Something like 1 year ago I read this ERE blog for the first time.
Let's start with the good news:
Even before reading this site I was already moderately frugal.
Our house is far from a McMansion -- we could have afforded much more. But what I wanted was a modest, comfortable home in a reasonably safe neighborhood where I could play at gardening. Some years ago I even talked my husband into prepaying off the loans on it. For other reasons it now has a line of credit drawn on it... but more on that in the bad news.
One of my first contributions to my husband's life was to institute the habit of line drying our clothes.
More recently (because I was pissed off at the treatment of the workers who make our clothing), I instituted the habit of buying clothes second hand. Later we also began buying furniture (usually prefering solid wood pieces) second hand.
We have never been heavy users of the modern phone. I do have a cell phone -- I prepay $30 every 3 months for it. It is there for emergencies and very occasionally for convenience. We are believers of the idea that the whole wireless technology stuff has significant negative health impacts, and so act to keep our exposures to a minimum.
We home cook almost all our meals. We are vegans (I go off-program once a week or so; my husband is very strict.) We buy our food primarily at the health food store. Years ago we got rid of our microwave -- it feels safer cooking food in the way it has been done for thousands of years. Lately, my husband has been cooking a pot of lentils up for his lunches during the week.
Myakka's Journal
I forgot to mention in the previous post that that cell phone now has a hefty balance on it. We really use it very frugally.
Now the bad news.
In trying to build an Earthship (a super-energy efficient ecohome), we acquired a couple loans. My husband is now trying to sell that. We have given up on the idea.
My husband has an expensive medical condition. He has been doing better lately. But alot of his non-work time is spent addressing it.
Still even with these financial challenges we are in a stable situation and have never been in a bad way.
Now the bad news.
In trying to build an Earthship (a super-energy efficient ecohome), we acquired a couple loans. My husband is now trying to sell that. We have given up on the idea.
My husband has an expensive medical condition. He has been doing better lately. But alot of his non-work time is spent addressing it.
Still even with these financial challenges we are in a stable situation and have never been in a bad way.
Improvements:
In this past year I have taken to heart Jacob's advice that having lots of unappreciated items taking up space in my home is a bad idea.
One by one I have been through most of our closets and storage areas and weeded out the easy to get rid of things. I also did a bit of reorganizing along the way. I go by the theory that the things you use most often ought to be in the most convenient spots.
We have also managed to find a buyer for the biodiesel equipment we were no longer interested in.
The gained space and added convenience this process has yielded brings me much satisfaction.
I don't think I am done yet. I sometimes have a sentimental wish for that third bedroom to be entirely empty, but I am going to let things progress as I become emotionally ready to tackle them.
We still have some items we purchase via the local grocery store. I am now in the habit of making that occasional "toilet paper" run on foot. It is good news that I can walk a mile or two with comfort. It is less good news that the weight of the items is challenging for me.
It is the gallons of white vinager -- which is primarily used by me as a fabric softener which are the problem. I remember once having my own shopping cart -- this one would fold up to make it easy to store when not in use -- and I know that that would make the whole thing easy.
Permaculture/edible landscaping the yard has taken some nice strides in the past two years, too. Picking avocadoes from my seed-grown tree was the highlight of my gardening efforts this year.
On a feminine front (warning for sensitive male readers this is some yucky stuff) I have stopped all purchasing of disposable products for that time of the month. After having tried several approaches, I have settled on using my husband's old white ankle-high socks turned inside out. The inside out not only helps me easily distinguish them from other socks, it also puts the more absorptive side in a better place.
In this past year I have taken to heart Jacob's advice that having lots of unappreciated items taking up space in my home is a bad idea.
One by one I have been through most of our closets and storage areas and weeded out the easy to get rid of things. I also did a bit of reorganizing along the way. I go by the theory that the things you use most often ought to be in the most convenient spots.
We have also managed to find a buyer for the biodiesel equipment we were no longer interested in.
The gained space and added convenience this process has yielded brings me much satisfaction.
I don't think I am done yet. I sometimes have a sentimental wish for that third bedroom to be entirely empty, but I am going to let things progress as I become emotionally ready to tackle them.
