Have you ever figured out your daily cost of living?
Food & Household: $30.00/day
Rent: $27.50/day
Electric: $1.13/day
Natural Gas: $3.40/day
Water: $0.90/day
Car: $8.00/day
Phone/Internet: $2.50/day
______________________
Total………………$72.53/day
And then remember that half the world lives on $2 or less a day
One of the blogs I follow avidly is Think Christian. A recent article by a guest blogger who incidentally is living in an intentional Christian community in Amsterdam’s red-light district, got me thinking.
The article is titled, ‘Can living simply become its own sort of idolatry?’. The author grew up in what Western society would call ‘poverty’. It is the same level of living I grew up in and in many ways when done intentionally, as opposed to out of necessity, it can be very freeing. The author talks about the traveling they were able to do and the way in which the low cost used goods they acquired over the years seemed ‘borrowed’ rather than owned. It is a feeling I can relate with and which I feel towards everything I own apart from my ‘data’. There’s a sense in which all that we own is truly only borrowed, and over the course of time we trade/barter/sell them in exchange for other items of value. In time we give them all up whether voluntarily or involuntarily as we cross the threshold of death and pass through the gates of eternity.
Anyway, the main point of the article was not so much these musings, but rather the idea that simple living in and of itself can become a form of idolatry. Anything that takes the place of God as our basis for identity and raison d’etre (to borrow from the French), is an idol.
I hadn’t considered this possibility and thoughtfully examined my heart. Jesus and his disciples lived simple lives, yet that was far from their life focus. And as a Christian and a follower of the teachings of Jesus, I want to live simply, yet allow my life focus to be passionate for Christ, not idolizing or idealizing a lifestyle.
The article closes with these words:
Furthermore, a love of cheap can get in the way of understanding and living out the extravagance of God. Being too cheap means that I can spoil the joy of others by not going out or in denying giving to others. Certainly God wants us to use the resources He gives us wisely, but that shouldn’t come at the cost of honoring others and delighting in the good gifts He has given us.
I guess that’s where ‘living well simply’ comes in. Rejoice in the extravagance and goodness and blessings God sends our way, but be wise stewards of the resources he has entrusted to us. Our stuff, and yes even our very lives are loaned to us. They all have an expiration date. Live simple live well and by all means do LIVE passionately for God!
Recently, I was observing how popular the white iPhone 4S was among my wife’s female friends. I always keep an eye out for emerging markets and opportunities, so I started thinking. My cell phone contract of which I pay a percentage (family plan split five ways) was eligible for an upgrade. I looked at AT&T’s price point for the white 4S. There was no difference in price for white or black. Either color’s base model sold for $199.
“Aha, a missed opportunity by AT&T/Apple, but not by me”, I thought.
Bringing up eBay I quickly searched for current white iPhone listings that were about to finish their auction time. Last second bids were spiking these coveted items well above the $500 price point.
So, I got on the phone, ordered the in-demand electronic marvel and waited. A few days later, the box came. Unwrapping it, I quickly jail-broke the phone (to add potential for a few more dollars at auction) and promptly listed it on eBay.
24 hours later, I’d made $300 after all my shipping, eBay fees and initial purchase price+shipping were all taken care of. No, I don’t have the bragging rights of having the latest white hot Apple item in my pocket. Instead, I’m $300 richer, thanks to other folks’ desire to have the latest in tech at any cost.
No matter how you slice it, we live in a world of consumerism, waste and foolish PLM or ‘Product Lifecycle Management’. Back in 2007, Annie Leonard and her friends at Free Range Studios decided to do something about this and create awareness for those of us blind to our own choices and actions. They created a short film called ‘The Story of Stuff‘ which you can watch below. It is just over 20 minutes long and well worth viewing. After you watch it, feel free to continue down the page to read my further thoughts.
If the movie portrays it right, we are on a tread-mill of sorts converting natural resources into ‘stuff’ which we consume, toss and acquire more of. And, since our economy depends on the production of more stuff, exponentially, we keep doing this faster and faster, essentially nuking our planet until…? Apocalyptic visions aside, we do consume a lot and many of us essentially burn what the writer of the Book of James calls, “a vapor”of time here on earth on this vicious cycle. Are we ‘getting ahead’? Or just killing time and resources needlessly?
