Last night I was reading The Modern Cook Book which said: "Begin housekeeping on the cash basis; if you can't pay cash for an article, DO NOT GET IT". This is sage advice for my life which I plan on following. I'll be paying close attention to whether something is a need or a want. My needs are food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. I have three immediate wants which I feel are needs and those are art, friends, and community. I have lots of other wants, but I may not need them. From now on I will think, research, and plan before adding to my wants.
We plan on finding a home we can pay cash for where we can have a food garden, a pond for fish, and hopefully spring fed water. We plan on storing food to last us a year, setting up an art studio, and having transportation methods which are paid off. We want to travel around and have a good time, but we need shelter. We must sacrifice our want for our need by deciding where we will move and finding a place to live first, then we plan to travel afterwards. Along the way we will stop as we can, but traveling can not be our primary focus. We must do this so we don't run short on funds to obtain our needs.
Once we are settled I want to do give back to my community in some way. I'll need to balance my life so no single need becomes all encompassing so I can fullfill my needs and wants. Please read the previous post for part one and some background. Please let me know what you think and thanks so much for visiting and for your comments.
It is interesting that your Modern Cook Books advise is from my parents generation and the way I was raised~~~they had one basic house, not moving up every 3-5 years a car usually 1 for transportation, some familys didn't have any, they car pooled or used the local bus system or walked. They didn't have credit cards but did have savings or could by from the local merchant on time~~~they worked hard and I never heard the word stress from my parents~~~we lived in the city but had chickens, we ate and fresh eggs, my father had a garden, and even city folks would go hunting and fishing and eat what they caught. Also we had a large area of canned fruits and vegtables, that were by my parents and a freezer
ReplyDeleteNow cars and homes have become a show off item of the owner with them being bigger and fanicer,even if they can't afford it~~~We now live in a society of have and have nots, we are lucky to live just outside of town and still apply the old standards of my parents~~~canning is still a big part of our community, and hunting and fishing also. We also share and know who our neighbors are and help each other~~~I wish you find the same in your quest to find the right area
Sounds like a sound plan. I think finding a community you feel healthy and happy in would be great -honest people, strong families, pet/animal friendly, recycling center, a market, clean air, clean water, good soil. Maybe a community where the temptations of a too modern, throw away society won't be there(?) When "wants" are constantly thrust before us it's tough to stay on a budget and live the lives we were meant to live -those outlined in the Modern Cookbook. After all we are only human :o)
ReplyDeleteI think there are several of us who will be living vicariously though you and your husband on your quest...
Hi Linda -Thanks for trusting your truth to the blogging universe. In Part 1, you described so eloquently the loneliness that can descend on those living close to the edge. Thank you for the reminder to look more closely and see what's really happening to our friends and neighbors... I hope you and Gary have smooth sailing from here on out.
ReplyDeleteIt takes a great deal of courage and thoughtfulness to uproot and move. I believe that you have a great amount of both. Good luck and I hope this will be a wonderful adventure for you.
ReplyDeletesounds like a good plan... what a novel idea to not buy things unless you have the money. i really like the idea of storing enough food to last a year and i'm curious if you plan to can and preserve food towards this goal.
ReplyDeleteHi Carroll, thanks I was surprised that a book from 1890 gave such sage advice, we are gong to try and live by that motto to reduce our stress which was almost overwhelming mostly due to the fear of not being able to meet our bills.
ReplyDeleteHi Cindy, thanks you mention some good points of what we should look for in a community.
Hi Ron, thanks I hope it will be a great adventure and a start of something new and better.
Hi Jim, thanks, day before yesterday I picked up a book by Howard Ruff at the thrift store written in 1979, Ruff was a proponent of many of these ideas for "the coming bad years" back then, little did he know or actually he did know - what the future would hold - history repeats itself, so I believe if we prepare now, we will be hopefully better prepared for the future.
Hi Patricia, thanks so much, I wasn't sure how folks would react to this revealing, but I figured I had nothing to loose and hopefully others may benefit from my honesty. Unfortunately when living close to the edge it is all encompassing and it wasn't foremost in my mind to look at my neighbors, now it all is coming to the forefront of what others are going through.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is I have been there and my husband and I did the same thing you are doing now. It does work. We sold everything in California bought a RV, found a great place to live now. We have a very small home 750 sq. feet and on 80 acres of desert. Its all paid for. Not everyone dream but for us we love it. So just have a open mind and you will find what is right for you.
ReplyDeleteHello
ReplyDeleteSounds like a nice plan!
Your previous post, Part 1, reminded me of my hard days after the Great Hanshin Earthquake. My house, my parents' house and my sister's condominium were completely destroyed in it. My present house is smaller than the previous one, however, I'm really happy to have a shelter and I love it!
Hugs!!
Hi Tinkerfeet, so happy you found your dream. Gary used to say all he needed was a silver trailer and palm tree in the desert, but now we like it a little cooler than that with a bit more water and green, but not so green to take care of. I am sure it all will work out, thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteHi Sapphire, so sorry about the great earthquake damage to your family and your residences, what a catastrophe to go through, makes me appreciate what we do have even though we lost money, but not our belongings. Sometimes smaller is better is forces I find it forces me to be more organized.