Have you done a spending fast? This is the idea of really cutting down spending to the bare necessities in order to save money or pay down debt. I'm not sure I've ever intentionally done a spending fast, although I think we sort of live this way to some extent normally.  :)

We had some years, in the past, with credit card debt hanging over our heads. Some of this debt came from our adoption expenses (which we were told would receive relief from the government at the end of the process, but that turned out to be a tax credit that we didn't made enough money to claim). Through the sale of a home and its equity, we were able to finally be free from our debt...and vowed to try to never have it again (other than a mortgage).

We buy cars that we afford. We often eat pancakes for dinner, when it gets close to grocery day. We buy our furniture via Craigslist. These are not practices indicative of our spending fast status...it's just the way we do things. But...they might be practices others could use to make a spending fast work.

I think the first time I heard about someone really doing this as a year long challenge was when Tif Fussell (aka Dottie Angel) pledged to buy nothing new for a year in 2009. I still remember some of her stories of the ingenuity employed and the luck encountered that year. More recently Julie has been doing a buy-nothing-new year and has some amazing stories as well. I respect + admire these ladies and other fasters like them so much!

For more on the spending fast check out Debt-free Living by Anna Newell Jones (from the library, of course)...or Anna's blog (via Heather).

Love,
Jane

P.S. Be sure to read Celia's comment about doing a "free week"! So fun + inspiring!!

One of the ways I want to make our budget stretch a little further this year is to try only to purchase replacements. Some replacements are not really fun purchases, so I put them off. At the same time, I begin to realize that this procrastination takes up brain space. Each time I pull out of the garage after dark, I think, "Gotta remember to replace that lightbulb." Same with the lightbulb over our bathroom sink. I need to replace that bulb before the other bulb in the bathroom goes out and I have to resort of unscrewing a lightbulb from the basement or something (although, that would work).  :)

So last week I listed all the little things and scheduled an afternoon to check a few of them off my list. My  wallet took a hit (lightbulbs are expensive!), but it feels good not to have to think about all of these little things anymore. Here's what I tackled this time:

Lightbulbs :: I was thrilled to find these energy efficient bulbs in a cardboard box! No plastic packaging to wrestle. I didn't realize until I was home, however, that the bulbs themselves are partly made of plastic.  :(

Batteries :: I missed my watch. It saves me from digging my phone out of my bag every ten minutes, when I'm keeping track of pick-up times. And I like to be able to start the car. The car let me know that I needed to replace the battery in my electronic key. A tiny battery can be awfully important (especially when the car only came with one key). 

Mailbox :: The garbage man mangled our deluxe, locking mailbox with his truck...and I was too nice (or chicken) to call and complain. Almost a year later and I'm finally tired enough of soggy mail to do something about it. The new, not-so-deluxe model will encourage more frequent trips for collection. It was found locally, came in a cardboard box, is made of steel, + was made in the USA! 

Disposal of the replaced items is as much of a chore as the purchasing, but I'm happy to put each of these items in the right place.

Lightbulbs :: Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (the newer energy efficient bulbs) need to be disposed of properly, since they contain small amounts of mercury. Many home improvement stores offer free recycling bins. I'm glad that Ikea does too, because they also have cake on plates.  :)

Batteries :: I've been holding onto these used up batteries for years. I asked the battery shop guy if they would take them, but he said to throw them in the trash. It is not good for battery acid to leach out into the soil, so I don't want to do that. There are many places (like home improvement stores + office supply stores) to recycle cell phone batteries + rechargeable batteries (so it would be smart to switch to rechargeables for items that can use them)...but they don't take button or alkaline batteries. I've taken leftover paint (from the previous owners of our house) to our county's hazardous waste facility...but they did not list batteries on their list of accepted items. I was able to search Earth911 and find another facility nearby that will accept them! Yay!

​Mailbox :: Our old mailbox is a big mangled pile of plastic. Sadly, I think it has to go in the trash. Boo.

