How we went from $42,000 to $6,500 and lived to tell about it!

[Beekissed]

Banana nut bread here....office holiday snack table offering.

 

[MorelCabin]

Banana nut bread here....office holiday snack table offering.

Oh I 'll join in on the banana bread...I'm unfortunately allergic to chocolate

 

[Beekissed]

OH, the tragedy!!!!! No chocolate???

See what happens when you ditch the forum for awhile, Morel? Everything goes to the dogs without your level headed advice. You'll have to stick around and rein this bad girl in....

 

[MorelCabin]

The only reason I *may* be levelheaded *some* days is BECAUSE I can't eat chocolate...haha! See you guys are gonna all indulge on the stuff and get fighting again when you're all crashing from it:>)

Ah Bee...I like you just the way you are...full of spunk with a big heart and an even bigger attitude...we are too much alike you know that?

 

[Beekissed]

That's a GOOD thing!

 

[MorelCabin]

That's a GOOD thing!

 

[Farmfresh]

Personally, I don't look at it as poverty. My desire to get off grid, have only enough money to pay the property taxes or get certain things I can't grow is NOT poverty. No, its not romantic in my book. But I don't think having loads of cash, or living outside our means just to save face with the 'Jones' is romantic either.

When I was growing up, my mother made our clothes, shopped at Goodwill and yard sales. She had zero fashion sense so I grew up looking like I was drug through a rag pile. Completely humiliating. We didn't have loads of money, but I don't want my son growing up thinking everything is peaches. I read an article of a couple who went off grid with their 6 children. The oldest was embarrassed at school, until one day she realized what they had. When asked at school "Why would anyone live like that?" she proudly answered "At least I know how".....to me, you can't replace that kind of confidence. You can't learn those skills behind a desk, or in a class.

Poverty? NO. Living simply? YES. Easy? NO. Self gratification? YES

I don't think these people in the article, or here on SS are glorifying anything. I think they are proud of what they have accomplished. Proud of their skills and self confidence to take on anything. The knowledge that if SHTF, they will survive.

No, I don't look at it as poverty, I look at is as relieving myself of the crap this modern life is throwing at me. Yes, taxes will have to be paid. Yes, some things will have to be purchased. Yes, there will have to be some sort of income. So, am I a bad person for sharing my skills with the world to pay my taxes? Everyone else shares their skills each time they punch the clock at work, so whats the difference? So I get paid $200 for a pretty article about my life, so what? Its a one time shot, not a lifetime income. So I sell a video on how to make bread, so what? If anyone could make a video about how to do their job, sit at home and reap the $$$, they would do it, too. I don't think we should be bashing these people for making a few bucks on a video, or a pretty article. I think we should step back and ask ourselves how we can simplify our lives and live off of less.

I can tell you all this....when I go off grid, and get as SS as I possibly can, you can bet your a** I'll be writing about it. And if someone wants to publish my story, then woohoo! I'll put that $$ into a college fund for my son, or donate it to charity, or buy me a new plow, or SOMETHING. Knowing that my hard SS work might inspire and teach others is the reason for publication. Not to get above $6000 a year. It WOULD NOT be playing on people's desire for a simple life, it would be inspiring and teaching them to live a simple life. Where is the harm in that?

JMO,
Jen

 

[dacjohns]

It's like watching a bad car accident, isn't it? You tell yourself not to look but you just can't help it.....

I'd rather eat chocolate...is that an option, O Great and Powerful Dac?

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is good. Antioxidants, fiber, and one of those feel good drugs. Theobromine.

 

[FarmerChick]

And another thread turns to chocolate. Hard to see that as a bad thing....

(currently munching on a piece of Lindt 85% dark chocolate while drinking coffee with heavy cream...yummmmm)

you know all the talk of chocolate made me want some also.......but I have NONE in the house.

lucky you!

 

[FarmerChick]

It is never poverty if YOU CHOOSE it.

It is not poverty if you have the items you desire, the land you want to work, etc. It is just low income by choice.