From The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Simple Living by Georgene Lockwood, 2000.

Chapter 12: Fashion: Trends or Tyranny

“Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes.” Henry David Thoreau, Walden

The Least You Need to Know

1. Becoming conscious of how the fashion industry works and what messages underlie clothing advertising can simplify how we decide to dress.
2. Developing a classic style gives you a framework for building a wardrobe and a ready pool of used garments to work with.
3. Learning how to care properly for your clothes will help them last longer and look better.
4. By simplifying your grooming routines and making some of your own products, you can save money and time.

Some Ideas to Get You Started

1. To become more conscious of the messages underlying the media depiction of fashion, go through a fashion magazine with new and critical eyes. What’s being used to sell the clothes? What kind of body image is being presented? What kind of character do they seem to be promoting? What is the overall image of the models in the ads? What is the idea of beauty being presented? Ask the question “If I wear this, I’ll get what? For even more eye-opening food for advertising thought, point your browser at the web site about-face.org and read on.
2. Not sure how to find your won personal style and flatter your figure? There are books to help. Although some are written by “image” consultants, the basic concepts are there. Look for the basic principles and you can’t go wrong. Three recommended by the author are Looking Good by Nancy Nix-Rice and Pati Palmer; Flatter your Figure by Jan Larkey, and Always in Style by Doris Pooser.
3. Look up thrift shops in the phone book and make a list in a notebook. Visit each and note their hours, special bargain days and regular policies. Also keep a list of your family’s clothing needs and sizes. Visit regularly, take advantage of special bargains, and stick to your list.
4. Take heavy items like blankets and comforters to the coin-operated laundry to wash and dray. Their larger heavy-duty machines are built to take the load, and you’ll add life to your laundry appliances.

From The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Simple Living by Georgene Lockwood, 2000.

Chapter 10: In the Independent Republic of Finances

“There are no emergencies for those who are truly prepared.” James Talmadge Stevens, Making the Best of Basics

The Least You Need to Know

1. Once you’ve lowered spending, eliminated debt, and started saving, you’ll need to invest to provide lasting financial independence.
2. Organizing your financial life is an important step toward financial self-sufficiency.
3. By preparing for emergencies, you add yet another key element to self-reliance and simple, low-stress living.
4. Health care is a major consideration to help “bullet-proof” your financial independence plan..

Some Ideas to Get You Started

1. Get all your materials together before you begin your financial organization blitz and set aside a weekend to get this done! Make labels that are bold and in large print (or use a computer label program). Do both hanging and manila folders so that if you take one out, you’ll know immediately where it goes when you want to put it back. If it’s missing, you’ll see right away.
2. If you haven’t seen your credit reports in some time, you should probably get them. It’s all part of “facing the facts,” and there may be some things you need to correct or amend. Arrange to get a copy of your credit report. it should be free if you’ve recently been denied credit. LMK: You can get a copy of your report free each year from each of the 3 top credit bureaus. Check out www.freecreditreport.com
3. Quicken software has a built-in home-inventory program. Check yours. If not, you can most likely get a shareware program for your platform at shareware.com. A search for “all platforms” yielded 12 different choices. There’s also some great free information about creating a home inventory and more on the U.S. Disaster Preparedness Council site at wsdpc.net/finplan.htm.
4. If you decide to go the electronic route with your financial stuff, keep a backup that you update every time you make changes! Better yet, keep 2!
5. Don’t save haphazardly and expect to have enough to invest. You know what will happen to it! Remember to “pay yourself first.” Put money into savings before you do anything else, even if it’s only $10, even less if that’s all you can manage. Then pay your bills and live off what’s left.

From The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Simple Living by Georgene Lockwood, 2000.

Chapter 7: Earning a Life, Not Just a Living

“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” George Bernard Shaw

The Least You Need to Know

1. Old definitions of work re fragmenting and limiting.
2. We can reinvent the way we spend our life energy in any number of ways, keyed to our purpose, our calling, and our financial independence.
3. Working for yourself means more than having your own business. We can be working for ourselves in whatever we do.
4. If we choose to remain in a conventional full-time job for the time being, we can improve our situation and prepare for a better, more simple living-compatible job in the future.

