Why Do You Live A Simple Life?

**nwmissourigal** · 10-29-2006, 10:29 PM

I am sure from the outside, people think that my life is strange. My husband and I don't need much to sustain our lives. I was raised on a farm in a much simpler time, even though my folks probably didn't think so at the time. We were poor but didn't know that. We had everthing we needed. We grew a vegtable garden, had our own meat, dairy cows for mild, chickens, sheep..what more could you ask for. I grew up simple and didn't even know that. Simplity means different things to different people. My need to live a simple live is like needing air to breathe. I live simple because it is the only way to live. What do you really need in life? Family, friends, housing, food and fellowship. I have all that and more. Our children were raised in simple style and didn't have all the "things" their friends had and they are still alive!! And they now strive to live a simple life and are raising their children that way. Consumerism is so out of control. We have to put blinder on when we get groceries, watch TV and just go out in world. Simple living is truly a choice and I am better for it. I also think you have alot of wisdom when you live simplity. You make better choices and feel better in general. Simple living for me is just going back to the basics or for some of us, never leaving the basics of life. Enjoying nature, family, worship at my church, are all things that make my life simple. I still have set backs and have to reel myself in when I see the lastest thing that will simplify my life. But in the grand scheme of things, simple living is just....simple living. Don't conform to what others think we should or should not be.

**danni** · 10-29-2006, 10:58 PM

People think we are weird because we don't have cable or a car. But we are choosing what is best for us by giving up things we can afford to or have time to do and have the things we really want.

**autumnlynn** · 10-29-2006, 11:12 PM

I grew up simply in a very small town. We lived way out in the country. We had no fast food restaurants and no big stores to shop in. For that you had to "go into town". On Thursdays, all the shops were closed except the bank stayed open for half a day. If someone traveling through our town wasn't familiar with our customs, they would have thought everyone had been abducted!! In the evening we would set out on the front porch and the neighbors would come over and mom would bring out a cold pitcher of lemonade. The adults would talk all evening and us kids would play in the yard catching lightening bugs (fireflys). On Saturday night we would have a get-together with our relatives. It would be a different family hosting each weekend. The women would make a dessert; usually fudge, but once they made Baked Alaska!! The men would play guitars and sing and us kids would play tag, and hide and seek. We had a great time.

These are the things I remember growing up. I do remember things we got for Christmas, though. It was so rare that we got something new, that I can still remember my first watch, stuffed toys, etc. When we got something new, it was really an occasion. My birthday is November 27th, and if I got a dollar in a card, I was really happy. My parents said my birthday was too close to Christmas to get anything big. That was the way I always remembered it, so I didn't expect anything else and I was perfectly happy.

I admit that I am not living that simply these days, but my roots are in simplicity and I have always loved the simple life.

**nuisance26** · 10-30-2006, 08:08 AM

~Even if I was wealthy I wouldn't up my style of living(OK, maybe just a smidge). I'd never be able to handle the guilt of being The Queen of Sheba while others in the world are living in garbage dumps and drinking dirty water. Consumerism is the problem. When we acknowledge that things won't bring happiness we can use the money we've earned to bless others. So I guess what I'm saying is that I think living simply is good stewardship of what I've been given.~

**Katybird** · 10-30-2006, 01:54 PM

It is my goal to live simply and frugally. I don't spend a lot but choose to live in a rural area and commute to work in the city so that does make our cost of living a bit higher, I know it is crazy but our utilities and taxes are higher in the country than if we were living in the city. It is so worth it though, I love being able to sit on the deck at night and not hear anything but nature and being able to see all the stars and not just a reflection of the hundreds of thousands of lights of the city.

**nwmissourigal** · 10-30-2006, 10:24 PM

Yes Katy...I know what you mean about the country. I also commute to the city for work, but, like you, it is worth it to me to live in the country and not hear all the siren, neighbors and other distractions. We tried living in town at one time when we still have kids at home, but that didn't last long. And now all our kids live in the country except 2. I know it isn't possible for everyone and alot of people make there simple life where they are...and that's ok too!!

**Maisiedotes** · 10-31-2006, 09:04 AM

What a great thread. We had a 2-day power outage and had no running water, lights, heat... and of course all the usual electrical stuff. I was starting to go out of my mind, but then came to my senses and built a fire, got some bottled water for the dogs, cuddled up and read a book. I kept thinking to myself "I don't even care about the TV or the internet- I just want lights and water!" It was then that I realized that there are much more constructive things I could be doing than watching the boob tube even when we do have power.

