not needs. Besides, I am not barrel shaped, so why would I want barrel jeans? ha! The word "trend" should be a large flashing red light to stop and think it over.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful day! We are going out to clean up some of the thousands, maybe millions!, of sweet gum balls in the front yard. I figured it would cost quite a bit to have someone come to clean them up, so we decided to do a bit at a time. I have some clothes to peg on the line, which is always a joy. The climbing rose outside the window by my desk is leafing out and the daffies are blooming. Enjoy this gorgeous day! Tomorrow is rain, I think.
Everything comes around again! Yep, fashions, colors, styles, trends - it has all been done before and will be done again. I see many of the youngsters in the family get all excited about some things - I think - been there and done that! If only we would have kept all that stuff!
DeleteThe sweet gum balls have been awful. A person a couple doors down has one and they are everywhere on the front walk and street. Clean them up and there are more. Dang things.
I have daffy buds but no blooms quite yet. So exciting. It sure is pretty out.
“ Maybe, just maybe if people had lived like this all along - there wouldn't be a problem!” ???? You’re getting a bit self righteous as you go here.
ReplyDeleteAlso mocking what an author wrote? Why? Passionate is one thing, thumbing your nose is another.
No self-righteousness here, just honesty as I see it. Seems you are doing exactly what you accuse me of. Be kind and post helpful ideas or PLEASE don't post.
DeleteGlad you're grooving on the life you created for yourself. Love that for YOU! Keep up the great work and doing your thaanng.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I love it too.
DeleteI recycle old clothes by using them as cleaning rags.
ReplyDeleteSuper. I do that as well. There are so many ways to help oneself and do a little for the earth as well.
DeleteDidn't know we were futurists
ReplyDeleteIt just all comes back around. Seems every so many years the trends and ideas dome though our world again! Kind of fun.
DeleteYou are right - what goes around comes around. Notice the wide leg amost bell bottom pants now? :D
ReplyDeleteMaryB
Yes mam. Now the thing again! I find it all kind of neat.
DeleteIt can depend a bit on your background at what stage you come to this realization. My grandparents lived through the depression and never wanted to experience that again so they were not frugal, nor where my parents. Consumerism was part of our DNA. It is only in the last decade since I have been retired and after my family left home that I have changed dramatically to live a frugal and sustainable life.
ReplyDeleteGood point. I know many that went through depression, spent on whatever they wanted afterwards. Mine did the opposite - and just used up and kept all kinds of things. They wanted to know that they could be very independent. It sure rubbed off on me, and most of my siblings. We have all had the same mindset.
DeleteI went through that consumer period of life in my younger days - and boy did I quickly regret it. I don't like debt, that taught me a good lesson.
Glad you decided to give frugal and sustainable life a try.
My parents were born in the early 1920s in England, very poor families. Then they went through the war years, and after a few years immigrated to Canada with 2children and 2 trunks. They were always very careful with their money, were pay cheque to pay cheque, and set a good example for us children that there are needs and wants.I am grateful for their example, although I do wish they could have had more so they could have enjoyed travel a bit.
DeleteI can't remember if I mentioned it or not but last week I made my grandson 3 pairs of long pants & a pair of denim shorts for summer. The 3 pants came from 3 pair of nice pants my now retired husband no longer needed. The jeans were old and too ripped to get a whole long pair out of it. Actually when he took a good look at the office pants he realized they were too worn in some spots to give away so I took them. My grandson was so excited! I put a patch of a fire engine on one and now he has "fireman" pants!
ReplyDeleteYou go girl! What a fantastic repurposing. Use what you have and someone was very excited. That is so cool. Oh goodness, I love the 'fireman' pants idea!
DeleteI have a gr. niece who will soon be bringing me her sons sports t-shirts to have me make him a blankie for his birthday in May. I just love that folks are thinking about repurposing things into something useful.
Well said! I’ve lived the frugal life all my life and don’t feel like I’ve missed a thing. Lynn, Pecos, NM
ReplyDeleteThank you Lynn. I truly don't feel like I have missed anything either. It has been a good life, and the frugal lifestyle enables some splurges to made now and then.
DeleteWhat a wonderful post! You inspire me! ( Kay, Kim's Sissy)
ReplyDeleteThank you Kay. I appreciate it. I try!
DeleteLovely post Cheryl. I want to add that if you can't do one thing a day to make your life simpler or more frugal, try one thing a week. Small bites of the elephant not only work for decluttering, but also for simpler living.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Love this post! Very timely. This morning's news touched on the Health Dept.'s intent to force food manufacturers to remove certain ingredients from their products, and my first thought was, there's another reason we'll see price increases -- product development to re-engineer products to maintain freshness and shelf-stability without some of these additives. Not that I'm a big proponent of pre-packaged foods ... My suggestion is to go back to the way our grandparents lived, learning to make our own meals from scratch, using as much fresh food or home-canned/frozen products, rather than prepared. Dig out those cookbooks, print out Copycat and spice mix recipes, rather than buying the packets or prepared mixes. I think it's going to be the one thing that will allow us to eat well on a budget in the future.
ReplyDelete