We still have some items we purchase via the local grocery store. I am now in the habit of making that occasional "toilet paper" run on foot. It is good news that I can walk a mile or two with comfort. It is less good news that the weight of the items is challenging for me.
It is the gallons of white vinager -- which is primarily used by me as a fabric softener which are the problem. I remember once having my own shopping cart -- this one would fold up to make it easy to store when not in use -- and I know that that would make the whole thing easy.
Permaculture/edible landscaping the yard has taken some nice strides in the past two years, too. Picking avocadoes from my seed-grown tree was the highlight of my gardening efforts this year.
On a feminine front (warning for sensitive male readers this is some yucky stuff) I have stopped all purchasing of disposable products for that time of the month. After having tried several approaches, I have settled on using my husband's old white ankle-high socks turned inside out. The inside out not only helps me easily distinguish them from other socks, it also puts the more absorptive side in a better place.
I have also made some progress with my knitting and sewing.
I completed a full-sized one-person all-cotton blanket that is now a favorite of my husband.
I now love my old fully-mechanical (a.k.a. there's no computer in it) sewing machine.
I have recently repaired my homemade knitted purse. It was so empowering to find I could make the one of my dreams when my last one needed replacing. It is also satisfying to experiment with ways to make the snap area more durable.
I have two dresses in progress. One is knitted. The other is sewn.
Now that buying clothes second-hand is much more popular and the stuff I see in the stores looks like garbage to me, I have begun the hobby of trying to make my own. First up are housedresses -- if I can get good at them, then that will add it a big way to my independence from the retail stores. I will also have an even better tactic for not supporting the slavedrivers in the world.
Other possible directions to go in include:
socks -- I know how to knit them, but my feet are super wide and I am using regular yarn not sock yarn (which is expensive). So to make this work I would need to buy a custom-made pair of shoes to allow me to wear them. I already know of a place that will do this. What I don't know is if this is really a workable approach here in Florida. I suspect it will be too hot for 95% of the year.
Also, I don't wear socks with the housedresses -- that would take shaving my legs, which I am morally opposed to. Now, if I progress from making my own housedresses to pull-string pants, then I have a context in which the idea begins to make real sense.
Then, if I do some knitted tops, I can have my own homemade style.
So mostly, the pieces aren't quite in place yet for doing socks yet.
Another possibility, is to finally take all those cotton balls I've been saving from my husband's medicines and learn how to spin my own sock yarn. That sock yarn would also be a good thing to be making knitted tops out of -- this is Florida after all -- I really don't want all that thickness of the regular yarn anyway.
I completed a full-sized one-person all-cotton blanket that is now a favorite of my husband.
I now love my old fully-mechanical (a.k.a. there's no computer in it) sewing machine.
I have recently repaired my homemade knitted purse. It was so empowering to find I could make the one of my dreams when my last one needed replacing. It is also satisfying to experiment with ways to make the snap area more durable.
I have two dresses in progress. One is knitted. The other is sewn.
Now that buying clothes second-hand is much more popular and the stuff I see in the stores looks like garbage to me, I have begun the hobby of trying to make my own. First up are housedresses -- if I can get good at them, then that will add it a big way to my independence from the retail stores. I will also have an even better tactic for not supporting the slavedrivers in the world.
Other possible directions to go in include:
socks -- I know how to knit them, but my feet are super wide and I am using regular yarn not sock yarn (which is expensive). So to make this work I would need to buy a custom-made pair of shoes to allow me to wear them. I already know of a place that will do this. What I don't know is if this is really a workable approach here in Florida. I suspect it will be too hot for 95% of the year.
Also, I don't wear socks with the housedresses -- that would take shaving my legs, which I am morally opposed to. Now, if I progress from making my own housedresses to pull-string pants, then I have a context in which the idea begins to make real sense.
Then, if I do some knitted tops, I can have my own homemade style.
So mostly, the pieces aren't quite in place yet for doing socks yet.
Another possibility, is to finally take all those cotton balls I've been saving from my husband's medicines and learn how to spin my own sock yarn. That sock yarn would also be a good thing to be making knitted tops out of -- this is Florida after all -- I really don't want all that thickness of the regular yarn anyway.
