I feel a confession coming on… Since I joined The Compact and started writing this blog, I’ve learned so much about simple living and frugal living from visiting other blogs. But sometimes I feel a little hypocritical about associating myself with the frugal lifestyle, and I might hesitate in calling myself a Frugalista. I’m not […]
How do you measure wealth?
It’s interesting that not buying things has made me focus more on what I DO have. And as I get rid of the crap, it’s like lifting a curtain or coming out of a fog. I’m really starting to see how STUFF has kept me busy and distracted, and disconnected from the things that really […]
To Declutter or Not To Declutter
I’ve declared 2009 not just a year of Buying Nothing New by joining The Compact, but also a year of Decluttering. Actually, I thought I’d declutter in January and that would be that. On February 1st, I realized it might take a bit longer. Now, on April 1st, I think I’ll be lucky if I […]
How much do you need to live on?
How much each of us needs to live on determines a lot of the choices we make in life. And I would argue that how much we THINK we need to live on determines them even more. Which brings up an interesting paradox in this economy: the more money you make (and think you need […]
Stay married and save the planet?
I couldn’t help noticing that provocative news headline yesterday. So how does being married help save the planet? According to Senator Steve Fielding from Australia, staying married is better for the planet because newly single people lead more wasteful lifestyles, so divorce makes climate change worse. He says that when people separate they need more […]
Am I unpatriotic?
George Bush infamously asked Americans to go shopping to show their patriotism and jumpstart the economy after 9/11. This morning the AP ran a story titled “Americans save just when economy needs their money.” And I have been thinking about this whole question of how economies work and whether I’m going to be contributing to […]