​Love,
Jane

Learn to like what doesn’t cost much.
Learn to like reading, conversation, music.
Learn to like plain food, plain service, plain cooking.
Learn to like fields, trees, brooks, hiking, rowing, climbing hills.
Learn to like people, even though some of them may be different…different from you.
Learn to like to work and enjoy the satisfaction doing your job as well as it can be done.
Learn to like the song of birds, the companionship of dogs.
Learn to like gardening, puttering around the house, and fixing things.
Learn to like the sunrise and sunset, the beating of rain on the roof and windows, and the gentle fall of snow on a winter day.
Learn to keep your wants simple and refuse to be controlled by the likes and dislikes of others.
~Lowell C. Benin
​
(via Elisa...thank you so much...i just had to bring this out into the open!)  :)

Know the Origin's tagline is "Style with nothing to hide.
Fair-trade and organic from seed to garment." 

I love their attention to documenting the process behind every piece of clothing on store shelves, in our closets, and in the landfill...ethical or not. But Know the Origin's process is notably different! They prove that it is possible to treat farmers, garment workers, and the environment with respect and care!

People handle the elements from start to finish. People like you and me.

Beauty in every step.

Loving these ethical, well-priced basics shipping worldwide from the UK!

All photos via Know the Origin.

So I made a commitment to make my clothes this year. I've made a pair of pants that I grab as soon as they hit the clean pile...and I've made a few other items that I don't love so much. It gets discouraging to spend money on fabric and time stitching only to end up with something that doesn't suit. It reminds me that clothing companies have access to a greater selection of fabric, spend time making and tweaking samples, and are allowed to make a variety of pieces that work on different body types. Trial + error are part of the process for them...and for me.

My current project is a jacket that I'm sewing from the fabric of two past projects. One piece is a dress that I wore every Sunday for a few cold seasons. I tried to wear it a few times this season and just am not feeling it anymore. The other piece is a jumpsuit that I made in the autumn. Even though I prewashed the fabric, it shrunk lengthwise the first time it was washed...ugh. I spent a lot of time tweaking it last month. It fits now, but I just don't think I'll really wear it. Both of these pieces were made from the same durable denim/linen that I love, so along with the leftovers...they will become a new jacket that I will hopefully love. Fingers crossed.  

Love,
​Jane

I know that there is not a consensus on this...and I do not want to offend anyone...but when I hear the word frugal it feels a bit negative to me. Frugality gives me the impression of austerity + deprivation. The dictionary offers these synonyms for frugal: meager, scanty, paltry, and skimpy. 

When we moved into our first mortgaged house, an acquaintance told me that she observed that I liked nice things. I didn’t exactly know how to take this, since she and her executive husband had inside knowledge about my husband’s paycheck (and it was not large). I felt a bit judged (like maybe she thought that I mismanaged our money), but I also found it a bit funny. We had been married for six years, had a four-year-old daughter, and still only owned one car. Most of our furniture had been found on the side of the road, at garage sales, or at the flea market. I did like what I felt were nice things, but my dad would laugh (lovingly) at all the “junk” we had (I called it 'shabby chic').  :)

Now that's a variety pack of perspective. My eyes feasted on treasure at the flea market. I could easily calculate how to sand, repaint, change knobs, slipcover, and highlight all the glorious chippy wear on those bits of not quite used up treasure. My dad just saw the old, discarded junk of his past. And that acquaintance...I guess she must have seen something in the tattered lace, rusty candleholders, and hand-sewn floral curtains in our home...did she just misjudge how much they cost?

I guess that's my point...perspective. I view frugality as a state of mind which involves the cost of things being top priority. I suppose my fewer ends series could be seen as a list of frugality…but I view those posts as offering thoughtful choices with an eye toward budget, but also toward environmentalism + sustainability…acts of a conscious steward of the earth. I choose the mindset not of scarcity, but of abundance. Yes, my budget is limited, but the choices I make are ones that I would (mostly) choose anyway. By choosing to feel the seasons, I do save a few dollars...but I also put less carbon into the atmosphere. Those dollars have allowed me the luxury of being the one at home raising my girls, and the decreased carbon has an impact on climate change. Now that doesn't feel meager at all.

