Tag Archives: life

How to Live Without a TV

photo c/o wikimedia commons

photo c/o wikimedia commons

I’ve lived without cable for most of my adult life. I just never saw a need for it. When my husband and I moved into the Airstream, we ditched our television set. We ditched our TV mostly due to space, but we don’t miss it. Whenever I tell someone that we don’t have a television, I’m usually met with shock and awe. You’d think I told them that I live without oxygen or the sun. The first question that our relatives asked when they visited our humble abode was “Where’s the TV?” (My first question when visiting most people is “Where’s the bathroom?”)

Prior to moving into the Airstream, we mostly used our TV to stream Netflix. We had a box to pick up public television, but it never worked, so we just didn’t worry about it. I cancelled Netflix when we ditched the TV. Full disclosure: I do have a Hulu subscription that I have hung onto, but I am debating cancelling that this summer too.

There’s so many perks to cutting the cable cord and ditching the “idiot box,” as my dad likes to call it. Here’s just a few:

  1. You’ll have more space.
    Even flat screen TVs take up space. Instead of a television, put up a beautiful piece of artwork that inspires you!
  2. You’ll have more money.
    Even if your cable subscription is only $60 a month, paying that bill adds up to $720 a year. If you have cable for your entire adult life and you live to be 80 years old, you’ll spend $50,400 on cable! And that isn’t even accounting for inflation, people.
  3. You’ll have more time.
    Cable and TV is a time-suck. How many times have you gotten sucked into a whole season of Law and Order? Be honest. Think about how much more time you’ll have once you cut the cord. You’ll finally have time to write that novel (or blog!), plant that garden, cook a healthy meal and so much more.
  4. You’ll be less stressed.
    When I did have cable for a couple years in college, I fought with the cable company all the time. They’d always over charge me or the cable would go out for no good reason. That kind of stress is unnecessary and I chose to eliminate it from my life. I also believe seeing less opulence from TV helped my psyche. I no longer cared to keep up with the Jones or the Kardashians or whoever.
  5. You might sleep better and be happier. 
    Exposure to dim light at night has been linked to mood disorders, increased risk of obesity and cancer. Also, the blue light of televisions and computer monitors mimics morning light and is more likely to keep you awake at night. Do you need more of a reason to smash your TV in an epic Office Space-like scene?!

So how do I get along without a TV? Just fine. I get most of my news from NPR. I listen on the radio on the way to work. I check the weather via an app on my phone. If I’m dying to watch a movie, I’ll check out a free movie online or from my local library. (Check out this post I did over on And Then We Saved about legal ways to watch movies online.)

So how do you manage to go about living without a tv? Cutting the television cord is a lifestyle change, I’ll give you that. But it’s a change that improve your live for the better, I promise.

Try at first to cut your television watching to an hour a day, then 30 minutes a day. Just see how much more free time opens up with one simple change. 

Have you tried living without cable or a television? Let me know how you survive in the comments!

love,
melanie

Birthdays and Money

baby me!

baby me!

Well, today’s my birthday. I celebrated last weekend because I knew I wouldn’t have time to do much celebrating today. As I get older, I want to do less and less celebrating anyway. I’m happy just laying in bed and watching movies with George. And maybe eating pizza… I do love me some pizza. And to be honest, as I get older I want less and less things. Sure, I’ll occasionally see something pretty when I’m browsing Pinterest and maybe I’ll want it for two minutes, but I’m more interested in acquiring experiences now.

This has been a really nutty and difficult year. In some ways, I’m kind of glad that 27 is behind me. This year I’ve learned a lot about money. I’ve forced myself to stop being scared and careless with money and learn how to use it. This year I’ve also learned a lot about life and death. I’ve been forced to think about how I want to live the rest of my life and how money can help acquire that life. I don’t think money can buy happiness, but we all need money to live and we need to know how to use money as a tool for a better life. I believe the meaning of a better life is up to the individual. My better life means more time to travel, more time to spend with the people I love and to live life without debt.

Zora Neal Hurston once said, “There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” This year was a hard, real, thorny answer.

love,
melanie

 

 

30 Ways to Live a Simpler Life

30 ways to live a simpler lifeLiving simply has been on my mind as of late. I think I live a pretty simple life. I mean, it can’t get too complicated when you live in an Airstream. I may have the whole simplistic living situation figured out, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Lately I’ve been feeling a little “over” the Internet. There’s just a whole lot of stuff and not enough substance. Do you feel me? This week I’ve weeded out time-consuming blogs. I’m also giving myself a little break to take a technology detox and celebrate a special someone’s birthday tomorrow. I’m going to get out there with my favorite person and just live.

  1. Commit to living simply
  2. Practice mindfulness
  3. Clear the clutter
  4. Get your financial house in order
  5. Identify your sources of stress
  6. Eliminate your sources of stress, if possible
  7. Outsource your chores
  8. Take a technology break
  9. Turn the alerts off
  10. Do something nice for someone
  11. Write down your feelings
  12. Actually take your vacation time
  13. Take time for yourself each day
  14. Shun perfection
  15. Take time to enjoy nature each day
  16. Eat meals with 5 ingredients or less
  17. Eat more fruits and veggies
  18. Eat lunch away from your desk
  19. Make a list of priorities
  20. Meditate or practice yoga
  21. Give yourself a break
  22. Forgive yourself
  23. Read a book just for fun
  24. Share your feelings with someone
  25. Listen to calming music
  26. Get a good night’s rest
  27. Tell someone you love them
  28. Learn to day “no”
  29. Remember that things are just things
  30. Commit to simplicity again tomorrow

How do you keep it simple? Let me know in the comments.

love,
melanie

Custom Drawers in an Airstream

custom drawers in an AirstreamI love the idea of open shelves, but we’re just not that organized. I quickly realized that after living in the Airstream for just a couple of weeks. Half done art projects and crafting junk is just not pretty. But building drawers just wasn’t a project that we had time to complete… until now!