On the ERE front, I am contemplating the idea of selling our second vehicle. It is a big old truck that is really nice to have now and then, and which I drive seldom enough that it's low fuel efficiency isn't a huge issue. Mostly I use it to go to the health food store -- which is too far to carry frozen food items back from and there are no good bus routes to and from. Those trips however could be done on the weekends when my husband's car is available. I also use it to get to and from the schools I substitute at. I might be able to shift those to ones that wouldn't be too bad to walk to, or find something else I might like working at better.
This truck is fully-owned by us, so it would be at best a savings in insurance and upkeep, if we sold it.
This truck is fully-owned by us, so it would be at best a savings in insurance and upkeep, if we sold it.
Hi Myakka, welcome.
It sounds like you are quite self-sufficient, which can only be good for ERE. I do hope to be in that position one day.
I am curious as to why you find sock yarn expensive? In the UK at least it seems comparable to other wool yarns. (I am making the assumption that you don't buy acrylic). As for spinning cotton, expect a long practice time before you can spin something durable. It also tends to end up being quite heavy. That's fine for socks, but for summer tops I'd personally prefer linen, or a blend of some sort.
How come the Earthship hasn't worked out for you guys?
It sounds like you are quite self-sufficient, which can only be good for ERE. I do hope to be in that position one day.
I am curious as to why you find sock yarn expensive? In the UK at least it seems comparable to other wool yarns. (I am making the assumption that you don't buy acrylic). As for spinning cotton, expect a long practice time before you can spin something durable. It also tends to end up being quite heavy. That's fine for socks, but for summer tops I'd personally prefer linen, or a blend of some sort.
How come the Earthship hasn't worked out for you guys?
Okay, sock yarn is expensive in part because it has to be vegan (for my husband -- and wool isn't vegan in his world) AND I want it to be natural (not synthetic). Cotton is the most commonly available material in that category AND (if I ever get that far) it is likely to grow very well here in Florida.
Linen is an interesting approach, PM me a source please if you can. If I can figure out how to grow flax in a warm climate (nowadays it is typically grown in cold ones), then it would also be doable without recourse to a store.
The Earthship hasn't worked out for several reasons.
1) we ran out of money -- which wasn't helped by the local zoning board requiring things to be added to it that made it even more expensive
2) we ran out of energy -- it seems like we took on a bigger project than what we were really able to accomplish
We tried. We failed. Time to sell it to someone (who will hopefully complete it), and move on. That is the lay of the land at the moment.
Linen is an interesting approach, PM me a source please if you can. If I can figure out how to grow flax in a warm climate (nowadays it is typically grown in cold ones), then it would also be doable without recourse to a store.
The Earthship hasn't worked out for several reasons.
1) we ran out of money -- which wasn't helped by the local zoning board requiring things to be added to it that made it even more expensive
2) we ran out of energy -- it seems like we took on a bigger project than what we were really able to accomplish
We tried. We failed. Time to sell it to someone (who will hopefully complete it), and move on. That is the lay of the land at the moment.
It is also possibly true that Jacob and others are better at dealing with the intricacies of stores than I am. (I hate shopping.) While on the other hand I can by shear persistence figure out how to do things like knit myself a purse. (I love the figuring it out for myself process.)
I reinvent wheels alot, but then in that process I gain a really thorough understanding of the wheel so I assert that it isn't a completely foolish thing to do.
And I'll tell you that standard knitting patterns are designed to make mass-producing a single item efficient. when I make my own patterns I do them such that I can see what is happening as I make my item and adjust what I do on the fly.
I did that with a winter hat I made. First, I made what the pattern I was given said -- which, of course, came out to be the wrong size. But the whole process taught me what everything was doing, and allowed me to know how to go on to the second step.
Second, I not only re-sized the pattern, but circularized it. By knitting my hat on circular needles, I could put it on as I made it and test it.
My approach is the better one for the home knitter -- who knows the particular person the item is being made for. That standard pattern was made for an industrial process which is designed to keep both the pattern designer and the pattern makers dependent on the boss who weaves them together into a functioning whole.
I reinvent wheels alot, but then in that process I gain a really thorough understanding of the wheel so I assert that it isn't a completely foolish thing to do.