I don’t make purchasing decisions based solely on how much money I can save. On the contrary, I am glad to spend a little bit more for the organic potatoes, because I value the farmer’s and the soil's health, not to mention my own family’s health. I am willing to pay more for milk that comes in reusable, glass jugs in order to avoid the manufacture and waste of plastic jugs. I am willing to pay a little more for well-curated vintage from a local shop, because I value the time and attentiveness that went into the hunt and also the cost of a storefront and employees. I am willing to pay more for a pair of shoes with traceable, natural origins and well-compensated maker’s hands.

My roadside finds were free + thus quite economical...but that's not the only reason I stopped the car. I saw beauty and possibility in those finds. They were incredible gifts not paltry substitutes for real furniture.

So I like nice things. I don't need a lot of them, but my home is filled with simple, gorgeous abundance. It’s a state of mind.

Love,
Jane

P.S. Read Omnivore's Dilemma for more on the benefits of organic potatoes. It's no little issue!

The Shell Collector by Anthony Doerr has me dreaming of sand between my toes.
Blessing The Hands That Feed Us by Vicki Robin has me planning my garden + wondering what my favorite farmers are up to.

Like a tiny library for food!
Fashion revolution fanzine. (We can read it online!)
A not to be missed episode of This American Life.
Buttons with 80% of the proceeds donated to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
This week I had the opportunity to write a little about the Fairdare @ thebeautyinsimple. Thank you so much, Julie! The plus-size fair fashion post received an update too!

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend!!
Love,
Jane

There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger + unhappiness. ~Ghandi

It's New York Fashion Week and Phil Oh gives us an amazing peek at what people are wearing outside the shows. The street fashion is usually my favorite bit of these events, because style really comes alive in how it is interpreted + combined + worn. I love flipping through these photos for inspiration + courage to mix up the pieces I already have in new ways. There are lots more photos to be found on the Vogue website. And just for fun, here are some of the messages I read in Phil Oh's photos:  

Two of the most stylish women in the world, Caroline de Maigret and Alexa Chung, prove that stripes + jeans are still a winning combination!

A white button up never goes out of style.

Head to toe black is still fierce + totally doable.

Head to toe camel is quite lovely too.

A bright coat makes the season seem more bearable.

Natural hair + face look fresh + just as good all windblown.

A bright scarf, bag or shoes make a statement even when the outfit is more subdued.

Fuzzy + furry things are fun.

Always my favorite discovery: Pretty much anything goes! 

Photo credit: Phil Oh :: via Vogue.com.

Love,
Jane

While perusing the Table of Contents in a personal finance book, I came across a chapter entitled, "It's never just about the money". I knew immediately what the author meant, and started to consider the "things" that occupy my thoughts. What is it that I believe these things promise? What do I really desire from them?

For me, the things that I want to buy with money seem to promise comfort, in my mind. Maybe they will make me feel warm + cozy...and what I ultimately think love and acceptance and being cherished feel like. I crave comforting things like candles, tea, cake, and thick cashmere at this time of year. A big, soft, enveloping cardigan would make me feel safe and held.

I'm also a very visual person and seeing what is pleasing to the eye...pleases me and makes me feel a little glow inside. It's all about warm white + clutter free spaces, but I like it to feel cohesive and purposeful (not just like things were removed). I'm dreaming about pale whitewashed flooring to replace matted carpet + darker flooring at the moment. I want to remove all the stuff on the open shelves and to replace it with a curated, earthy ceramics collection. I imagine that these surroundings would feel calm + open and like I'm being embraced with comfort, ease, lightness and value.

I can actually redefine all of this into beautiful minimalism...which means that more things are not the answer. Less is actually my goal. I want a small home with solar panels and a garden. I don't struggle with wanting a bigger home or a nicer car to prove my worth and success. I don't crave fancy jewelry or loads of clothing. Less is a relief...a harbor...a goal that makes me happier rather than wantier. Less is my choice and when I measure what I have against it, I find that I have in abundance. I have a few candles. I have tea. I have a warm, cozy sweater + a fluffy blanket too. Sometimes I even have a piece of cake.  :) I have dry floors + a few lovely, small pieces of earthy pottery. I can save toward new flooring and solar panels too (if we decide to). I do not need to chase warm + cozy + comfort + ease. I have them. And acceptance + love + being cherished + value + lightness...well, those are best pursued through my spiritual life and my relationships with those around me. "Things" will never provide them.

Love,
Jane