CONTENTS
A very significant decision
How to live on dramatically less
Vehicles
Clothes
Compact living space
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A VERY SIGNIFICANT DECISION
Managing your lifestyle (the way you are living) is vital to your living as you wish. It adds a richness to life with more ease and personal enjoyment. If it is done "efficiently" and "effectively" (see "Productivity" section on how to get more out of less), then it leaves more "personal space" for those things that add the most happiness (see Happiness section). It also allows us to work less, which is, of course, part of lifestyle management.
We normally are the victims of "Parkinson's Law" (we automatically and unintelligently fill up the amount of space allowed) so that we keep on ending up with a larger and larger house and higher and higher expenses and lots more "stuff", most of which adds very little. So here we look at all the "stuffs" to see what we can "manage" so it doesn't manage us. The art of spending, of course, is dealt with in the financial section on spending. Here we deal with the "what" of it all - which clothes do you really need and in what combinations. What kind of a car will do it. Where shall I live and how big shall it be - including how to manage space and storage so as not to waste time and money - we call that "compact living".
HOW TO LIVE ON DRAMATICALLY LESS
We have illusions about money and how much is sufficient. Removing those is of great importance. See Money In Our Minds. However, this section is about the practicalities of it all, about working in the realities of this world.
And, of course, how to create compact space living, above, as shelter costs are a major factor in all spending plans.
More later - or study the rest from googling or reading the books recommended
THE ACTUAL COSTS FOR A MAXIMAL QUALITY WITH LOW COST
We will be constructing what it will look like in actual expenses for a single person and for a couple, with added increments for children. The bottom line is that you should be able to live with much lower expenses and much lower stress.
The savings would approximate these percentages:
Home 50%
Vehicles and operation 20%
Clothing 50%
Food and household 30+%
Services, TV, internet 50%
Computer, printer, etc. 20%
VEHICLES
Buy used, checked by mechanic, good warranty, costs less per year including alot less for insurance. Maintain well, keep longer.
Consider small SUV types instead of regular cars, especially if have children.
Safety - Costs but worth it; airbags on side, auto safety rating
Don't buy for most space: Rent (very cheap) if need larger.
CLOTHES
List/summary shopping: Only shop with the list of what you have and what you need. See standard lists and the planning list...
Easy care: Washable, non-wrinkle, no special treatment
COMPACT LIVING SPACE (Being developed over time)
Smaller home - Closer to work (often makes it more expensive, but we are "buying" time saved; the quality of life is improved by shorter commute times.)
An intelligent alternative, if available at a quality place, is living in a trailer. Trailers can be beautifully and space-efficiently constructed - and the top of the line for 1500 sq. ft. is about 65K.
Use of rooms
Ideally one sitting/tv area, with dining/breakfast table - no unused living room
Master bedroom - Consider using one of the smaller bedrooms for master bed and then using
the bigger amount of space in the master bedroom for an office and a sitting room.
Guest/office/work/exercise room -
In wall Murphy bed, why keep space open for very occasional use?
Foldable tread mill.
Full size "table/desktops" pull down from wall on both sides of the bed.
One regular computer desk (high powered portable laptop, with wireless internet in house),
no big, hard to move desks.
Children
Separate play/rec room, with video surveillance hook up
Children's room - Two together for 3 and up to 10 or 11, then individual rooms.
Space savers
DVR - to record all tv programs you watch, watch no programs live
DVD player recorder
All music put on MP3 player, played through tuner/receiver and fairly compact speaker
system, wired for surround sound with wiring under the carpet
Only high powered laptop computer, with monitor and wireless keyboard/mouse if preferred.
Storage in home (Principle: go high, use maximum vertical space not square feet of floor)
Bookshelves to the ceiling (permanent or moveable, attach upper part to wall for stability)
Garage storage shelves - professional are expensive but efficient, alternative is to use tall
open shelves plus some closed storage from Home Depot or Lowe's
Closets - Professional or use "systems" from Home Depot or Lowe's.
Kitchen - Install rollout shelves in all lower areas and anything like a pantry.
Storage location - In a facility or in a house or in its garage?
Cost of house per foot = $200 or $30,000 x 6% = $1800 deductible plus 390 prop tx
Storage facility rent 10 x 15 (150 Sq. ft.) = $2000/year
Best: Storage shed in an out of the way, out of sight mostly, place. Cost (150 ft.) =
Bigger garage is second best.
Resources: Good "Small Living Space" and use their suggestions.
