Crashbox

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Over the last year or so I have been fixing/tinkering on/rebuilding/reusing, etc. more and more of our things---household items, clothes, car, you name it---as opposed to throwing things away/taking them somewhere to be fixed/buying new stuff. As a matter of fact, we are buying less in general, and after selling and giving away a ton, we certainly own less---a lot less. I ride my bike for nearly every errand these days, and have cut out at least 60% of the money spent on coffee and dinner and movies and beer and all that; partially because things are economically more uncertain than ever, which very naturally changes one's perspective at least a little, and also because with a third person to care for and AC not working, I am generally feeling the 'pinch'. I'm not at all perturbed by any of this, but with these changes we have become so much more aware of how unnecessary it often is to get very many of the 'necessities' of living 'new from the store'. It is also surprising how many things are not such a big deal anymore once you have tried getting by without them for a while.

And I am proud of this. I am no environmentalist, but I have respect for conservation and careful consumerism: not for the sake of the Earth per se, but also for the effects it has on my own soul, my lifestyle, my values and virtues, and the state of the world around me. These is also more time for the simpler, better things in life, you know...? like playing with our little one. Not thinking about all the STUFF you have and all the things that need attention and fixing really dispels a lot of worry and business. I've still got two cars and plenty on my plate, but life has become distinctly fuller since I became poor...