I have stopped buying things like convenience foods, DVD's, dust collectors... it is just "stuff". I try to do as much as I can from scratch and stop buying from the corporate giants. Simple living has taken on a new meaning for me- living with what we absolutely need and not what is the trend at the moment. I guess it may be easier for us because we don't have children, and DH shares the same beliefs about consumerism that I do. Plus in our part of maine, simplifying is a way of life for alot of people.

I am getting so long-winded, but I wanted to thank you for starting the thread!

Kerri

**nwmissourigal** · 10-31-2006, 10:46 PM

A power outage will really set the simple life in to motion. We loose our electricity alot here in the country. But we never worry about it. We burn wood, have plenty of food and each other. We don't have any kids at home and it probably is easier for us. My hubby also shares my views on the simple life and being frugal. He is way more frugal than I am if that is possible..LOL..

**Nada.Leona** · 11-01-2006, 06:21 PM

I try to live a simple life, but of course then life itself happens!

I rarely watch television, I drive my car very little if it isn't back and forth to work or doing errands with

(we combine our errands to save money). I love the frugality lifestyle and voluntary simplicity, but I have a looooong ways to go.

**Goodwin17** · 11-01-2006, 11:54 PM

I don't live as simply as I want to. I have the dream and longing for a life of simplicity. I want to live out in the country, grow a lot of my own veggies, raise animals (not for their meat, but for eggs, wool, milk, companionship). I want to be able to take time to slow down and enjoy life. I have learned very quickly that money is not the most imporant thing in life. As long as you are comfortable. In my short career I've made moves and taken pay cuts to drastically improve my way of life (i.e. simplify and slow down!) Great thread.

**kittyrose** · 11-02-2006, 10:12 AM

i want to live simply too... if i didnt make my income using the internet, i wouldnt want cable to this... of course, i can do without cable on the tv too... there are only a few shows i do watch and if i never saw them again, i certainly wouldnt shrivel up and die from it... hehehee...
we just got rid of our cell phones... at first, i missed them alot but now, no!... my phone is just a basic phone line... for long distance, i buy one of those cards for so many mins for only $5... when that runs out, i wait until the next month to money on $5 each time)... a lot less expensive than if i had to add long distance on my phone...
we do watch alot of movies but i can always get them free at the library...
my kids on the other hand are just like dh... he loves cable and the internet...
of course, if i didnt have the internet i wouldnt have stumbled on this wonderful website with all you wonderful ladies... i feel really blessed to be a part of this community...

**suzysaver** · 11-02-2006, 12:05 PM

I'm working on the simple life, I have really come to an understanding of stoping and deciding if I really need that ...when it comes to purchases, most of the time the answer is no. My husband loves his satelite t.v., but this is his entertainment, I could do just fine without t.v. all together. Even if we did have the money I really can't imagine choosing to waste it. Consumerism, at christmas I sit back at work and watch people go crazy, spending on all this stuff and there all stressed out and angry. Why do people put themselves threw this, I refuse to be a part of it ! I almost have to laugh, but in some cases I think about how much debit that person is probably racking up and it isn't funny.

**Darlene** · 11-02-2006, 02:11 PM

I lead a simple life because I want to go to sleep & wake up with a smile on my face.

**Stella** · 11-04-2006, 01:13 PM

I grew up living the simple life and wish I could go back to it. We grew up on a 1000 acre cattle ranch. We had creeks to catch crawdads, swimming holes, a campground where all our friends would gather, lakes to catch tadpoles in. All the stuff that did not cost money was stuff that was the most fun. We did not have alot of money growing up, but my sister and I never knew it. All of our friends wanted to come to our house because we had so many things to do. We had horses, and i would spend hours riding the ranch. Now, I live in a subdivision neighborhood and only wish that I could get out. I want to live somewhere I can let my dogs run out and not worry about the running into the street, and wake up without having to look into someone elses yard. I too have taken a step back from buying "dust collectors". I buy at the time because I really want it, but do I really need it? It usually ends up somewhere in a drawer and later given to charity, or sold at a garge sale. Life around us is just rush, rush and it seems there is no slowing down. Sure there is alot to do if you live on acreage, but to me it is more enjoyable. It is where my heart is. My Boyfriends dad owns 11 acres and is going to build us a house on it one of these days. It will not come soon enough.
Last night we ate dinner with the TV off (we usually watch the news) He asked don't you want the TV on? We left it off most of the night and just read and talked. It was the most relaxful night we have had in a while.