My husband and I both work freelance and so our income fluctuates widely. Sometimes I can afford to buy new, and sometimes I can’t, but either way I still try to buy used first. Being a non-consumer isn’t just about being frugal. It’s also about simple living, green living, and taking care to tread as […]
“What’s on your board?”
This is my work space, where I spend several hours each day. I resisted the urge to tidy up before I took the photo, and show you the real deal. This is about how it usually looks, with messy papers scattered about and clothes thrown over the back of my chair. I love my office, […]
I can recycle THAT?
Did you know you could recycle your beat-up surfboard? What about chewed-up, ground-down crayons? Those old keys that you usually toss into the trash, or push to the back of the junk drawer? I recently came across a great article called 10 Things You Never Knew Were Recyclable on the excellent site Earth 911. You’ve […]
20 Questions to ask your parents…
The following is a reprint of a previously published post. It’s almost two years old, so many of you may not have seen it the first time. …or your grandparents, if they’re still alive. That’s my dear grandmother in the photo. She died two years ago, but I know she wouldn’t mind if I used […]
How buying less stuff can be empowering
I made the decision to join The Compact and live a nonconsumer lifestyle as an experiment, because I wanted to learn to live on less money and embrace a less materialistic lifestyle that I had a sense would make me happier. Almost two years later, I can’t imagine ever going back. A new reader has inspired […]
Happy to be Back
Hello readers! I’m so happy to be back after a much-needed break. I’ve missed you. And if you’re reading this, thank you for sticking with me. I hope everyone enjoyed their summer. Lest you think I was lolling about in a hammock eating bon bons the entirety of August, let me tell you that was […]