live simply

We just found out that our 11-year-old 1995 Saturn needs about $1700 worth of work on the clutch. So we checked the “Blue Book” value: $200 trade in, $500 to sell it ourselves, $1000 if it was being sold by a dealer. It is costing us $600 per year for liability insurance, as well. Obviously, it makes no sense to have it fixed. Here are the possibilities:

1. Give the car to a charity soon
2. Keep it, only do oil changes, and when it dies, it dies.
3. Drive it down to New Orleans and give it to a family there, and take the train back.

Anyway you look at it, by NOT having a car, We would save at least $2000 in three years. I would have to bicycle and walk more (which would benefit my fitness goal) or take the bus. On days when I need a car, I can drive my wife to work (50 minutes round trip twice), and have a car for Doctor visits, etc.

Simplify, Save Money (Financial Independence), and Fitness, all in ONE simple stroke!!! Amazing!

to donate a large bag of clothing and my in-line skates. At 55 years with the bone structure of someone 65 due to osteoporosis, I decided that it was wise to let someone else fall down, instead of me! :o)

To a local Library. I was not using them, and someone else may get some benefit from them. Simplify my life, complicate the local library’s, I always say!

My Commitment:

• To give away anything I haven’t used in 5 years (except for books, and whatever else I can’t think of now)
• To not get anything new that I don’t really need.
• To go through my winter clothing and give away to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or whatever by April 30, 2005

Simplicity and tranquility go hand in hand. A simple, uncluttered, unburdened live is worth living. Ghandi, Budha, Jesus, all lived very simply. John Wesley lived his whole life on the budget he had while he was in seminary and gave the rest to the poor. Can you IMAGINE if we in the USA would do that? we could wipe out world hunger!!!!!