What is your biggest barrier preventing you from simple living?

**Sara Noel** · 10-14-2003, 11:07 PM

I think mine (although I have worked very hard in this area) is still wanting things. An example for me...is wanting a new bedroom set. I don't "need" one, but I really want one. Another would be a newer car.

I think another barrier for me is the cost-benefit to some things. Time being the big factor in deciding.

**homesteadmamma** · 10-14-2003, 11:17 PM

Good question.

I'm living as simply as I can, so at the present time there isn't anything preventing me from living simply. I was like you though before I got to this point Sara, in that I wanted lots of things, especially antiques. But I'm at the point now in my journey that its not important anymore. I can see something, enjoy it in the store and go out content.

A couple of years ago, if you had asked this question, my answer would have been finding contentment with what I had. Now its much easier.

**PrairieRose** · 10-15-2003, 10:40 AM

For me it's the computer..........if I would get off of it I might be able to get some de-cluttering done. No joke!

**heavensent_7** · 10-15-2003, 11:34 AM

Originally posted by PrairieRose
For me it's the computer..........if I would get off of it I might be able to get some de-cluttering done. No joke!

How true that is for me too!

But I have LOTS of issues (or maybe just excuses)

It's always when I've done this or that THEN I can think about it - but that day NEVER comes.

I'm always 'thinking' and making plans but again nothing gets done. And I have a terrible addiction to always finding MORE INFO which is just another excuse for not making any progress.

This subject is really getting to me now because it IS important to me, so I can't figure out why I keep procrastinating??

I feel at the place I'm in right now - the dream of what I actually want is miles apart from reality and it's very hard to know where or how to start - and one day just slips into another.

It's quite depressing.

I think still my biggest problem is clutter - whether to sell or just dump.

**crdurham** · 10-15-2003, 12:02 PM

My biggest problem? Definitely clutter...we have a two room attic and it is full of years of stuff I have got. I have tons of stuff up there that I could sell but I can't never seem to get to it. I go up there and say i'm going to get it all done...but I don't.....my husband is a simple living guy....why can't I get rid of all this stuff??

Aside from that, we are both simple living people....neither one of us want for much.....when we do need/want something new, we try and save up for it and pay cash.

**simplemom** · 10-15-2003, 02:35 PM

I have always thought we lived a simple life...we have little possesions compared to the majority of people, but my dh and I find our lives still not simple enough...

My major barrier in living a simpler life is to slow down and concentrate on doing one thing at a time. I have a tendancy to have 4 projects started at the same time...I would like to focus more on less activities...

**bamamomto4** · 10-15-2003, 02:52 PM

Mine is like Sara's...I just still want things and a lot of what i want is not that I NEED it...I just WANT it.
For instance.....about a month ago,our dryer went out...DH fixed it.It lasted about 2 weeks and went out again...he fixed it again (the dryer was about 13yrs old..) we had around $50 in the dryer and said if it went out again,we'd just have to buy a new one....3 days later..it went out yet again. So I knew I had to buy a dryer and was really hoping it would last longer because I KNEW I couldn't just buy the dryer..I had to have a matching set....so we went and bout a dryer AND washer. I didn't need the washer (it was 13yrs old as well) but I just couldn't buy the dryer and not the matching washer LOL

Also..I've been wanting a new vehicle. I drive a 1999 Pontiac Montana thats paid for,nothing wrong with it at all but yet I still want a Surburban that cost ehh roughly $45,000...What makes me want something "just because". We have looked at surburbans twice already and I know I don't need one and I am trying really hard to keep telling myself NOT to go out and get one.....

Ok----So as I typed all this out...I think my problem is I'm just a spoiled person that likes nice things that can't control her spending...yep..thats my problem! I need to work on this!!! Thanks for making me see that Sara!

**MJsLady** · 10-15-2003, 03:28 PM

I think we live pretty simply, mostly cuz the money for stuff just is not here!
The only thing I want really right now is a truck for dh so I don't have to rush to get him to or from work when I have stuf to do and need the car.
It is my hope that after the ot picks back up we will have adjusted enough to not having it that we can save most (he will want some fun money!) and just buy him a truck, then I can go about my day with out a time clock!
I thought I really wanted a kitchen aide, but lately, I see that I am doing ok with out it for now. My hand mixer is a pain but I am making do with it.

**Darlene** · 10-16-2003, 08:20 AM

I think after the kids are off on their own I can really go to town just paring things down to what Jack & I want/need. All the papers,books,games,sports equipment,stuf in the bathroom & elsewhere etc. needed for my teenage aged kids would be gone for starters. Things would have a place and would be put back where they belong. No picking up all the time...

I'm going to miss a little bit of that but eh, I'll get over it.

**Guest1** · 10-16-2003, 09:18 AM

Good Question - probably the fact that we have 4 kiddos with 2 of them being teenagers! We do live a very simple lifestyle (despite the fact that some folks are under the mistaken impression that living on a Military post makes things cheaper!) and have little or no "frills"...GW is a big "money waster" - not in the sense that he spends unwisely but he feels we *need* things like cable and a dryer and meat at 50% of our meals.....if I had my way, we'd have 20 watt bulbs in every light & I would be able to sell my plasma more frequently!

**Jayne** · 10-16-2003, 09:41 AM

The thing stopping me most is procrastination......I know I need to change my lifestyle, but I just think about it and never take the first step.......

I don't want any more "stuff", I have "stuff" filling every corner of my house.....and the only thing I have gotten from that "stuff" is debt.......

I know I can change and at one time in my life did live a "VERY" frugal life....I just have to put it into action

**heavensent_7** · 10-16-2003, 09:45 AM

Procrastination - I hate that word! I'm soooo good at it!

I was thinking only last night, how do you get over that? And why do we do it?

Surely if a simple life is important to us (and it is to me) we should WANT to move in the right direction - What is it that keeps stopping us (ok ME)

I can't work it out at all - It's getting VERY frustrating!

**guest2** · 10-16-2003, 12:48 PM

Clutter and just being busy! It seems that as the kids get older, our lives get more rushed. I'd love to move to a farm out in the country, be self sufficient and have our lives revolve around God and just living!