And I'll tell you that standard knitting patterns are designed to make mass-producing a single item efficient. when I make my own patterns I do them such that I can see what is happening as I make my item and adjust what I do on the fly.
I did that with a winter hat I made. First, I made what the pattern I was given said -- which, of course, came out to be the wrong size. But the whole process taught me what everything was doing, and allowed me to know how to go on to the second step.
Second, I not only re-sized the pattern, but circularized it. By knitting my hat on circular needles, I could put it on as I made it and test it.
My approach is the better one for the home knitter -- who knows the particular person the item is being made for. That standard pattern was made for an industrial process which is designed to keep both the pattern designer and the pattern makers dependent on the boss who weaves them together into a functioning whole.
It was really good to see a new post from Jacob today.
I guess to be honest, I should admit that my husband and I are not really on the fast track to retirement, we are merely making some small changes at this point, and it is tough because he seems to really like spending his money.
I have been altering some of my behaviors and now spend much less time playing computer games and more knitting. Since shifting my behavior I have completed a full-sized blanket I began years ago, and a dress. That dress came out well-enough that I am now making several more. I have also recently bought a scythe from a really nice company in Maine that is destined to replace my lawn mower. As soon as I become comfortable with the scythe, I am planning to Freecycle the lawnmower. This will free up some space in the garage, increase my exercise level, and eliminate the fossil fuels used to keep up our lawn.
I have also been using ERE principles in the approaches I advocate for in the upkeep of our home. The ugly lanai that was falling apart was dealt with by putting a permanent roof over the walkway to the door, while the rest of the structure has been taken down. The small part that has been kept and made more permanent will be wonderful when sprinting to the door during one of our deluges in May/June. There will be a further step to avoid the area where the lanai was becoming a pool during this same time period. Some gutters are to be installed and then that water stored in some fashion and used to further my attempts to grow food here. The leading candidate for storage at the moment is a small pond/water feature. I am liking it at the moment because it will be prettier than the containers and also more durable with only a liner to patch if it gets damaged somehow or a pump to replace if that breaks someday.
But I am pretty stumped overall by my husband's new mania -- mold remediation. He is thinking that that will be the key to him regaining his health. So far it is meaning that we are in the process of getting rid of alot of things we really aren't wanting -- and that is overall good. But it is also meaning that we are talking about buying quite a number of new things.
I would really appreciate people's thoughts and suggestions on these new purchases (which I am about to list below). Maybe with some help we can at least make good decisions in our purchases.
The first item is a new mattress. We are really interested in getting the metal out of our bed. Last year some time we replaced the box springs with a platform bed. And now (with a small amount of research) have suggested a shikifuton mattress to replace the old mattress. This is the website I found with information on them: http://myjapanesebed.com/japanese-bed-health-benefits/ The main issue here is getting to try one (sit on it -- lay on it) before forking over a lot of money for one. We are located in Tampa, Florida, in case that helps with any suggestions you have.
The second item is a new refrigerator. The one we have now is about 18 years old and in my husband's point of view it makes more sense to replace it than to try to clean all the mold from it. Also, it really isn't an option to try to do with out a frig. While I might be up for that adventure (one I did try for a while when I lived by myself), my husband's place on the Wheaton Eco Scale says that a frig is an absolute necessity. In his view the allowable options are 1) to buy one from the local store and 2) to buy a Sunfrost. See them here: http://www.sunfrost.com/ Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I am feeling really very confused at the moment as to which direction to advocate for.
Well, that is where I am now.
Blessing to all the wonderful people here,
Myakka
I guess to be honest, I should admit that my husband and I are not really on the fast track to retirement, we are merely making some small changes at this point, and it is tough because he seems to really like spending his money.
I have been altering some of my behaviors and now spend much less time playing computer games and more knitting. Since shifting my behavior I have completed a full-sized blanket I began years ago, and a dress. That dress came out well-enough that I am now making several more. I have also recently bought a scythe from a really nice company in Maine that is destined to replace my lawn mower. As soon as I become comfortable with the scythe, I am planning to Freecycle the lawnmower. This will free up some space in the garage, increase my exercise level, and eliminate the fossil fuels used to keep up our lawn.