Perhaps it IS impossible to remove ourselves entirely from this cycle of consumption. But, here are a few ways we can slow down the cycle and perhaps elimante a few cogs from the gears:
What have you done to avoid the consumer-driven cycle of ‘Stuff’?
Back before the 99 percent were squatting on the streets of our cities, or before most people even were aware of the term ‘one percent’, I watched a film by one of the heirs to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company. His name is is Jamie Johnson, and he created a film, which you can watch in its entirety below, called The One Percent. In this film, Jamie sometimes secretly and sometimes not so secretly, films other wealthy young people as they go about their lives. This voyeuristic glimpse into the lives of the one percent, amplifies the growing wealth gap between the two ‘classes’ of Americans (according to the film).
I found my personal response to be one of pity more than envy as I watched young people with more money than I’ll see in a lifetime wander aimlessly among frivolous pursuits with no aim or goal in mind. The value of hard work and enterprise seems to have escaped them. They are living on the toils of past generations and have nothing greater than themselves to live for.
At the same time, I thought about my position in the ‘one percent’ of the world. Yes, that ‘wealthy’ group of individuals making more than roughly $30,000 a year constitutes a mere one percent of the planet’s people. How am I going to live my life in such a way that the 99% doesn’t look at me with resentment as I and my country, the US of A hog all the resources of the world for ourselves? Food for thought.
Here’s the film’s trailer:
And if you have time, here is the 89 minute film in its entirety:
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One of the main reasons this county of only around 600,000 people is known around the world, is due to the fact that it is home to the largest population of Amish folks on the planet. It’s not hard to spot them traveling the rural lanes and byways in their gray horse-drawn buggies or cruising along on their unique scooters complete with full size bicycle rims and tires.
In many ways they hark to a bygone era. A period when time itself passed slower and life coalesced around the home, the church and the local community rather than some quasi-social attempt at community found in our ‘Google circles’ or ‘Facebook friends’. Thousands of visitors each summer come to gawk in curiosity, interest and bemusement at people who have seemingly resurrected the past, yet are completely inauspicious about it all. They simply go about their day-to-day activities as they always have; each activity meticulously choreographed and practiced according to a unique mix of scripture, tradition and the strict guidance of religious authorities.
Many books have been written about the specifics of Amish life. Today though, rather than 
dwell on all the details of Amish life, I’d like to mention some of the habits of the Amish that I have found to be applicable to all our lives, regardless of how ‘plain’ we fancy ourselves to be (pun intended). As someone once said, “Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” With this truth in mind, I always seek to glean from any group of people I encounter useful habits that will in turn better my character and ensure a successful destiny.
1. Every Move Counts – Have you ever watched an Amish construction crew build a house? On my drive to work one day, I glanced to the right and saw a new house being built. Taking a second glance, I saw the signature hats all the men were wearing and being new to the county, I stopped to watch out of curiosity. The incredible efficiency with which every craftsmen was ‘snapping together’ this home was simply inspiring. Not a single move was made that didn’t accomplish some task. No one loitered or stood off to one side of the building-site smoking a cigarette or lethargically performing their tasks while zoning out to music blaring over the radio. Incidentally, the Amish don’t have radios. Instead, each man gave his full attention to the work at hand, communicating with his fellow workmen and eliminating wasted time, material and motion at every turn. Three days later, the house looked entirely built while all that remained to be completed was the interior finish and the outdoor landscaping.
2. No Trends or Fashion – The aesthetic part of me enjoys design trends in print, media and technology as well as some of the more classic and less ‘time-stamped’ clothing fashions. However, think about how many resources we in Western society waste on having the latest trendy technology or sporting the latest styles the clothing industry informs us we simply must have to be of any self-worth? The Amish eschew all of this, using the same tried and tested technology and wearing the same simple home-spun clothes worn by previous generations.
3. Understanding Value – On the heels of the previous paragraph, I’d like to include the fact that the Amish know and understand value. Just a few minutes spent watching them bid on a horse at a local auction will convince you of this fact. Another example would be the Amish construction worker who likely won’t buy a cheap hammer at Walmart. No, he’ll spend up to $100 for one at the local hardware store. Why? Because the $100 hammer will add much more value to the work he does and probably last him his entire lifetime.
