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- Ways to Live On Almost Nothing - 2
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- Vacationing on a Shoestring Budget
The Payoff: Thrifting and Re-Selling
December 3rd, 2007
I’ve written a bit about The Art of Thrifting, purchasing clothes, appliances, knick-knacks and gift items at secondhand outlets, garage sales and through auction outlets. I’ve also written about Alternative Economies and how systems like barter and straight trade can keep your family going without the exchange of cash or credit.
This post combines both of these approaches to make a talent at thrifting into an actual income. Over at Apron Thrift Girl blog there is a wonderful post describing one adventure in estate sale thrifting entitled Seeing What Has Always Been There that I recommend to readers so as to get a feel for how to make money by picking out bargains and re-selling them at a hefty profit.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Filed under Alternative economics, Auctions, Brand New Used, Resale, Thrifting | Comment (1)The Economic Bad News
October 22nd, 2007
The Real Estate Bubble Bursts
Living through hard economic times can be more than an adventure in benefitting directly from the excesses of conspicuous consumption, it can also be a learning experience full of valuable life-lessons that fall under the heading of “Wisdom.” Gaining the knowledge and skills to survive and reconnect with the great adventure we call life is good for people.
I posted an outline of how to save a bundle on home appliances, transportation, health maintenance, clothing and incidentals, and exploiting alternative means of trade for the things you need and have to offer. It should be clear that it CAN be done. Less clear to the average person is why it may need to be done.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Filed under Alternative economics, Alternatives, Economic Recession, Housing | Comment (1)A Car, A Car… My Kingdom for a Car!
October 2nd, 2007
Owning a car is an expensive proposition these days, even if you aren’t making monthly car payments. Insurance is expensive enough to equal an average person’s car payment, and gas certainly isn’t getting cheaper. Yet for people who choose not to live in a city where there is ready access to public transportation, a way to get to and from work, stores and chores is a necessity rather than a luxury.
Now, if you live in a town – even if it doesn’t have public transportation – or near enough to town, you might decide that having a nice bicycle or motor scooter will serve your needs. And it might, so long as it’s not raining or snowing and you don’t have to transport a month’s worth of groceries, any bulky items for sale or trade, or any of your children, your spouse, or your Mother-in-Law. They just don’t make any cool farings or sidecars for bicycles or mopeds.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Filed under Alternative economics, Alternatives, Brand New Used, Mechanics, Transportation | Comments (6)Living on Less: The Alternative Economies
September 17th, 2007
Some people get into the economics of living on less because they don’t have much of a choice. Others get into alternatives because they believe our living-beyond-our-means lifestyles are harmful both to ourselves and to the environment. Either way, it’s good to know that there are alternatives, and plenty of room for people to invent their own levels of participation.
The ‘Money Economy’ is the one most people live in here in the modern world. It causes us to trade our lives – our time, our talents, our energy – for a certain valuation calculated in cash, and in that economy different people have different value placed on their lives. Women are still worth less than men, even in the same jobs with the same responsibilities. Women also tend to have to work more hours than men do, despite also being saddled with most of the housekeeping, child-rearing and food preparation jobs.
Minority workers are also valued poorly, as are teen workers and entry-level jobs in all sectors are notorious for paying less than it takes to live, eat, and repay student loans for that semi-worthless college degree.
Popularity: 8% [?]
Filed under Alternative economics, Barter, Economic Recession, Recycling, Thrifting | Comments (3)