Three little beings I definitely can't live without!

A friend of mine recently forwarded a blog post to me from a site called Inside Higher Ed. It’s a great post called  5 Things I No Longer Wish to Own. I love it that simplifying and paring down is a topic that seems to be on more and more peoples’ radars these days.

Blogger Joshua Kim says, Is this desire to shed ownership of things a life cycle story, a digital story, or something else? Do you share my desire for life as a service? Has owning stuff also lost its appeal to you? The five things he no longer wishes to own are: software, hardware, books, a car, and a house.

What about you? Has owning stuff lost its appeal to you? I know it has for me. What are some things you could live without? Below are some things I either have no desire to own or wish I could rent or share with others.

Land-line: I have no desire for a land line. I’ve been “cell phone only” for many years now and it’s been a great decision. It’s been one less gadget or service I have to upkeep. Occasionally someone says to me, “But what if an earthquake hits and all the cell towers go down? How would you call anyone?” Sorry to disappoint but I was in the “94 Northridge quake in California. The first thing to go was my land-line. I refuse to live my life in fear of what “might” happen. I’ll take my chances.

House: Even though house prices are going down I have very little desire to own. The idea that I can pick up at any time and move anywhere I want is very appealing to me. Another thought that occurs to me often is real estate appreciation might seriously slow down for quite some time. If I ever do buy it will be because I love the place and it’s affordable, not because I think I will one day get a great return on my investment.

Car: We are a one car household but I really long for the day when we have adequate public transportation and I don’t have to own anything with wheels. Well maybe a bicycle because I love to bike. For those times I would need a car, I would rather just rent and let maintenance and vehicle wear and tear be the car rental company’s headache.

Appliances like vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, etc.. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a center in every community where you could borrow these items? Or maybe people could go in together on purchasing them for everyone to share. This way no one person would bear the financial and maintenance burden. The community would take care of everything together which would save money and precious living spaces in our homes.

Jewelry: I have a few nice pieces and quite frankly I have no desire for anymore. I’m a fairly small person and I look ridiculous with too much jewelry on. Most jewelry is incredibly over-priced in my opinion and I’d rather spend the money on experiences that I can treasure in my heart.

Cable TV, magazines and newspapers: I can get all of the shows, news, and articles I want on-line. Isn’t the internet great?

I’d like to take this topic of things I can do without one step further so below are some  non-material things that I can live without:

Debt:  Being debt free is true liberation. I’m not tied down to a job I don’t want to have nor do I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about who and what I owe. Letting go of the idea of having to own so much stuff makes it easier to be debt free and life is so much more enjoyable.

Cable News or any kind of mainstream news that goes for shock value: My mother thinks it odd my husband and I don’t have cable or watch local or cable news channels. But where do you get your news she asks me. Plenty of places and I think I’m probably more informed than the average American. Corporate owned news conglomerates are not the only game in town although they would want you to believe so.

People who suck the life force out of me. We all know those people who take, take, and take and then some. Fortunatley, I don’t have to many of these people in my life but when they do show up, I try to set up my boundaries with them as quick as possible.

Worry: There’s lots going on in the world today and change is on the horizon. What that change will be is still unknown. I’m done with worrying about money, retirement, and whether or not I will have enough money to pay next month’s rent. I still do worry from time to time but the less I do the easier life gets.

(If you’d like to read more about living simply and changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book which is available in paperback or Kindle: REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.

Pippy: the little lady of leisure!

I have been downsizing for many years now. A great lavish lifestyle where all of the sudden I sold the Mcmansion and started taking the bus to work is not my story. I’ve been living somewhat simply since the late 90s when I began the process of getting rid of things that I no longer needed and searching for ways to make everything in my life from managing my work and social schedule to doing the grocery shopping as simple as possible. Below I list and reflect on some of those changes that have made the most difference and others that I aspire to in the future.

Our One Car Household: It’s been well over six years now that my husband I have gotten by with one car. We live in Los Angeles and cars are a big deal in this town. I’ve never been much of a car person nor been very impressed by anything that anyone drives. As a matter of fact, I react oppositely to how many people react when they see an expensive car. Instead of automatically thinking that person is loaded and successful, I immediately wonder whether or not they are in a lot of debt or if they got a really bad deal on a lease.

Being a one car household has saved us more money that I could ever have imagined. Another plus is not having a car payment and of course I feel like we are doing our part to help the environment in our own small way. I can’t say how long we will continue to be a one car household. We tell ourselves we will do it until it doesn’t make sense for us anymore. So far it’s made sense. There’s a certain amount of finagling of schedules and compromise but the benefits have definitely paid off.

My aspiration is to one day be completely car free but until Los Angeles gets its act together in the public transportation dept, I don’t know if being a no car household would work for us. Yes, it’s probably an excuse and we could do it now if we were really committed but the truth is we’re not ready for that drastic of a step just yet. Also, my husband doesn’t share this goal with me and anyone who is partnered up with someone knows the name of the game is compromise!