I have also been using ERE principles in the approaches I advocate for in the upkeep of our home. The ugly lanai that was falling apart was dealt with by putting a permanent roof over the walkway to the door, while the rest of the structure has been taken down. The small part that has been kept and made more permanent will be wonderful when sprinting to the door during one of our deluges in May/June. There will be a further step to avoid the area where the lanai was becoming a pool during this same time period. Some gutters are to be installed and then that water stored in some fashion and used to further my attempts to grow food here. The leading candidate for storage at the moment is a small pond/water feature. I am liking it at the moment because it will be prettier than the containers and also more durable with only a liner to patch if it gets damaged somehow or a pump to replace if that breaks someday.
But I am pretty stumped overall by my husband's new mania -- mold remediation. He is thinking that that will be the key to him regaining his health. So far it is meaning that we are in the process of getting rid of alot of things we really aren't wanting -- and that is overall good. But it is also meaning that we are talking about buying quite a number of new things.
I would really appreciate people's thoughts and suggestions on these new purchases (which I am about to list below). Maybe with some help we can at least make good decisions in our purchases.
The first item is a new mattress. We are really interested in getting the metal out of our bed. Last year some time we replaced the box springs with a platform bed. And now (with a small amount of research) have suggested a shikifuton mattress to replace the old mattress. This is the website I found with information on them: http://myjapanesebed.com/japanese-bed-health-benefits/ The main issue here is getting to try one (sit on it -- lay on it) before forking over a lot of money for one. We are located in Tampa, Florida, in case that helps with any suggestions you have.
The second item is a new refrigerator. The one we have now is about 18 years old and in my husband's point of view it makes more sense to replace it than to try to clean all the mold from it. Also, it really isn't an option to try to do with out a frig. While I might be up for that adventure (one I did try for a while when I lived by myself), my husband's place on the Wheaton Eco Scale says that a frig is an absolute necessity. In his view the allowable options are 1) to buy one from the local store and 2) to buy a Sunfrost. See them here: http://www.sunfrost.com/ Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I am feeling really very confused at the moment as to which direction to advocate for.
Well, that is where I am now.
Blessing to all the wonderful people here,
Myakka
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George the original one
- Posts: 5406
- Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:28 am
- Location: Wettest corner of Orygun
Mattresses are so individualistic that, apart from durability, I feel there is little others can offer in terms of advice.
Refrigerators... modern fridges are so much more energy efficient than older models that replacing an 18 year old fridge is a no-brainer. On the other hand, reliability is decreasing as price points become more important to the manufacturer. On the third hand, as you go larger with the fridge, the energy efficiency goes down. Due to space constraints at our retirement house, we went with a french door model with freezer drawer below the doors.
Sunfrost has a good reputation, but you have to decide if the cost/benefit measures up for you in your situation (cost/lifespan).
Refrigerators... modern fridges are so much more energy efficient than older models that replacing an 18 year old fridge is a no-brainer. On the other hand, reliability is decreasing as price points become more important to the manufacturer. On the third hand, as you go larger with the fridge, the energy efficiency goes down. Due to space constraints at our retirement house, we went with a french door model with freezer drawer below the doors.
Sunfrost has a good reputation, but you have to decide if the cost/benefit measures up for you in your situation (cost/lifespan).
Well, I did something entirely new for me and have crossed into a new realm of self-sufficiency.
When my clothes drying rack broke this time, I already new from last time that the new ones they are selling are crap. I knew I didn't want them. After some thought I decided to repair it -- with the initial thought that I would go down to Lowe's and get a dowel and carve the ends to shape. But after holding off on that trip I had an even better idea.
Right here on my property I have volunteer trees growing. So the plan became to harvest an appropriate branch and carve it into shape. My first attempt failed simply because I cut it too short -- the top rungs of the dryers are in fact shorter than the ones below. But the second one benefited from the experience of the first AND I managed to get the thing in because it was green wood and able to bend enough to manage that.
The finished result doesn't meet our culture's notion of beauty because the stick is only generally straight and not perfectly so.
At this moment it isn't even glued. (The correct procedure is to glue it to the outside leg of the collapsible stand, but not the inner one. This allows it to stay in the frame while also allowing it to fold up.) I am thinking that if it falls out at some point I will go to the trouble of using the wood glue I got.
