Do you have other friends who want to live the simple life?

**homesteadmamma** · 06-07-2005, 02:55 PM

I'm fortunate in that I've met others from the net who want to live a simple life and its been neat to watch them work at their goals of living simply.

I also have another friend from Winnipeg who loves the simple life. She struggles though with having so much clutter and hasn't read The Simple Living Guide yet.

Other friends think were crazy and don't support our lifestyle. They love going out for meals, they love having lots of things and they don't understand our country living.

What about your friends?

**QuilterMom** · 06-07-2005, 04:49 PM

What friends? LOL Seriously! We don't seem to have any because no one is interested in the things we are (simple living, frugality, homesteading, gardening, etc.). It's like we're weirdos and we're a turn off to everyone.

**forestdale** · 06-07-2005, 05:40 PM

All my friends think I'm nuts. They're interested to hear what I've been doing but they can't believe I'm doing it all.

**homesteadmamma** · 06-07-2005, 06:16 PM

I wonder why that is. Even if they don't want to live the same way, I wonder why its so difficult for them to support us and to not think were all crazy.

**Mamawolf** · 06-07-2005, 06:35 PM

No, but I wish I did. It would give me lots of encouragement!

**bridge** · 06-07-2005, 06:41 PM

Nope, no friends!! We're weirdos!!

I have friends at work that say oh, I wish I could save, I wish I could budget. But they really don't want to. I'll say try this or that and they say I could never do that.....

I think then you'll never save and you'll never follow a budget.
It takes discipline to save and budget and be frugal.
I enjoy it and couldn't think of living most of their lifestyles anymore than they could live mine

**britbunny** · 06-08-2005, 05:27 AM

Originally posted by bridge

I have friends at work that say oh, I wish I could save, I wish I could budget. But they really don't want to. I'll say try this or that and they say I could never do that.....

Yes, that sounds familiar. Most of the people I know say that they wish they could do what Scott and I are doing but then aren't ready to make any sacrifices. We get laughed at for not going out socialising as much, living somewhere cheap etc. But they don't seem to get that this is the trade off to live like we want to.

I also wonder why it seems so crazy to others. More to the point why some people find it appropriate to laugh in our faces about it. Had we made other lifestyle choices I don't believe that people would find it okay to discuss it in the way they do. Aaah well.

**daddys3chicks** · 06-08-2005, 07:55 AM

We don't have a lot of friends. The one couple we spend the most time with are working on debt like us and have a pretty basic lifestyle. Most of the couples our age at church are acquirers and working themselves to death to get that house on the lake.

**Englishlady** · 06-08-2005, 10:45 AM

Well I had to laugh! YOU guy's think you are wierd, try being a Vegan and not having Kids, now(most folks think)THAT is weird

So NO friends, not EVEN any aquaintances

, but I did have work friends whenI was a Nurse, it's just they sort of dumped me because I wasn't working with them any more, so they thought we didn't have anything in common anymore

Which is probably true but it still hurts..........the upside of that is that, I DON'T have to explain myself OR my choices to anyone and Christmas is NOT stressful to me.....being a friendless freak isn't ALL bad!

**Mom23boys** · 06-08-2005, 11:13 AM

The friends DH has makes jokes about the way we live. There is one friend of his that wants his wife to be like me. LOL! I have tried to help them. I have two personal friends that want to learn too, but they aren't making an effort. Everyone else is trying to live beyond their means to keep up with each other.

**tbs727** · 06-08-2005, 12:32 PM

Well, I suppose I am more fortunate than I think. We have quite a few friends that are interested in living a more simple life. There seems to be a "movement" in our area for mom's to stay home with their kids. As a result of that, we have to live more simple lives. Lately, rather than going out for a night on the town and spending ALL our extra money in one night, we go to a friends house, and hang out and talk. Even friends that I have that make MUCH more money than we do still just want to hang out. I love it. I hate to say it, but I guess we are in the minority...

**Mamawolf** · 06-08-2005, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by Englishlady
Well I had to laugh! YOU guy's think you are wierd, try being a Vegan and not having Kids, now(most folks think)THAT is weird

Not weird to me!! I had a wonderful vegan neighbor who also never had kids. She was sooo cool. She'd bring me some vegan kale soup, and I would always make her something in exchange. One time I made a vegan chocolate cake that she took to her church with her. I also used to share my cherry tomatoes I grew with her. I miss her so much.

**Jayne** · 06-08-2005, 03:43 PM

Nope, friends in general are something that eludes me.....people in our area are so wrapped up in materialism, that they have no time for anyone, they are so busy working to support their "things" and big homes...we have tried to connect with people at church, but they all are into the materialism thing too and don't have time...its sad