Going from Full Time to Part Time Work: Taking a part time job (even though it often ends up being full time) has given me the gift of control over my schedule. I love my job because I get to help animals and I love being able to set my own hours. There are of course some things I have to show up for at a particular time but much of what I do can be done at any hour of the day as long as I meet my deadlines.

I consider having control over my time a form of wealth. When I was stuck in an office, if I needed to visit the dentist or go home to let the plumber in, I had to get everything ok’d with my boss and make sure I had co-workers to cover me. The decrease in pay has taken some getting used to but I find I can make up for the loss of income by cooking more at home and having the time to shop around for better deals when we do need to purchase something.

My goal is to manage my time even better going forward so I can work fewer hours on the administrative part of my job and more hours doing the work that involves direct contact with the cats. I would also like to start a small vegetable garden in our front yard but I am having a hard time finding the extra time to make this a reality at the present time. I also have an idea for another book in my head and the more free time I can gather the more time I have to write.

A Smaller Wardrobe: Once upon a time my clothes closet was so full I barely had room for everything. Now I open my closet and it’s hard to believe an American (especially a girl from the south) would own so little! However I love it! I may not have as much as I used to but what I have is quality and I love wearing everything I own. I’ve also thrown out most of my jewelry and accessories that I don’t want.

Clothes are no longer a way for me to look good. I now concentrate more on exercising and eating well. I figure this is the best way to look healthy and attractive. Not the mainstream media’s idea of attractive but my own idea of what’s attractive. My wardrobe consists mainly of neutral colors and classic pieces. Most of the time I wear yoga clothes because they are comfortable and I go to a class almost every day.

As little as I have, I’m still looking to downsize my wardrobe even more. I mean really how many clothes do we need? Fashion will probably always interest me as I consider it a form of art but I’m learning how to enjoy clothes without having to buy everything I like. I now buy only a few pieces of that “art” and enjoy the rest from afar.

 Buying Very Few So Called Beauty Products:  I still wear make-up but not like I used to. A little bit of eye makeup and some light colored lip gloss is pretty much it for me these days. I also wear sun block every day. All of those miracle wrinkle cures and stay young forever creams no longer interest me. I think the day that I realized if money could buy you youth then women of great monetary means like Nancy Reagan and Queen Elizabeth would still look 35. And of course the men would to!

The vanity part of me also says that the older I get the better I look with the least amount of crap on my face as possible. I no longer have a lavish skin regimen and my skin actually looks better than it did when was in my 20s. Most of my life I have suffered with severe breakouts but now that I put very little on my skin I rarely break out anymore. Too bad I didn’t figure this out when I was younger and gave a hoot about what I looked like.

It’s not that I don’t care now what I look like now that I’m in my 40s because I do. I want to look presentable but I’m totally accepting of what I was given in the looks department. What you see is what you get and there are way too many interesting things to do and explore than to waste my time trying to coif my hair perfectly and find the perfect shade of lipstick.

I hope to one day be brave enough to say no more make-up but not because I think make-up is evil. Making up takes time and I think that one day I will want that time back even if it’s just 10 minutes a day.

Almost 13 years later, I’m still downsizing and looking for that balance that allows me to live life peacefully yet with just enough excitement to keep the journey interesting. The one amazing thing I can report is that I have never made a change that made me feel deprived or less than because it didn’t conform to societal norms. If anything, each time I have downsized I have felt more light and free.

(If you’d like to read more about living simply and changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book which is available in paperback or Kindle: REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.

My parents' balcony in Birmingham Al. Finally some rain this Labor Day Weekend!

As we celebrate Labor Day in the United States this week, the concept of work is on my mind. Not the work we do at our paying jobs but the day to day work we do to keep our households running smoothly. You know all those tasks that take up precious time that we would rather be using for leisure activities or work we found more interesting.

I’ll be honest. I would love to have a cleaning person come to our home once or better yet twice a week. Hiring someone to wash the car, do the marketing, and wash and fold the laundry are also on my wish list.  The bottom line is I can’t justify spending the money. Plus, neither my husband nor I are willing to do what it would take to outsource these tasks.

Our current jobs provide enough for us to pay our bills and do some traveling here and there but not much more for extras like housekeepers and personal shoppers.  My husband is focused on creating a side business that will eventually allow him to quit his job. I am concentrating on my part time (which in reality is full time) job in animal welfare because it’s important to me that I be doing work that I feel is making a positive impact on the world.

It’s tempting to complain about having to mop the floors and clean the bathrooms and let me tell you I often indeed do! However, I am working hard to shift my mindset to one that’s more empowering and not one of dread.

