-Get the book, Your Money or Your Life. Read it, and you have made the best possible start on your way to a simpler, more satisfying life.
-Make this old New England proverb your motto: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." As a wartime slogan, it helped Americans win World War II.
-Try consuming or using half as much of as many things as you can. Start with shampoo, detergent and toothpaste, then get creative and see how many others you can come up with. Half as much is sometimes twice as good (eating, for example), and always twice as thrifty.
-Things you never need to buy again: freezer bags (use the plastic bags inside cereal boxes), things you can get for free or free alternatives, such as matches, paper towels, calendars, note paper, drawing paper for the kids, padded envelopes, bottled water...think of others, and put them on your list of "never-buy-agains."
-Sell your TV and use the time you free up (49 hours a week for the average American!) for frugal endeavors.
-Move somewhere with a lower cost of living. The highest and lowest-cost areas vary by 95%, but salaries for most jobs rarely fluctuate more than 25%. Example: moving from Los Angeles to Atlanta would result in a 50% drop in the cost of living with about 13% drop in earnings.
-Barter for goods and services. See if there is an organized system for this in your area.
-If you haven't already got them, consider not having your own children. Not reproducing is the best way to dramatically reduce your consumption, expenses and personal impact on the planet's resources.
-Complete all nine steps from Your Money or Your Life. Do them all, in order, and you will almost certainly be guaranteed success in adopting a simpler—and more fulfilling--lifestyle.
-Share your resources and results with people you care about, and multiply the good effects on the planet that will come from your new way of living.
Next blog I will ask you to become a full feldged member of my cult. Boo ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
