Why the Simple, Cheaper Lifestyle is Better than Keeping Up Appearances

People are busier than ever now despite having more "time-saving" devices at their disposal than at any other time in history. Each gadget not only costs money (which you have to earn), but surprisingly, these "time-savers" can also be huge time and money wasters.

There are gadgets for just about everything. Smartphones and data plans to keep in touch no matter where you are...even jogging out in nature! Take a break already...how important can that text or call be? Really? The prevailing attitude nowadays seems to be, that you must be accessible...driving on busy freeways and even in the bathroom! Sheesh. I don't think so!

Relax and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air and concentrate on your driving without interruptions and enjoy that feeling... solitude! Ahhh. Clears the brain.

There are appliances to do all the steaming, chopping, dicing, frying, toasting and even a robot to clean your floors for you. Keeping beautiful involves still another assortment of supplies and appliances you can whirl, twirl, flatten and scrunch to your heart's desire...the list of new innovations is never ending. Don't get me started on tools! Unless you really do your own car repair or do construction as a business; do you need a garage full of tools?

All these time-saving gadgets should save you time, but do they really? How much time do you have to spend at work to buy all these gadgets? Then there is the time you spend using these devices as compared to just relaxing. Another question might be... do you actually use all of those devices and could you just as easily managed without them and have a tidier home/garage?

Facebook, Instagram, Flicker, the world invading your very own personal space; yelling at you about imminent doom and gloom, trying to think for you, spewing conspiracy theories, selling more "must have" gadgets, telling you what you need to do or buy right now. Telling you it is time to remodel again and repaint the living room this year's latest color, (even though you just painted two year ago). Talk about invasive and in your face. The nosy neighbor is now in your living room day and night. No wonder people are exhausted.

Some conveniences (and ideas) are worthwhile but there are so many distractions in our lives that just end up cluttering our corners and our minds! We need to simplify! Our wallets and minds will thank us!

However, currently, there is something wrong if you do not enjoy shopping. Do you have to max out your credit card every month? Some people, in particular, are obsessed with buying. If it has a label or is the "in thing" then it has to be bought. Advertiser's heaven it is. At a certain age we wise up to the fact, money just funnels through the hole in our pockets barely staying long enough for us to realize it ever even was there in the first place. We have run out of space and realize all that stuff serves no purpose. The neighbors actually could care less what we own.They are more interested in what they own and what we think of them.

However, it could be a lot less stressful and maybe a lot less cluttered, not to mention cheaper to live, if we watch what we buy and decide if the current "must have" object of today might just be the "dust bin" closet clutter...item in the landfill of tomorrow and refrain from buying mindlessly.

Take a "time out" before you purchase.

Think of how useful that item will be. Will it stand the test of time...once the novelty has worn off? Best is to sleep on it. Did you ever feel sick the next day knowing you just blew a pile of money on something you got goaded into buying? Wiser minds prevail after a good sleep!

If you don't buy that $100 dollar, "soon to be useless item", then you will have $100 dollars still in your pocket for something that is actually needed...like an emergency car repair.

Note: I have noticed since I first wrote this, laundry detergents are getting smaller. So this may not apply as much anymore. I will include it since it is part of the comments on this Hub, which I am now updating.

The biggest and cheapest container of powdered laundry detergent may not be what you really want to take home. The actual "cleaning" ingredients are a small fraction of the total weight of most laundry detergents.

A smaller package of concentrated powder ( same goes for liquids) will do the same job "and" as many washes. Your wash will be just as clean, if not cleaner! Filler is added to "bulk up" the main ingredients to give us those big containers. Because the filler isn't necessary, they use the cheapest material they can get. Salt is one material that is cheap (does your salt cost much?) and it dissolves easily. Help the environment and save space; use concentrated laundry products.

We all know salt rusts cars...so what about your washing machine? Is that cheap big container of detergent really cheap if it rusts out your washing machine sooner than a better quality detergent? Do we need to add the extra salt to our waterways and then spend billions removing it?

Look at the list of materials on the side of your laundry detergent container next time you shop. The further down the list salt (sodium chloride) the less there is compared to the other materials in the product.

That smaller concentrated product will go just as far as the bigger package...use the correct amount as specified on the packaging! Do not over use your detergent.

I have now moved north to be closer to nature. I also plan to simplify my life and live on less. Part of that will be out of necessity, but also because I see that the life I have been living, although necessary, has also been eating up a good portion of my time and money. It is a necessary part of life to have a job. As much as I would have loved to have been an artist and a writer, I never relished suffering for it...so I do not regret making a living and going where the jobs were. That is life. Nothing wrong with that. However, now I am enjoying retirement.

If I had the wisdom at 25 that I have now, perhaps I would have done a few things different. Maybe...lol. At 25 most people think they live forever and the future is far, far away. It is amazing how fast ten years pass by.

Fifty hours of the week were spent at work and commuting; add preparation to go to work and I am certain it is 55 hours out of each week for work purpose.There is very little precious time for personal projects let alone many important recreational activities and friendships. Sleep is often a priority for the work weary after the chores are done.

Sometimes you just need to buy some luxury item to feel all that rat race is worth it. I do understand. However, try to buy what really will improve your life not clutter it.

Remember no one has ever taken it with them when this life is done. Why not live comfortably with less of your hard earned money and use the extra time to enjoy being alive!

Living in the moment now, I will have time to listen to the rustle of the poplar trees in the wind and have an extra cup of coffee. I have time to not need all those conveniences anymore!

What is your simple life action plan?