Maybe just maybe this idea of being able to pay someone to do everything for us is not all it’s cracked up to be. Perhaps there’s much to be gained from performing what we view as tiresome mundane tasks. And of course if we are streamlining our material lives and keeping the clutter at bay, housework should be somewhat of a breeze.

Below are some of my ideas on how housework can enhance our lives and (gasp!) maybe even make us richer.

• Housework is good exercise. The human body was designed for constant activity and sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, scrubbing, and dusting force you to move your body in all different directions. You can work up a sweat cleaning your house. Exercise of any form is beneficial and healthy and cleaning our homes is no exception.
• Housework improves our mental health. There have been times when I’ve been down or frustrated and I’ve dived into housework.  It may not have solved all my problems but it certainly didn’t make me feel worse; if anything I felt better. I had a sense of accomplishment and an orderly clean home environment.
• Housework creates community in our households and no one gets stuck with doing everything. It teaches us we need to all pitch in. All of us are integral parts of making everything run smoothly and each person’s contribution is important.
• Housework saves us money. If someone wants to outsource their housework due to severe time or physical constraints and can afford it, I’m all for it. But for my family’s situation, we would quickly run a deficit each month if we paid someone to do what we are better off doing ourselves.
• Housework grounds us and connects us with our humanity. Too many of us are disconnected from what it means to do physical labor due to our sedentary lifestyles and technological advances that do much of our work for us. Hey, I’m all too happy I’m not drawing water from a well or scrubbing my clothes on a washboard but there is something to say however for work that makes us break a sweat now and then.  Why cheat ourselves of the human experience we were meant to have by never getting our hands dirty and acting like entitled little brats who should never have to lift a finger.
• Housework can be meditative. It teaches us to be present and connects us with reality. When you are doing chores you may not necessarily like, it’s the perfect opportunity to practice acceptance of your current situation. Acceptance of the fact that we have to do something we may not particularly want to be doing and acceptance that if we want it to get done, it’s up to us to do it.
• A clean well kept house creates a ripple effect in other areas of your life. Our personal lives benefit when we live in an environment that makes us feel peaceful and serene. We feel more balanced and have more stamina to focus on accomplishing those things we want to do.

(If you’d like to read more about living simply and changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book which is available in paperback or Kindle: REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.

Beautifiul Flowers at the Getty Museum

 The power to change the status quo is in our hands.-Nathan Winograd

I recently heard an inspiring presentation by Nathan Winograd, founder of the No Kill Nation. This group advocates for taking the killing of shelter animals in America completely off the table. Making the United States a no kill nation is a tall order but when ordinary individuals step up to the plate extraordinary things can happen.

Nathan said that when you are working to create social change to never go looking for a savior or say “someone has to do something” because that person is you. He then told us what led four ordinary people to step up to the plate and advocate change for their respective social causes. I will share these people with you in just a bit but first I want to point out that all movements are up against the status quo and the Simple Living Movement is no exception.

Living simply and minimally requires a bit of an activist streak. Although I live simply for personal reasons I admit that I do have a social agenda as I’m sure do others who follow this path. The simple living movement has its roots in frugality, environmentalism, social justice, and spirituality. All of these things resonate deeply with me and I believe the world would be a better place if we cared more about the environment, consumed less, and had policies that did not exploit those in vulnerable positions.

Just because The Simple Living Movement has no formal group that represents us doesn’t mean we can’t still advocate for social change for the “simple living” cause of our choice. Think you can’t make a difference? Think again. The four people below did not wait for anyone else to give them permission to forge ahead and work for what they knew was the right thing to do.

I want to acknowledge that the information below is from Nathan Winograd’s presentation “The Power of You” which you can be read in its entirety on his blog.

Four People who Made a Huge Difference

Thomas Clarkson was a 25 year old student committed to becoming a preacher when he was assigned an essay “Is it lawful to enslave the unconsenting? He had no agenda other than getting a good grade but as he delved in further on the topic he was horrified at what he discovered about the British slave trade. He said that if what he found out were true then certainly some person should work to end this horror. He decided that person was him. He answered the calling right away and did not wait for anyone else to take the lead.

From that day forward in June of 1785, he spent his life working and ultimately succeeding at abolishing the British slave trade. He had no idea at the time but he was creating what is considered the first human rights movement in history. We also have Clarkson to thank for all the tools of social change we use today. These include the political book tour, the consumer boycott, letter writing campaigns to legislators, and newsletters to keep the public informed.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is no stranger to any of us and his contributions to society have been astronomical. Because of him, we have the Civil Rights Act and legal equality. But did you know that at first he was reluctant to lead the fight to end segregation? He had just received his PH. D. when local activists approached him about fighting against segregation. He didn’t want to make waves so he declined.