New Work Choices

1. Downsizing your job and working less.
2. Asking about job sharing.
3. Working in cycles or with the seasons.
4. Combining jobs.
5. Sprinting to the finish line. (Work for a set period of time at something lucrative to be able to stop working sooner.)
6. Temporary solutions.
7. Those who can, teach.
8. Volunteering your way into a new career.
9. Take a sabbatical

From The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Simple Living by Georgene Lockwood, 2000.

Chapter 6: Going Debtless: How to Gain Your Freedom

“There is no dignity quite so impressive and no independence quite so important as living within your means.” — Calvin Coolidge

The Least You Have to Know

1. Debt keeps you from simplifying your life and having peace of mind.
2. There are specific steps you can take to rid yourself of debt and focus your resources toward the life you want.
3. Once you eliminate debt, you can begin to save and provide security and freedom for yourself and your loved ones.

A 12-Step Program for Getting Out of Debt

These are the basic steps. If you want more information, use the “Contact Me” page to request full blown explanation of these steps.

1. Stop spending now! Try a day without spending one penny, then stretch it to a week. While you’re not spending, use the extra time to look for dollars you may have hidden that you can start applying to paying down your debt. For example, unprocessed medical claims, rebates, lower rates for all kinds of insurance, lower rates for credit cards (just ask! they may very well say yes if they think you are shopping around for a new card.)
2. No more credit. Stop spending money you don’t have. Don’t use your credit cards or purchase big items on payment plans. No cash, no buying.
3. Face the truth. Complete a ‘financial health’ checkup. Find out just what’s what with regard to your money. In order to free yourself of debt, you must start knowing everything about your money.
4. Keep track of expenses. Record all your ins and outs. Everything!
5. Cut everything in half. Eat half of what you do now. Use half the toothpaste. See if you can cut your electric bill in half. What can you cut or eliminate altogether? If you can’t do half, try starting by cutting a third off everything.
6. Get help if you need it. Get information to help you live within your means. A good website is cheapskatemonthly.com.
7. Contact your creditors. Don’t hide. Call your creditors even if you’re not behind in your payments. See if you can lower your interest rate. Know each and every one of your creditors, including due dates, grace periods, interest rates, etc.
8. Create a plan. Decide what course you’re going to follow to get out of debt and create a plan. Set goals and time limits.
9. Pay yourself first. The majority of Americans have little or no savings. Imagine your peace of mind if you had 6 months worth of living expenses in the bank. Without debt you can save. With savings, you create choices.
10. Join with others. Hang around people of like mind and shun “the Joneses”. You’re not keeping up with them anymore anyway. Find a group of people with the same attitude towards money that you have.
11. Shift your consciousness. Change your mindset when it comes to money. Abundance thinking about money will spill over to other areas of your life.
12. Consider more drastic measures. Take a look at all your resources and see if you can turn any of them into cash. Drastic measures could include selling the new car and getting a used one, renting your home for a few months while you rent a trailer, sell the boat, rent out an extra bedroom, basement or garage. Be creative!

Final Words

NO DEBT + SAVINGS = CHOICES, FREEDOM, PEACE OF MIND

In his book, Everyday Enlightenment, Dan Millman outlines his twelve gateways to personal growth. Here is Gateway #4:

Money is neither god nor devil, but a form of energy. Like love or fear, it can serve you or bind you, depending upon how you manage it. By clarifying your goals and using your gifts, you can make good money, doing what you enjoy, while serving the highest call of your soul. Using money wisely, and well, you increase the material and spiritual wealth with your world.

Came across a wonderful site yesterday with an inspiring technique. Get your money energy moving by giving away a dollar a day. Here’s the link to get the details. I’m going to try this and hope you will today. Let me know how it works for you!