Simplicity and Frugality 102....

The sequel...
Since I got so much response on the previous post (3 different commentors! wow!), I thought maybe we could have the advanced course today.

So, what does one do in the second semester?
How does English 101 relate to English 102? Anthropology 101 to Anthropology 102?
Well, I guess more of the same.
So let's pretend we've moved on to the 200-level course and started talking about motivation.

Here are some of my personal motivations for simplifying and frugalizing.

Firstly, I'm loving the debt free lifestyle. More and more each day. I see all these home foreclosures and whatnot, and know that I'm OK. I have 2 homes...both rented and both pretty darn securely rented since I'm a good tenant who pays on time and doesn't trash the place.

Also, I tend to be very focused on future goals and being frugal works with that. I can feel an immediate reward for saving or not spending since I know it's getting me closer to the dream of buying land and a goat and yelling at people who try to set foot on my little homestead.

Of course there is the environmental aspect. The less I use, especially the less chemical-based stuff and the less new stuff, the smaller my impact on the planet. The allows me to have that lovely self-satisfied feeling when I see the horrible slideshow about plastic bags killing the planet..because I know that I'm not contributing much to the plastic-bag-waste-stream. It's a petty motivation, but it's there. Also, I actually give a crap about the planet and realize that I can only really control my own contribution to the problem/solution.

And part of the motivation is being an atheist or agnostic (I'm not sure which right now). I don't have a "do-over" or afterlife to look toward and be my moral compass. I have to make the most of this life right now and in some ways that means making the least mess with this life. I don't think I'm doing to great of a job yet...but it's something to shoot for.

That's enough pontificating for now.

I'll just go to bed on the mattress on the floor bought from a thrift store, and use my milk crate night stand and the other nightstand which was donated by a friend, read my library book, watch my videos on the public computer dial up....on the computer which was unfortunately newly built....oh well.