The arrest of Rosa Parks leading to the boycott of the Montgomery, Al buses on December 5, 1955 changed his mind. Dr. King said he watched one bus after another usually filled with African American workers, pass by him empty. He realized a miracle had taken place when he saw masses of people walking, hitchhiking and even driving farm equipment to work. “I knew that there is nothing more majestic than the determined courage of individuals willing to suffer and sacrifice for their freedom and dignity.” Although still fearful and struggling with feelings of inadequacy, he made a decision right then and there to get involved and thank God he did.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was Susan B. Anthony’s best friend and a pioneer of the women’s rights movement in the U.S. Although Susan B. Anthony played a crucial role in women’s rights, Elizabeth Cady Stanton often wrote her speeches and it was her who first suggested women should have the right to vote, even when other women activists thought that was going too far.

The deciding moment for Stanton was when her father who supported her no matter what she achieved told her “Elizabeth, if only you were a boy.” He knew that no matter what she achieved she would always have limitations placed on her because of gender. This made her more determined than ever to be the equal of any man and to work to create a society that would encourage rather than discourage female achievement. All of us women who work outside the home, run for and hold elected office, own property, are partners with our husbands instead of being property, start our own businesses, and live life  on our own terms have Elizabeth Cady Stanton to thank.

Henry Bergh is the father of the animal rights movement. He founded the first SPCA in the United States and oversaw the passage of the nation’s first anti-cruelty law. He dedicated his life to enforcing this law and was also the first to challenge the round up and killing of stray dogs.

He was born the wealthy son of a NYC shipbuilder in the middle of the 19th Century, and his ambition was to become a diplomat. He was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln to the court of the Czar in St. Petersburg, Russia.  One day while riding through the city he came across a Russian peasant beating his donkey. Disgusted, he ordered the man to stop immediately. The man did due to the fact that he was a wealthy well-dressed gentleman who held an official position. This moment was Bergh’s awakening and from then on he dedicated his life to the humane movement in America.

Bergh awakened the collective public consciousness about animal rights which in turn led straight to the No Kill movement today. All of the animal organizations that exist today do so because of him. More importantly, all of our beloved pets and every other animal who has legal protection by law can thank Henry Bergh.

(If you’d like to read more about living simply and changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book which is available in paperback or Kindle: REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.

Plane waiting to leave from a hassle-free Costa Rica Airport

Airline travel is anything but simple these days. Between having to arrive at the airport hours ahead of time and waiting in line to be photographed nude by the TSA, flying is enough to make one yearn for the days of the horse and buggy. Disclaimer: I’m not against taking precautions to make air travel safe, but intrusive X- ray machines and TSA agents patting down three year olds and little old ladies in wheelchairs personally does not make me feel any safer. But that’s a different rant so I’ll spare you my politics on the subject.

While making an airline reservation this past week I realized I was about to embark on Flight Number 4 for the year with another three more trips on the horizon before 2012. Although I don’t consider myself a frequent traveler I do travel on average 5-6 times a year. Always on the quest to make my journeys as simple as possible, I get better at it the more I do it.

A few weeks ago my boss and I traveled to Washington D. C. for a conference. We set out to travel as simply as possible and I’m happy to report that our mission was accomplished. Our experience was hassle free as we floated through the airport smoothly and comfortably. Our trip was so easy that she suggested I write a blog post about travelling minimally. I decided to follow her suggestion. Below is a recap of what we did to simplify the flying experience and actually enjoy it in the process.

• We printed out our boarding passes ahead of time. This is nothing new to most people but it’s a great time saver especially if you aren’t checking luggage. We walked into the airport and went straight to security and then to our gate. We also found out that most airlines now allow you to download your boarding pass to your smart phone. Talk about clutter free. We said we’ll both be doing that on future trips so we don’t have to keep up with yet another piece of paper.
• Get to the airport as early as possible. It’s better to have extra time hanging out in the waiting room than to be stuck in the security line hyperventilating because your flight might leave without you.
• We each brought one small bag on wheels. In my opinion bringing as little luggage as possible is the most liberating thing you can do for yourself when you travel. Feeling bogged down with a bunch of luggage is complicated and makes you edgy.
• Pack less than you think you will need. I know it’s scary to set out on your journey with so few items but try it. See if you don’t prefer traveling light as opposed to bringing all those “just in case” items.
• Don’t bring duplicate items if you can avoid it especially if you have a traveling companion. For example, we knew we wouldn’t be spending that much time on the computer but did want to bring one so we packed one laptop between the two of us and shared it. Both of our phones have internet access so we were able to check email and look up anything we might need to on the web.
• Unless you are flying an airline that you know provides good food, buy something in the airport before you board the plane. We both knew that although we were about to embark on a five hour flight, American Airlines would not provide as much as a small bag of pretzels and would charge for all food items. Since we could potentially be at the mercy of a menu we didn’t like, we purchased something simple that we could share before we boarded the plane. In our case, we chose a vegetarian bowl with rice, beans, salsa, lettuce, guacamole and corn chips. Much better than the snack pack full of processed food for $12.00! We also saved money by sharing. Most restaurant portions are so huge that it makes sense from a health and cost perspective to share.
• Wear comfortable shoes that are easy to slip on and slip off. I’m all about comfortable shoes and you will not find any stiletto heels in my closet. Traveling in flat comfortable shoes makes it easy to remove your shoes while going through security and you can slip them off on the plane and give your feet a rest.
• We didn’t bring stacks of reading material in hopes that we would get around to reading it. I know many times in the past I have brought several books with me while traveling thinking that I would get to them all. I now bring one book and focus on that. Reading books on an electronic reader is another way to save space especially if you do want to bring multiple reading materials.
• Enjoy being unplugged. My boss and I mentioned several times to each other how great it was to have several hours where we didn’t feel like we had to be checking our cell phones or email.
• Don’t be afraid of boredom on long flights. You don’t have to watch the movie, you don’t have to read your novel, and you don’t have to converse with any of the other passengers. Maybe you will want to nap or listen to soothing music on your headset. Or maybe you’ll decide to do nothing at all because sitting there and simply being with yourself can be quite profound.