That glue was the only thing I bought for the repair. I may also be wanting that glue for my new scythe -- which is my replacement for my lawn mower. Like my clothes drying rack it is dry fitted at the moment and I am thinking to try glueing it if it comes apart again.
When my clothes drying rack broke this time, I already new from last time that the new ones they are selling are crap. I knew I didn't want them. After some thought I decided to repair it -- with the initial thought that I would go down to Lowe's and get a dowel and carve the ends to shape. But after holding off on that trip I had an even better idea.
Right here on my property I have volunteer trees growing. So the plan became to harvest an appropriate branch and carve it into shape. My first attempt failed simply because I cut it too short -- the top rungs of the dryers are in fact shorter than the ones below. But the second one benefited from the experience of the first AND I managed to get the thing in because it was green wood and able to bend enough to manage that.
The finished result doesn't meet our culture's notion of beauty because the stick is only generally straight and not perfectly so.
At this moment it isn't even glued. (The correct procedure is to glue it to the outside leg of the collapsible stand, but not the inner one. This allows it to stay in the frame while also allowing it to fold up.) I am thinking that if it falls out at some point I will go to the trouble of using the wood glue I got.
That glue was the only thing I bought for the repair. I may also be wanting that glue for my new scythe -- which is my replacement for my lawn mower. Like my clothes drying rack it is dry fitted at the moment and I am thinking to try glueing it if it comes apart again.
But that clothes drying rack is now fully-functional -- with the repair items being things I had on hand/where obtainable via my personal effort rather than by money.
And I now have a bit of interest in an obscure old practice called "stick carpentry". As I recall the grandfather in the Education of Little Tree made his furniture that way. That story is fictional, but that idea is really doable -- I just stuck a tiny toe into that.
To practice woodworking from branches of trees is alot more sustainable than woodworking that cuts down the whole tree. That same tree I cut back to get my raw material is still alive and well and in time it will grow more branches.
The tree I used is a Florida Holly -- the original Hollywood is just north of Miami. And I know from having cut back this same tree before that it is quite a hard wood. And from carving those two branches I know that it is only the center of them that is hardwood --but that is more than the original wood in the clothes drying racks is. My repair wood is better and stronger than the original. The only questions remaining is how the repair responds to the gradual curing of the green wood.
And I now have a bit of interest in an obscure old practice called "stick carpentry". As I recall the grandfather in the Education of Little Tree made his furniture that way. That story is fictional, but that idea is really doable -- I just stuck a tiny toe into that.
To practice woodworking from branches of trees is alot more sustainable than woodworking that cuts down the whole tree. That same tree I cut back to get my raw material is still alive and well and in time it will grow more branches.
The tree I used is a Florida Holly -- the original Hollywood is just north of Miami. And I know from having cut back this same tree before that it is quite a hard wood. And from carving those two branches I know that it is only the center of them that is hardwood --but that is more than the original wood in the clothes drying racks is. My repair wood is better and stronger than the original. The only questions remaining is how the repair responds to the gradual curing of the green wood.
Re: Myakka's Journal
So, the mold remediation is well under way. AND the demolition phase where the moldy stuff was torn out is nearly complete. The last time I saw my home (we are living elsewhere while this is going on), there was a lot of dry wall that needed replacing, so undoubtedly that will be an early step in the process of putting things back together again.
We have bought (but not taken delivery of) a new refrigerator. The one we got looked sturdy enough, but was generally a lower priced model.
We junked a couch and loveseat that were really pretty shabby and have bought (but not taken delivery of) two futons to replace them. Because the futons are on legs it will be easier to sweep under them. They also turn into beds really easily, so on the occasions when we have company they will be available.
It is disappointing to look around Lowes and Home Depot for a replacement for a bathroom vanity. Nearly everything is made out of the wood that has been turned into sawdust and then glued together. And the one or two exceptions do not fit our space and our needs. I'd like a simple one made of hardwood (of the right dimensions) and just painted white. But that isn't an option that is available. I feel like a rat in a maze being steered by the invisible hand that has predetermined the options for me.
