It seems like the majority of people are realizing that less is more, and a minimalist lifestyle is rapidly gaining popularity.  I definitely lean more towards minimalism, and I’m always decluttering and trying to make more space in my house.  I feel better when I don’t have a bunch of stuff laying around and taking up space. One day I was listening to my mother tell one of her friends that I don’t even like my attic cluttered.  Maybe I’m a little OCD; maybe I just don’t like stuff.  It’s probably a little bit of both.  After I thought about her statement for awhile, I started to sway to keeping more things.  I’ve got the space, so why not keep it? I think having more Stuff in your house can cost you time and money.  When you’ve got more stuff in your house, you have to keep it in good condition, clean around it, put it away, and maintain it.  It’s much easier to clean when you don’t have a ton of knick knacks cluttering your shelves. On the other [...]

Sometimes I sit and think about how much money I’m going to need for the future, and it freaks me out. I think about how much it’s going to cost to have kids, replace one of our vehicles, and even how much money we’ll need for retirement. I feel like I’ll never be able to save enough money!  I can save and save and save, but who knows how much is enough?  What if I don’t plan for ___?  I realized that I can’t prepare for everything, so I really need to calm down and think of constructive ways to ensure we are as financially fit as we can be. photo credit: robmercier 6 Month Emergency Fund I think it’s so important to have some type of emergency fund, even if it’s $100.  That’s still better than nothing.  I’d like to have a years’ worth of expenses saved up, in the event that we decided that we are actually going to move or one of us loses our job. Be able to live on less I think this is one [...]

I have a slight obsession with the Amish. There’s something about their simple style of living that just makes my heart sing.  There are numerous times I’ve thought about finding some Amish people in my area and asking them if I could shadow them for a weekend to see if I could live Amish.  I don’t think they would appreciate that too much, though! Why I love the Amish way of living -It’s based on family and community.  Many Amish farmers live very close to each other, often helping each other raise crops and tend to animals.  I like the idea of being neighborly. -They don’t normally use electricity and many modern conveniences, making their carbon footprint lighter.  Personally I could do without the tv, but without computer and internet? I don’t think I could make it very long. -They believe in paying cash for everything.  They don’t rely on credit, so if they can’t afford something, they don’t buy it. -Amish people cook a lot from scratch and use wholesome ingredients, many times with ingredients they’ve grown themselves. -They [...]