I seem to have gotten away from my ‘Simplicity’ theme the last couple of days … I guess because life just became too complex - Ha!! But if you had clicked through to the link to my latest MaryJane’s Farm blog (where I write as the Mountain Farmgirl), it was all about getting back to a simpler lifestyle. As I mentioned in that post, while these musings may have been precipitated by the arrival of Jay Shafer’s Tiny Tumbleweed House here at The Lodge, they very quickly became seriously life altering. After writing that post I became personally convicted that it needed to be much more than a few verbal ramblings whose heart was in the right place … it needed to be a very committed simplicity walk. And so, on August 8, 2010, the Year of Living Frugally (and Simply) was born.
Dana and I constantly talk about scaling back, putting ourselves on a budget and living a simple life. For the most part we do pretty well, but there is always some temptation to which we succumb, and we are pretty good at rationalizing our purchases. On August 8th, however, I had an epiphany, and I knew that I was being called to put my conviction to the test.
‘The Year of Living Frugally’ is my current personal experiment for taking the concept of ‘simplicity’ at face value and putting it into practice on a daily basis. I have decided to live a whole year without buying any non-necessity. I will either use what I have, make what I need, barter, buy essentials used or second hand, and as the saying goes, either ‘make do or do without’. When our children were young, I got very sick, my husband lost his job, and we had some pretty lean times. I know what it is like to struggle, and I also know how to live simply with such style that it doesn’t seem like any hardship. (Our kids never knew we were ‘poor’ during those years). I know that many folks these days are in a pretty tight place, and I would like to show 1) that living simply and frugally can be done – and done well; 2) I’d like to show how to do it; and 3) I’d like to be an encouragement to others who may be considering a very simple lifestyle either by choice or by necessity.
The day I made this decision, I knew that it had to start right then and there. No waiting until the first of next month, no waiting until 2012 to start with a clean slate. I did not want to suffer the temptation of ordering or buying things before I officially ‘started’, because what is right to do, it done best right now! And so, it has started …
Dana and I constantly talk about scaling back, putting ourselves on a budget and living a simple life. For the most part we do pretty well, but there is always some temptation to which we succumb, and we are pretty good at rationalizing our purchases. On August 8th, however, I had an epiphany, and I knew that I was being called to put my conviction to the test.
‘The Year of Living Frugally’ is my current personal experiment for taking the concept of ‘simplicity’ at face value and putting it into practice on a daily basis. I have decided to live a whole year without buying any non-necessity. I will either use what I have, make what I need, barter, buy essentials used or second hand, and as the saying goes, either ‘make do or do without’. When our children were young, I got very sick, my husband lost his job, and we had some pretty lean times. I know what it is like to struggle, and I also know how to live simply with such style that it doesn’t seem like any hardship. (Our kids never knew we were ‘poor’ during those years). I know that many folks these days are in a pretty tight place, and I would like to show 1) that living simply and frugally can be done – and done well; 2) I’d like to show how to do it; and 3) I’d like to be an encouragement to others who may be considering a very simple lifestyle either by choice or by necessity. 
Hi Cathi...what a great idea. I've heard of other people doing that. I haven't been to your blog in awhile because I just started back at work for the holiday season...already!!! I've thought about doing this, because inspite of working, it's still very lean times for myself and my dad...and I've seriously contemplated this challenge!!! I don't think I could give up purchasing yarn...but maybe I could purchase some as long as it served a practical use!!!...ie/dishcloths or something like that. Thanks for starting this series. I'll look forwrard to reading more and this is a great encouragement to me already. I've started living simply in many areas out of necessity....but I remember my grandparents who lived through the Great Depression and how they made it. If they can do it, so can I :) :) Have a lovely weekend. Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather :)
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