We are in the process of selecting no VOC paint from Sherwin-Williams. I guess that reduces the toxicity of the stuff we get to smear on our walls. Nonetheless all paint gets disposed of in the hazardous waste category at our local dump -- and having stuff on our walls that turns into a hazardous waste as soon as we junk it doesn't feel good at all. (But the alternatives have glues in them and glues are really really nasty.)
We are thinking of an organic futon mattress for the bedroom -- we have kept the part of the bed on which it would go, and will not be replacing that.
As I am scratching my head in frustration the only alternative I can think of to Lowes and Home Depot is Habitat for Humanity. If we were to buy from them, we might get better stuff (because older stuff was better made) for a lesser amount AND be giving our money to an organization that is helping people. However, my husband is dubious about used items also having mold issues associated with them.
Lots of houses in the United States have mold issues and mostly people are unaware of them -- even when that is making them sick. So any second hand item that has been exposed to such an environment will have some of the mold spores on its surface.
We have bought (but not taken delivery of) a new refrigerator. The one we got looked sturdy enough, but was generally a lower priced model.
We junked a couch and loveseat that were really pretty shabby and have bought (but not taken delivery of) two futons to replace them. Because the futons are on legs it will be easier to sweep under them. They also turn into beds really easily, so on the occasions when we have company they will be available.
It is disappointing to look around Lowes and Home Depot for a replacement for a bathroom vanity. Nearly everything is made out of the wood that has been turned into sawdust and then glued together. And the one or two exceptions do not fit our space and our needs. I'd like a simple one made of hardwood (of the right dimensions) and just painted white. But that isn't an option that is available. I feel like a rat in a maze being steered by the invisible hand that has predetermined the options for me.
We are in the process of selecting no VOC paint from Sherwin-Williams. I guess that reduces the toxicity of the stuff we get to smear on our walls. Nonetheless all paint gets disposed of in the hazardous waste category at our local dump -- and having stuff on our walls that turns into a hazardous waste as soon as we junk it doesn't feel good at all. (But the alternatives have glues in them and glues are really really nasty.)
We are thinking of an organic futon mattress for the bedroom -- we have kept the part of the bed on which it would go, and will not be replacing that.
As I am scratching my head in frustration the only alternative I can think of to Lowes and Home Depot is Habitat for Humanity. If we were to buy from them, we might get better stuff (because older stuff was better made) for a lesser amount AND be giving our money to an organization that is helping people. However, my husband is dubious about used items also having mold issues associated with them.
Lots of houses in the United States have mold issues and mostly people are unaware of them -- even when that is making them sick. So any second hand item that has been exposed to such an environment will have some of the mold spores on its surface.
Re: Myakka's Journal
Overall our strategy is nevertheless ERE.
1) We are only buying things we really need to. We are thinking we maybe will need another dresser or two, and my husband has agreed to the approach of putting of that decision for now. It may be that we will decide we can get by without it.
2) We are trying to buy quality. So when we chose our new refrigerator, we didn't do the super-cheap one, which looked really junky. Keeping our desires low, we went up the bottom of line until we found one that looked reasonably well made. (We also didn't get an ice maker and chose white as the color.)
Somethings it is really hard to know how to buy quality though -- like with the bathroom vanity I mentioned in my previous post.
1) We are only buying things we really need to. We are thinking we maybe will need another dresser or two, and my husband has agreed to the approach of putting of that decision for now. It may be that we will decide we can get by without it.
2) We are trying to buy quality. So when we chose our new refrigerator, we didn't do the super-cheap one, which looked really junky. Keeping our desires low, we went up the bottom of line until we found one that looked reasonably well made. (We also didn't get an ice maker and chose white as the color.)
Somethings it is really hard to know how to buy quality though -- like with the bathroom vanity I mentioned in my previous post.
Re: Myakka's Journal
But here is some good news.
All the weeding through of unwanted stuff we did even before my husband decided this project was necessary for his health has meant we had an easier time moving out while the work is being done.
We have managed fit our stuff in the garage, a small rented storage space, and this extended stay hotel we are living at for now. This is decreasing the cost and the effort associated with it. (Or at least the effort expended all at the crunch time.)
All the weeding through of unwanted stuff we did even before my husband decided this project was necessary for his health has meant we had an easier time moving out while the work is being done.