(If you’d like to read more about living simply and changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)

Beautiful Lake in Orlando, FL

The world seems to keep spinning faster and faster and sometimes I just can’t keep up. Often, I don’t even want to keep up. Do any of us ever keep up anyway and if so is the prize worth it? My head  starts to oscillate when the world is coming at me from all directions. Is the world moving faster or is it just my imagination?

Here’s a fun scientific tidbit to contemplate. According to Mark Reid of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, “It turns out that our solar system is moving nearly 100,000 m.p.h. faster than previously thought — revolving around the center of the Milky Way at 568,000 m.p.h.” I’m no scientific expert but this does make sense. If you’re like me and you’re fascinated by science, you can read more about this at: Time.com.

As one who has worked for years to simply my life, I have to admit 2011 and my new part time job (which I do love by the way) has given me a run for my money. When life gets to be too much I have to consciously step back and ask myself what can I do to simplify further? I obviously can’t control others but I can control my reactions to what’s going on around me and I can make changes. Below is a list of some things I’m working on to bring my life back into balance and simplify even further.

Prioritizing my day: I’m learning that not everything on my “to do” list needs to be done every day. I get done what absolutely has to be done and everything else can wait if need be. The reality is I can’t do it all contrary to what the expectations of those around me may be. I am not “Super Woman” and that’s ok.

Turning off my cell phone when I need a break: I love cell phones and how they can make communication easier.  What I don’t love is being expected to call or text someone back 10 seconds later just because someone decided to contact me. Maybe I’m in the shower or as unfathomable as it may seem, I decided to go for a walk on the beach sans my little Star Trek gadget.

Tossing out the excess: Getting rid of paper and electronic clutter as soon as it makes its way to me makes my work and home environment more peaceful and manageable. The info on business cards can be quickly entered into my computer address book and then thrown out. Junk mail and spam is obviously thrown out right away. Ditto for any other physical or electronic documents that I don’t need to keep.

Wearing comfortable shoes: I like a cute sandal or dress shoe as much as the next gal but what I like more is comfort. Wearing shoes that I barely notice are on my feet make life so much easier. Better yet, going barefoot feels even better. So many things in life are out of our control but we can make sure our feet feel good which in turn makes us feel good.

Spending more time with my animals: My cats always make me feel better. Whether it’s petting them or watching them play with their favorite toys, being with my felines never fails to put me in a good mood. My turtle Speed is also fascinating to watch.

Eating light: Eating too much or too heavily makes me feel weighted down and tired. Eating light gives me more energy. I also make sure I eat what I love. If you hate a particular food don’t feel you have to eat it just because it’s healthy. Eat only those healthy foods you love because what we eat should be a pleasurable experience.

Opting out of text messaging conversations:  I don’t mind if someone texts me to communicate a simple message but long drawn out text conversations are anything but simple for me. I now give the person texting me a call and tell them I would prefer we resolve the issue via email or phone, because I can type or talk faster than I can text.

Declining social invitations when they don’t work for me: I have some friends who invite me to get together socially only when it works for their job schedule or that of their children. Although I don’t blame people for asking to get together when it works for them (we all do this), I am learning that I don’t need to feel guilty if the time doesn’t work for me. Just because someone has a demanding job or chose to have children does not mean I have to always be the one to accommodate and compromise. My schedule is equally important.

Doing something fun: Sometimes I get so busy with working and taking care of life’s daily chores that I forget to have fun and do something for me. This might mean working a crossword puzzle or reading a mystery novel. It may be an impromptu coffee date with a friend or better yet – it may be doing absolutely nothing at all!

(If you’d like to read more about changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)

Hanging out in Solvang CA with a Dutch Shoe

Summer’s here! This laid back season brings warmer weather, longer days, and of course vacations. I love to travel. Whether it’s a destination a few hours away from home or a locale on the other side of the globe, I love to get out and see the world.