4. Plan long, build quickly – If you’ve ever watched an Amish-man deliberate on a decision he is making for what can seem an eternity, you’ll know exactly what I’m referring to here. The farther from the norm or the routine this decision is, the longer he will thoughtfully consider his choices. But, once his mind is made up, the plan is implemented with lightning speed, accuracy and efficiency. What other community of people do you know of that can build a full-size barn in one day? And what other group of people has a business startup success rate of 95 percent?
5. Community – We all need it. A sense of identity. A place to belong. People who love us and who we love in return. A place where character is built where multiple generations co-exist and learn from each other without a separating chasm of knowledge, belief or values. The Amish community fills each of these inner cravings in such a way that over 98% of Amish youth return to the community for life even after a time of experimentation known as ‘rusmpringa’. To be fair to the critics, I will mention that if you leave the Amish community after having committed your life and soul, everything as you know it will change drastically. The community will ‘shun’ you into the cold of the ‘outside world’ eliminating all of the social contact with family and friends that each member has grown to find comfort and familiarity in.
6. Perpetuity – From generation to generation for over 300 years, the Amish have maintained their way of life with only small variations here and there to adjust for ‘appropriate technical advances’ which don’t threaten their core values. What companies or organizations or families do you know who have this length of legacy and who are as essentially unaltered from the way they were so many years ago? Do you know who your forebears were, even as recent as two hundred years ago? I have always been drawn to the way in which the Amish are able to perpetuate their unique lifestyle in almost identical form from grandfather to father to son.
7. Honesty and Integrity – While rumors of Amish youth in their ‘running around’ years abound, the Amish are well known for their square dealing and simple reliability in business. This reputation has been used as a marketing method by non-Amish companies who sell ‘Amish quality furniture’ or ‘Amish style baked goods’ since the name is synonymous in our minds with a wholesome and quality product.
8. Forgiveness – In a list of Amish qualities, I would be remiss to not mention this one. A few years ago, the world stood aghast in horror as they heard of the atrocity committed only a few miles away from where I sit typing this blog post. A lone gunman entered a one-room Amish school and snuffed out the lives of innocent school children before turning the gun on himself. The act in itself stunned everyone who heard. But, the response of forgiveness from the girls’ families stood in stark contrast to the usual request for revenge from a victim’s close relatives. The media analysed the response for months afterward, perhaps even looking for cracks in such a signature act of loving forgiveness.
9. Personal Responsibility and Mutual Assistance – There is no such thing as an Amish welfare recipient. Each one does what he or she can to contribute to the common good of their large multi-generational families and beyond that to the Amish community at large. Social Security is not an option. As a matter of fact, the Amish are exempt from Social Security. Instead, each member knows that in the event of a major life emergency, the community will muster all their combined resources if need be, to alleviate the suffering of that one member who’s house burned down or who’s medical bills have pushed them to the edge of bankruptcy.
10. Build Strong Relationships – I saved the best for the last. The strong bond of relationship among families who spend many of their waking hours together in meaningful work and play is incredibly powerful. Home businesses and family farms ensure that many Amish families build their lives on loving family bonds. Yes, there are anomalies. And, no, not all Amish families have as picture perfect an existence as the popular Amish romance books would like to portray. But, the Amish know the strength and value of relationship which extends from the family to the community and even into the world of business and the outside “Englishers” with whom they are more than happy to do business with though refraining from our way of living.
Has your life been impacted by this group of people? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
In my travels through the interweb (not a word according to my spell check), I came across this video of a complete house owned by Logan & Tammy. It totals 130 Square feet. And just when I thought my 800+ square foot home was on the small side. 🙂
This post is very geographic specific, so my apologies to all you readers who don’t happen to live near Lancaster, PA. However, some of the ideas mentioned here apply regardless of where you find yourself looking to save cash on groceries. So keep reading; you never know what you might discover 🙂
1. Shop in Season – Buying fresh berries in January or corn-on-the-cob in February is generally a bad idea. You can save a bundle by purchasing food items (especially fruits and vegetables) that are in-season and freeze or can them for eating throughout the year.
