Don't worry. Last time I checked, my choices were all legal.
Trouble is, too many people would not follow them because my lifestyle to them screams deprivation, inconvenience, oversimplification, madness or just flat out . . . boredom.
Who out there can say that their electric bill for last month, a summer month - July, was only $2.19? No, not $219. Two dollars and nineteen cents. I thought the bill was a misprint. Well we did qualify for a small Energy Assistance grant but before that our electric bill averaged $20 a month. Not bad at all. My husband lost his job (he's employed now) and we have four kids so we couldn't even manage the bill once it got behind so we got assistance.
My husband says that I should have seen the look on the clerk's face at the PayCenter when she looked at our electric bill.
"Uhhhhh . . . is this for one month?"
"Yep," my husband replied proudly.
"Well, do you want to pay extra to expedite the payment or do you want to pay the regular rate? If you pay the regular rate, your payment won't be posted to your account for a few days."
"The regular rate is fine,"my husband replied. "I don't want to give them a dollar more than I have to."
The clerk just stared at him before taking his $3.
Now the bill won't be that low this month because we just bought an Energy-Star rated dehumidifier and air-conditioner. But we don't leave it on all day and we only turn it on if the temperature outside is over 80 degrees. Otherwise we keep our shades drawn, lights off in rooms we are not using and we use a fan and drink fluids to keep cool. Plus, we live in a small space. We own one fan, one computer and one TV.
We don't use the TV as a source of ambient sound and permanent moving art. You know those homes. The TV is always on whether anyone's watching the set or not. Sometimes more than one set. And the electric bill says so, too.
I don't know about you but I wasn't put on this earth to make utility companies rich or to waste energy.
Another weird thing we don't have: no landlines.
Don't need them because my hubby and I both have cells with built in long distance, no extra long-distance carrier to pay.
We also don't have - gasp! - cable. "Well, I gotta have my cable," you say. "What about True Blood, Flashback, music videos, Keeping up With the Kar - whoever they are and sports?" If you are reading this blog, chances are you have internet access. Internet access also means that you can view most of what's offered through cable on Hulu, YouTube, Megavideo and Netflix. Hulu and YouTube are free. Netflix is cheaper than Comcast's Triple Deal and Megavideo allows you to watch all kinds of films for only $11.99 for three months! Then there's the good old-fasioned library. Does anyone read anything other than teen vampire books and boy wizard books anymore? And if you want a flick, you can borrow it from the library for free.
So, we pay an internet bill. No cable. A few times we have been a little late on the internet bill and that's when I'm really glad that we didn't bite off more than we can chew, swallow and digest. Why would I request Comcast phone and TV on top of a bill that I sometimes struggle to pay? But people do it all the time.
Living in a small space that is within our budget helps too. How many people are struggling to pay their mortgage or rent because they bought too much house or rented too much space? Six-bedroom palatial homes with a den, pool, attic and basement comes to mind. Studies show that most people are uncomfortable in large spaces and end up congregating in the same rooms all the time. For instance, only three of the bedrooms are actually used and there's little to nothing in the attic.
"We use the fifth and sixth bedroom as a guest room," you say defensively.
Uh-huh.
First of all, most people don't have overnight guests over often enough to warrant paying for the extra square feet. And they extra room is not inanimate. One has to decorate, clean, heat and cool this guest room. Secondly, wouldn't it be cheaper to just purchase a sofabed for your overnighters?
"But I can afford where I live," you say. "I make good money."
Do you now? Do you have three to six months' of expenses saved in case you get laid off, get fired or become disabled? Are you funding your retirement plan? According to what I've read, America is still a nation of undersavers. Americans personal savings fell to -o.5% last year. If you don't have savings, you're flying without a parachute.
And you can't work until you die. I've heard that one, too. Your body will rebel. Trust me on this one.
Now, I don't have three months' worth of expenses saved but I'm working on it. That's what this blog is about. I don't have all the answers. This is a journey for me as it may be for you. But why is it that I feel I'm one of few I know making frugal choices? Do we all have to be overconsumptive? Is that a word?
How many of us have three-bedroom apartments and only use one or two bedrooms? The other rooms are empty or are being used for storage. Come on, 'fess up. I've done it too.
I actually remember to take coupons to the grocery store, we buy store brands and we don't balk at leftovers.
We don't go to the hair salon or barber shop for haircuts, color and style. Now this isn't for everyone. Some people do their own hair and they look like they've done their own hair, if you know what I mean. For those of you who are not stylists, I suggest going to a cosmetology school and having a student do your hair. Much cheaper than going to a salon. And here's a little-known fact. A recent study showed that men don't care if you wear your hair in the same hairstyle most of the time. Something to think about.
My hubby and I happen to be good with our hands so he has successfully managed to give my son haircuts and color his own hair. I do my three girls' hair myself and my own hair myself.
I don't get my nails done. And guess what? No one has ever said to me: "I can't believe you don't have a manicure!" Your nails scream for paint and glitter designs. For crying out loud, Oprah Winfrey is a billionaire and she doesn't have her nails done. I buff my nails and file them and they look fine.
Pedicures! I paint my toenails or buff them. Cheaper than going to the salon.
"But I deserve it. I have to treat myself," you say. Treat yourself to this: if you make some lifestyle changes, one day you will read your savings account statement and see that it says you have $10,000 saved, $20,000, $50,000 - need I go on? Now what would you rather have? Twenty-thousand saved or a pedicure and cable?
In terms of clothing, I now buy quality as opposed to chasing sales. I recently stopped buying my clothes at discount department stores. It's not worth it. Too many of the clothes are poorly cut, they pill, they discolor in the wash, and a sweater I bought from them got a hole in the stomach after only three months of wear.
I primarily buy natural materials now: cotton, wool, silk, cashmere - off-season, of course. The clothes look better, feel better and last longer. The quality clothes keep me from having to use clearance racks at that "fine" department store on double-coupon day as a revolving door every time something else rips. Read the tags of the merchandise and look at the stitching before you buy from the "sale" section at a "fine" department store - not everything is high-end. I bought an acrylic sweater from one of them last winter and the sweater came apart at the seam on one side after only three wears. Three wears! And of course I had already discarded my receipt. Money down the toilet. But I will post a seperate article on clothes for the near future because that's a topic that deserves a separate discussion.
I shop at thrift stores and consignments shops. Right now I am typing on a desk I got at thrift store for $30 and I'm sitting in a chair that costs $20, also from the thrift store. I'm looking at my cat sleeping on a Queen Anne chair I got for $20. All traditional in design, so I don't have to worry about chasing trends.
Again, I will be doing a separate article on thrift stores and consignment shops.
If you want to share your experiences on being Unremarkably Remarkable, share your comments.
Much happiness and success on your journey to living plain and simple.