Travel can be expensive if you’re not mindful of where your pennies are going. Many expenses such as transportation and lodging can’t be avoided. And of course we all have to eat and when in a new place, you of course want to sample the local cuisine. Checking out the local sights can also add up. What’s the point of traveling somewhere if you don’t pay to see what only that part of the world can offer?

Lots of good information can be found on the web about getting good deals on travel and how to see some really great places for as little money as possible. But what about souvenirs?

This is definitely one area that can either be completely avoided or where as little money as possible can be spent. Souvenirs are completely optional of course. No one is going to throw you out of the Louvre because you don’t buy anything from their souvenir shop.

Just to clarify, I don’t think of souvenirs as that gorgeous painting from a local artist that you decide to have shipped back home or the purchase of local wines, coffee, or chocolate. I don’t put those purchases in the same category as those useless little figurines, picture brochures, key chains, salt and pepper shakers, etc… we think we have to buy so we can remember our trip to Tokyo. These types of souvenirs add up and contribute to the clutter most of us constantly fight in our homes. We also have to lug souvenirs around in our luggage which can slow us down if you’re trying to travel light and free.

When I was in high school, I went to England shortly after Princess Diana got married. London was full of all things “Diana” and I did my part in contributing to the mania by buying Princess Diana picture books, dolls, plates and anything else I could get my hands on to commemorate my trip to London. Years later, I found all these items stored away in a chest. What was I thinking? I realized that any time I thought of my trip to England, I thought about the grandeur of Stonehenge, listening to the political debate in the Speaker’s Corner at Hyde Park, and touring Westminster Abbey. I thought of the picturesque little town of Bath, England and visiting the area of London where the Beatles once played. Never once did I reminisce about the Royal Wedding souvenirs I purchased with my hard earned babysitting money.

In my travels today, I no longer even waste my time going into those shops with all the little doo dads. No matter what part of the world you are visiting, most are made in China anyway. My digital camera creates my souvenirs. I take tons of pictures of places and things that I want to remember. The memories and experiences are more important to me and isn’t that why we travel in the first place? I know it’s why I love to travel.

As cold as it may seem, I very rarely shop for gifts for others when I visit a new place. I also don’t expect friends or family to bring me a souvenir spoon back from Bangkok or wherever it was they went. I would rather see pictures and hear about their trip because maybe one day I would like to visit there as well.

Of course, old habits do die hard for some people so if you are trying to get off the souvenir bandwagon, why not start slowly and collect matchbooks from the places you visit? If you go to a foreign country, why not bring back some postage stamps or save a few pieces of the local currency or coins? If you are used to collecting something from each trip at first it may seem strange to not come back with a bagful of useless novelties. I guarantee however that you’ll have a wonderful trip anyway. Your memories will be just as vivid without all the useless trinkets. You may even find that you have an even richer experience because you ‘re out there taking in more of your surroundings and not wasting precious time in the souvenir shop.

(If you’d like to read more about changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)

Adelie aka Pippy hanging out on her post

We live in a culture that loves to give gifts. Although I don’t doubt that this practice comes from a place of love, I would argue that most of our giving is influenced by advertising and societal pressure to give gifts for almost every occasion under the sun. The list is ridiculously long: Valentine’s Day, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, bridal showers, baby showers, graduations, retirement parties, housewarmings, baptisms, confirmations, bar mitzvahs, bas mitzvahs, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparent’s Day, Secretary’s Day, and of course the Granddaddy of them all- Christmas!

Christmas gift giving has always struck me as strange since you would think there would be a better way to celebrate the life of Jesus than buying your girlfriends another rose scented candle. Yes, very little is sacred anymore. We have managed to turn our spiritual and religious traditions into nothing more than a profit fest for the local shopping mall. And Christianity is not the only religion guilty of this.

Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of the US economy. That’s a big number. No wonder we are made to feel like we have to keep spending. We have to keep the insanity going because God forbid we have a system that is sustainable and doesn’t waste the planet’s resources. No, we must all have excessive amounts of useless crapola in our houses so the stock market can continue to soar its way to oblivion.

Now I realize we do live in a world where a certain amount of conformity is to be expected and opting out of gift giving entirely can be hard. Can you imagine showing up at a wedding without a gift? And I confess that I would be greatly peeved if my husband did not remember my birthday with some sort of gesture like a bouquet of flowers or a mouth watering delicacy made with plenty of sugar.

I’m not against gift giving. I’m against the useless stuff we give each other that eventually gets stored away in someone’s closet or ends up in a bag for the local goodwill to pick up. Who says we can’t reinvent the gift giving game and play it a different way? And what better way to do so than give vanishing gifts.