2. Costco – Your mileage may vary with buying groceries at Costco. Everything is sold in massive proportions. Be careful that you don’t buy more perishable food than you can use, since spoiled food doesn’t save you anything regardless of what you paid for it. Here’s a mini-list of items we get at Costco:
3. Discount Grocery Outlets – They exist in almost every community in America and Lancaster is no exception. There’s definitely a learning curve to figure out what you can get for a deal and what’s better left on the shelf. Remember to bring your own shopping bags since those aren’t part of the bargain here. Amelia’s, Sharp Shopper and ALDI are all vying for your business. Here’s what we’ve found perusing some of these stores:
4. Knee High – When I shop at a grocery store, I basically ignore the carefully stacked displays at the ends of the aisles. Why? Because they usually are overpriced items that the manager is trying to sell off. Instead, I keep my eyes on the knee-level shelves where the best deals can be found. Especially with canned goods, the lower shelves hold the lower priced items that don’t make as big of a profit for the store. Eye level items fly off the shelf quicker, so big profit products are placed there.
5. Farmer’s Markets – Lancaster has some excellent farmer’s markets. The Central Market in downtown Lancaster is the oldest Farmer’s Market in America. Since the 1730’s local farmers have been hauling their products to this building in downtown Lancaster. It’s quite the place. A few other options include the Eastern Market, Bird-in-Hand Farmer’s Market, Green Dragon, and Kauffman’s Fruit Farm (where you’ll find the best Apple Cider in the world).
6. Road-Side Farm Stands – This is Amish country and come summer, you can’t drive more than a few miles before you come across a little plywood shack sheltering some incredible deals on fresh produce and top-notch baked goods. The link below will take you to a map of these stands here in Lancaster County. Know of one that’s not on the map? Add the name and address in the comments at the bottom of this article and we’ll add it to the map.
7. Coupon Cutting – Several local grocery stores send out fliers with coupons. These can be time consuming to ‘clip’, but I’ve found a few deals this way. Weis Markets, Shady Maple and Giant are a few that send out cash saving coupons to local homes.
8. Use a Price List – This one might be a little extreme, but when you buy groceries, create a spreadsheet of the items you purchase regularly. Three columns is all you need: Item name, ‘Sold By’ units, and Price. This way you can find the best deals around. I tend to keep a ‘mental price list’ of items we purchase regularly, but this is a more precise method.
9. Avoid ‘One Item Trips’ – We needed milk the other day, but nothing else. So, rather than jump in the car and drive 3 miles to the grocery store, I walked to the corner store and bought some. Yes, it was 50 cents higher than the grocery store, but driving 6 miles round trip would have cost well over a dollar in fuel and I got some much needed exercise at the same time. An even better idea is to plan ahead, shop with a list and try not to forget that ‘one necessity’ that didn’t make it to the list. 🙂
10. The Freezer is your Friend – It’s amazing what all you can freeze. Everything from milk, to meat to eggs can be frozen for future consumption. So go ahead and stock up when your favorite foods are on sale. Just make sure you’ve got a big enough freezer and you rotate the freezer items. Oh, and keep the freezer well stocked. The savings will show up on your electric bill since it takes more energy to keep several cubic feet of air frozen than a side of beef or a stash of frozen vegetables.
So, what frugal shopping habits have you developed? Feel free to share any tips you use when grocery shopping, in the comments below.
Google has extended their offer of free calling anywhere in the US for the rest of this year. I was greeted today by this popup in my Gmail in-box.
The market for net zero energy buildings here in the US is predicted to be worth 690 billion dollars within 8 years. My current home energy costs run about $100 / month, but for some folks, energy consumption in their home is a sizable slice of their budget. Imagine a home that has a net energy use of zero? It would still be connected to the power grid. But, using solar panels and geothermal heating and cooling, would purchase energy when needed from the power company and sell it back when the solar panels or wind turbines produced more than the home could use at that time.
Here’s a video of how two companies teamed up to build the first net zero home in Michigan of all places, where the mercury drops pretty low in winter.