We have managed fit our stuff in the garage, a small rented storage space, and this extended stay hotel we are living at for now. This is decreasing the cost and the effort associated with it. (Or at least the effort expended all at the crunch time.)
Re: Myakka's Journal
Well, if we aren't on the fast track to retirement, we are at least on a slow track to paying off our outstanding loans. We have completely paid off one of them since I last journalled here.
Two new ideas I have implemented since I last wrote are my improvised Japanese-style computer desk and simple nightlights.
My desk is a table leaf from our kitchen table (that never gets used) supported on 1.5 cinder blocks on each side to make it the right height for me. There is only a small cushion between me and the floor -- which means everytime I stand up I add a bit to the physical strength of my legs and my endurance. (It is significantly more exercise to get up from the floor than from a chair.)
The nightlights are some simple ones with a switch. They use a very small amount of electricity and work well for doing things like pouring myself a glass of water at night or brushing my teeth at night. I do not keep them on all the time -- just for brief moments when I am really needing a bit of light.
Two new ideas I have implemented since I last wrote are my improvised Japanese-style computer desk and simple nightlights.
My desk is a table leaf from our kitchen table (that never gets used) supported on 1.5 cinder blocks on each side to make it the right height for me. There is only a small cushion between me and the floor -- which means everytime I stand up I add a bit to the physical strength of my legs and my endurance. (It is significantly more exercise to get up from the floor than from a chair.)
The nightlights are some simple ones with a switch. They use a very small amount of electricity and work well for doing things like pouring myself a glass of water at night or brushing my teeth at night. I do not keep them on all the time -- just for brief moments when I am really needing a bit of light.
Re: Myakka's Journal
Another innovation is that we now have a bunny for our pet. She eats weeds from our yard and gives me poop for my garden as well as being a bit of company for me. She is not exclusively on weeds at this point because she is my first bunny and I am letting myself slowly grow into being comfortable that she getting what she needs.
She is the reason I go out every morning and cut some of the many weeds that are growing in our yard now. Bit by bit the yard is becoming less overgrown with them. Bit by bit I am adding fertility to the plants I am hoping to have more of.
Bit by bit I am learning to bunny-proof my home too. She likes to bite through phone wires and my mouse cord. My main strategy is to keep them out of her line of sight by covering them and taping them to my desk. I am now working on keep her from digging into the bottom of our new futons (they are our couches in the living room). At the moment what I have done is soak some sheets of computer paper with vinegar and place them as a protective barrier along the areas she has shown an inclination to dig at. I do not know if it will work, but the hope is that if she does bite into the paper, she will find the taste yucky and stop.
She is the reason I go out every morning and cut some of the many weeds that are growing in our yard now. Bit by bit the yard is becoming less overgrown with them. Bit by bit I am adding fertility to the plants I am hoping to have more of.
Bit by bit I am learning to bunny-proof my home too. She likes to bite through phone wires and my mouse cord. My main strategy is to keep them out of her line of sight by covering them and taping them to my desk. I am now working on keep her from digging into the bottom of our new futons (they are our couches in the living room). At the moment what I have done is soak some sheets of computer paper with vinegar and place them as a protective barrier along the areas she has shown an inclination to dig at. I do not know if it will work, but the hope is that if she does bite into the paper, she will find the taste yucky and stop.
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EdithKeeler
- Posts: 1099
- Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2013 7:55 pm
Re: Myakka's Journal
I enjoy your journal and the glimpses into your interesting life. Keep posting.
Re: Myakka's Journal
I'm glad you found it interesting.
I'm enjoying the Star Trek reference in your blog name. City on the Edge of Forever is probably the best episode ever, even though I've heard Harlan Ellison complain about it at a convention.
I'm enjoying the Star Trek reference in your blog name. City on the Edge of Forever is probably the best episode ever, even though I've heard Harlan Ellison complain about it at a convention.
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Gilberto de Piento
- Posts: 1950
- Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 10:23 pm
Re: Myakka's Journal
Congratulations on paying off the loan! Getting out of debt is awesome!Well, if we aren't on the fast track to retirement, we are at least on a slow track to paying off our outstanding loans. We have completely paid off one of them since I last journalled here.