What are vanishing gifts? Anything that vanishes. Yes, I know I’m being a bit of smart aleck but gifts that eventually vanish but leave us with wonderful memories  are the best of all. I still remember enjoying an incredibly fabulous bottle of French wine that a friend gave me a few years back.

Below are some other ideas for vanishing gifts that won’t clutter people’s minds or homes and more importantly are easy on Mother Nature!

• Charitable donations to a friend of family member’s favorite cause
• Local Wines
• Foreign or Domestic Wines
• Sparkling Waters
• Fruit Baskets
• Gourmet or organic foods
• Baked goods that you made yourself
• Organic Coffee
• Assortment of teas
• Fresh Flowers
• Plants
• E-books
• A subscription to Net Flix
• Body soaps, oils, and lotions
• Gift Certificates (maid services, pedicures, pet sitters, etc.)
• Experiences-plan a special outing with your loved one like a hike, picnic, visit to the beach, dinner, play, or movie
• Theatre or sporting event tickets
• Membership to a museum or other cultural institution
• A class such as a cooking class or art class
• Dancing lessons
• Membership to a yoga studio
• Massages, acupuncture
• iTunes Gift card
• Food treats for people’s pets

(If you’d like to read more about changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)

The Place I Call Home

After a rainy and unseasonably cool winter, springtime is finally in the air in Southern California. This time of year makes me want to clean, toss out the unnecessary, and create as lovely of a home environment as I possibly can for my husband and me and our small petting zoo!

Our homes are sacred places. They serve as a haven from a busy chaotic world and it’s up to us to make them as inviting as possible. Investing in our home pays off big time. We don’t have to spend money to do this. Time, energy, and creativity will do just fine.

I believe that our homes should make us feel peaceful and serene. They should serve as a place that allows us to rejuvenate and enjoy ourselves. Below are some simple and practical things that I’m doing to maximize the healing potential of my home.

Creating space:

I’m on a mission to create as much space as possible. Having empty spaces in our homes is easy on the eyes and it leaves room for possibilities. Not the possibility of buying more useless junk but the possibility of creating something new. I feel more creative when I have space around me and my mind is more open and compassionate.

Is it easy to maneuver around in your home? Allow energy to flow smoothly throughout your living spaces by making sure you can comfortable walk throughout your home without bumping into furniture or other random objects. Keeping the centers of your rooms as empty as possible is a great way to accomplish this type of fluidity.

Getting rid of toxic household cleansers:

The average household has way too many toxic cleansers exposing us to harmful fumes and God knows what else! There’s enough pollution in the city where I live without having to create more of it in my home.

I recently purchased a simple non-toxic liquid cleanser. It works for the kitchen, bathroom, and any other miscellaneous cleaning needs that pop up. A simple window cleaner does the trick for my glass surfaces and mirrors. I’m also finding that baking soda and vinegar can be very effective as well and I plan to experiment more with these types of simple ingredients.

I still have a few cleansers in my house that I’m not thrilled about such as a mildew cleanser but I’m working on getting rid of them. My goal is to have all my cleansers of the non-toxic variety.

Spring Cleaning:

Spring is the perfect time to do some deep cleaning. Cleaning doesn’t cost you anything but time and the payoff is enormous. We feel better when our homes are clean. Our homes look better, smell better and feel better.

How long has it been since you’ve cleaned your oven or the inside of your refrigerator? Wash your cabinets. Take out all your dishes and food so you can make everything spic n span. While you’re at it throw out any expired food or dishes that are chipped.

Consider cleaning the vents in your home and dusting those hard to reach places such as overhead light fixtures. Dust your pictures and bookshelves. The list of things to clean is endless!

Incorporate nature in your surroundings:

Instead of a bunch of knickknacks that take up space and require dusting, why not adorn your home with something from nature? Plants, fresh cut flowers, rocks, and shells bring a little bit of the outdoors inside.

Don’t forget natural lighting. This is the best nature has to offer. Open up your window coverings and let as much natural light in as possible. Natural light lifts our spirits and keeps us from getting depressed.

Create your own home sanctuary:

A space to call our own is important especially if we live with other people. This space can be a room or a small corner of a room. I personally prefer my front porch. I love to go and sit out on my front steps and enjoy my garden. Sometimes I just sit and do nothing in particular. I use this time to think, write, enjoy the silence, and sometimes do absolutely nothing.

If you’ve never claimed a space for you own, don’t waste another moment. Find a place in your home that you can go to when you want to be alone and get away from it all and make this place as special as possible.

(If you’d like to read more about changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)

There is much about our financial system that is way too complicated for me. I’ve put a lot of effort into making my life simple and peaceful so the last thing I want to do is spend my precious free time trying to maneuver my way though mountains of banking statements, stock reports, credit card bills, and insurance papers. No thank-you! Life is complicated enough. I don’t need any further aggravations competing for my attention.

