Living Simply: Part 1: Sucking it Up

This is the first in a series of posts I want to do on Living Simply. Several people have asked how we do what we do. I will try to help. I may be blunt. We hit rock bottom before we got where we are now. Please don't take anything I say personally, most likely I'm talking to myself. I hope this helps.

This is Not some "idealistic hippie save the planet" kinda thing, but a "There's gotta be more to life than this, now what do I do?" kinda thing.

The first thing you need to do when you get so LOW you're looking Up at the bottom dwellers is SUCK IT UP. Don't spend another dime until you figure out what you're doing. Buying a book on managing your finances when you're flat broke is a bad idea. Moping and moaning about how bad things are accomplishes nothing. STOP. Take a big breath, be a grown up and face the realitites of your situation. Admit (honestly) that you've made mistakes, and resolve to move on from here. (do this as often as it takes. we've done it again recently)

I don't mean to sound harsh. We've been there. Young, dumb, debt to our eyeballs, couldn't pay the bills, let's put dinner on the credit card kinda dumb. It hurts. It will not be easy to turn things around, but it can be done. But you have to be ready to be radical.

First, I recommend checking out Dave Ramsey's site and reading his book, Financial Peace cover to cover. STOP. CLOSE that Amazon window. Go to the library and find the book. Right now you can't afford it. Buy it later for a broke friend once you're not broke anymore. THEN you can hand it out like you're the Gideon of Finance, but for now, save your pennies.

While you're reading you can do a few things to be ready for my next installment: Having a Plan & a Budget...

• write down on paper where the money is coming from and where it's going.
• make a list of your debts
• roll your change, find out how much real money you can come up with right now
• turn down the thermostat, turn off all the lights except for the ONE you're using
• stay home (once you get the library book)
• before you buy anything ask, "want or need?" only get it if it's a need right now.
• cook what you have in the house. I don't care if it's biscuits & canned beans, start somewhere.
• consider SERIOUSLY cancelling any non-essential services. cable tv. cell phones (in a true emergency, any charged phone can call 911, or get prepaid) movie clubs, book clubs, any subscriptions with monthly bills, internet. (again, use the library or if you own a laptop, find somewhere you can get online for free...) Think outside the box! Do anything you can yourself.

DESPERATE TIMES CALL FOR RADICAL MEASURES!!!

Here's a few other sites to get you started.

flylady: how to get the CHAOS in your life under control

chosing voluntary simplicity: putting it all in perspective

the hillbilly housewife: a $45 menu plan for a family of 4 if you have NOTHING in the house

the family homestead: more ideas on living simply

like merchant ships: how to live beautifully on a budget

living on a dime: one of the original saving money gurus

Finally, Miss Maggie, the original creator of hillbilly housewife now of her new site: frugal abundance: has this to say:

2008 has been a difficult year for us financially. We have a
“New Normal” that is less prosperous than our “Old Normal” and we are still
adapting to it. At least we’re out of the denial stage that was making us spend
more than we could afford, because for a few months we didn’t realize that a new
normal was upon us. So we kept up our old habits only to quickly realize that
our old habits were too expensive and that we needed to economize IMMEDIATELY!
Which we’ve done. Praise the Lord for the ability to that, and to still have
such a luxurious life. Everytime I feel poor I look at my stove and refrigerator
and the bags of beans and rice stocking my pantry and I thank God for His
abundance. A frugal abundance to be sure, but abundance none the less.

I couldn't have said it this well myself, so I'm glad she said it for me. Tough times are upon us. But with God's help we'll make it. Thanks for reading.