I watched a friend go through the process of buying a house several years ago and to be quite honest the whole ordeal made me nauseous. I remember thinking there has got to be a better way to make this kind of transaction that doesn’t require the talents of a three ring circus. In 2003, I bought a car. You have never seen such a fiasco with negotiating the price not to mention the stack of papers that were put in front of me. To this day I’m still not completely sure what I signed. I hope no one ever comes forward to claim my first born child because I have no one to offer!

Our monetary system and financial markets really get off on making things complicated. Derivatives anyone? But could it also be that humans have a tendency to make things difficult when they don’t have to be that way? We may complain about the complexities of our finances but for the most part we go right along with all the insanity and rarely demand for anything to change. Maybe our financial lives mirror our personal lives. We are so used to clutter and difficulties that we accept the ridiculousness of our personal finances without question. Something to think about, huh?

We may not be able to 100% completely get away from all the complexities of modern finances but we can take some steps to make our own finances as simple as possible.

I’m a big fan of automatic payments. Just make sure you have the money in your account when the bill comes due or your life will be anything but simple. It takes a little time in the beginning to set up but once it’s in place, you no longer have to remember to write out the check, buy stamps, go to the post office, and all the other hassles that come with paying bills.

Simplify any other bill paying that you can’t automatically deduct from your checking account. Depending on your needs, set aside one day each month or each week to take care of any other bills that need to be paid. Set up a folder with your bills and any other materials you need such as stamps, checkbook, envelopes, calculator, pen, etc.. This way everything is in one place and you don’t waste time looking for your checkbook or trying to find a stamp.

Get out of debt. I can’t tell you how liberating it feels to be out of consumer debt. If spending is a problem for you, focus on how great you will feel when you no longer owe anyone any money. Think how wonderful it will feel when you are not wasting energy trying to figure out how you will pay your debts. Don’t be afraid to get the support of a counselor or group. There are others who struggle with overspending so why not take advantage of the resources that are out there to help you achieve financial freedom.

Downsize to one or two credit cards. Why anyone needs multiple credit cards is beyond me. I’m sure there is the rare individual who needs 13 cards but most of us can get by with just one or two. One credit card statement and one bill to pay each month are so much easier. You have to keep a really close eye on the credit card companies to make sure your statements are accurate and you haven’t been overcharged. It’s easier to do this with one or two instead of having to police multiple statements each month.

Start working on your taxes in January. Don’t wait until the night before you visit your accountant on April 13 to start getting your receipts and payroll statements together. Start early. You will feel so much better and you won’t feel rushed.

Put your tax receipts in a special place each month. I’m currently a 1099 employee so I have to keep up with a lot of receipts and mileage. I have a special notebook set up with pockets for each month. At the end of each day, if I have a receipt I file it away in the notebook. If I’ve done any work related driving, I immediately log it onto my spread sheet. It becomes part of my daily routine and I’m not  panicking when I do my taxes the following year because I can’t remember how much I drove or where I put a certain receipt.

Consolidate as many of your accounts as possible. I’m a big fan of credit unions as most of them are more personable and less bureaucratic than the big banks. I have my checking, savings, and money market at the same credit union. There’s one statement (I get it via email) and I can easily transfer money from account to account on-line if I ever need to do so. I also have consolidated my investment accounts with the same company. Again, this makes it easier to monitor and know what I have.

Eliminate paper clutter by getting as many of your statements and bills as possible via email. I don’t like having a bunch of paper cluttering up my file drawers so I save my electronic statements to my computer. Make sure you organize them by month and year for easy finding if you ever need to look something up.

Rethink your need for certain kinds of insurance or any other protections that promise security but actually end up complicating your life. There are a lot of companies out there that will sell you insurance for just about anything. I’m not going to tell you what insurance you need and what you don’t need because that is up to you. I can however say that we don’t need to insure every single thing in our lives.

Purge whatever financial statements you can. Unless I will ever need it for tax purposes, I don’t save every financial statement that I’ve ever received. Every year, I go through any loose papers I have and throw them away. Check with your accountant about what you need to save and what you can throw away.

Have as few financial obligations as possible. I have reduced my need for multiple goods and services over the years. One of the many positive things about this is I have one less bill to pay for each good or service I choose to eliminate. No bills for magazines or the newspaper. I don’t have to write out a check to the maid or the gardener. There’s no cable company to pay and no water delivery service either. I don’t have to budget money for pedicures, manicures, or someone to wash my car because I do it all myself.

Ask yourself is it going to simplify or complicate your life? Ask this question before committing to any purchase, major or small. Will you have to insure it? Will you have to go in debt for it and if so for how long? How much will it cost to maintain it? Do you have to pay taxes on it each year? Do you have room for it? Know what you are getting into with each and every purchase you make. This way there are no surprises and you can choose if it’s worth the investment of your time and money.

(If you’d like to read more about changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)