George and I are into recycling and using what we’ve got. It’s thrifty and good for the environment. Wins all around. We salvaged some old barn wood from when the barn was damaged in the tornadoes this fall to use to make the front of the drawers. We also had some leftover wood from building out the shelves and our bed in the Airstream. We used that wood for the sides and the bottom of the drawers.

Here’s what the shelves looked like without the drawers:
shelving in an airstream trailer book shelves in an airstream

Pretty, but not very practical.

Building drawers

George went to work by measuring, cutting and drilling the pieces together.

When we got the drawers into the Airstream, we quickly realized that these babies are going to need some drawer handles. So, we cut up one of George’s old belts and used the rough grain side of the belt to create pulls. Pretty cool huh? We could only find short gold screws to attach the leather to the drawer, so we ended up coloring them with a silver Sharpie. Red neck ingenuity at it’s finest, folks.

custom distressed drawers with leather pulls

Did you finish any projects this weekend? I want to hear about them in the comments!

love,
melanie

Snow Day!

Airstream in the snowy woodsI know that everyone in the Northeast is probably like “Yawn, we get 4 inches of snow every day.” But in the South, we can go the whole year without any snow. When we have even the threat of snow everyone runs out to get bread and milk and becomes meteorologists from watching the weather report so often. We’ve only had snow twice this year, so the novelty hasn’t worn off yet. Oh yeah and in the South, we get snow days for 4 inches of powder, so we’re all pretty excited.

Just a man in the snow

Airstream with icicles! Check out those icicles!

Pulling the sled Come on ya big oaf!I’m mushing as fast as I can!Sled boarding?A new extreme sport?

Snowy woodsThe woods are lovely dark and deep.

I’m a warm weather girl all the way but I sure am thankful for a snow day every now and again.

How’s the weather in your parts? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

 

 

 

25 Ways to Save Money and De-Stress Your Life!

save money and destressThe new year is prime time start evaluating your life. Everyone is over-committed, stressed out and overwhelmed. During times like these I like to stop and think about ways I can make my life easier by downsizing my stuff. Because more stuff (mental and physical) means more stress. Let’s downsize our lives and upsize our happiness, mmmmk?!

Here’s my how-to:

  1. Do an inventory
    Keep a piece of paper in each room. For one week write down everything you use. At the end of the week, compare the list of stuff you used to the stuff that you didn’t use. Consider getting rid of the unused stuff. You probably don’t need it.
  2. De-clutter
    Once you do the inventory, it will be so much easier to de-clutter. Think of the object’s usefulness and it’s meaning. And not everything needs a meaning, folks. If you tend to hoard things, get an honest friend or family member to help you clean house!
  3. Donate your stuff
    Once you de-clutter, you need to get rid of all your unwanted stuff. Non-profit agencies, such as Goodwill, can benefit from your donation. You may even be able to write your donation off your taxes.
  4. Sell your stuff
    If the idea of profiting off your old stuff appeals to you, consider selling it. It will take more time than donating it, but it might be worth the time and effort. (See my post on how to sell at flea markets.)
  5. Eat in
    Not only will eating at home save you money, it can also provide relaxation. If cooking stresses you out, consider making simpler dishes. Dishes with less than 5 ingredients (that you can pronounce!) tend to be healthier and easier to create. I never make anything too complicated. Here’s some of my favorite recipes and food ideas.
  6. Reconnect with nature
    During a stressful day at work, I’ll take a walk on my lunch break. It clears my head and gives me that much needed break. On your nature walks, see what you can observe– plants, leaves, creatures! It’s so easy to forget the wonders of nature.
  7. Turn off your phone
    On those nature walks and in your life, we all need to turn off our phones once in a while. At first you might feel panicked. I sure did! (What if someone needs to reach me?!) Well, you know what? If they need to reach you, they’ll leave a voicemail. Plain and simple.
  8. Stop checking your email so damn much
    I took my work email off my phone because I recognized that it was stressing me the hell out. No one emails emergencies. Work can wait. Try checking your email at scheduled points during the day. It helps productivity and sanity.
  9. Have technology-free weekends
    I’m totally guilty of spending the entire weekend on the computer. This blog won’t write itself! But I also realize that I need to spend less time with the screen and more time with the people that matter. Won’t you try technology-free weekends with me?
  10. Kiss your cable bill goodbye!
    Cable is one of those bills that you don’t really need. Watching television is a time-suck. For those times that you need some movie escapism, see my article about free and legal ways to watch movies online!
  11. Rely on the library for books and entertainment
    The library is an often underused resource. People forget that libraries aren’t just for books! Libraries host programs, may collect DVDs and usually have free wi-fi! Need more ways the library can help you save money? Check it out! (Pun intended.)
  12. Say no to unnecessary crazy
    We’ve all got a little crazy in our lives. Don’t deny it. And much of our crazy is self-imposed. Learn to say no to things that aren’t important to you and get that unnecessary crazy out of your life!
  13. Keep a journal
    Writing things down, especially for me, is therapeutic. It lifts a weight off my shoulders to just write down everything I’m thinking and it helps me sort through choices or emotions. Try it next time you are feeling stressed out or you have to make a big decision.
  14. Recognize the stresses in your life & if possible, eliminate them
    Just merely recognizing the stresses in your life is a huge step in making your life easier. Once you recognize the stresses, you can combat them with relaxation techniques, or even better, you can try to eliminate the unnecessary stresses. Does your commute stress you out? Try to move closer to work. Does having a messy house stress you out? (It does me!) Set up a cleaning schedule.
  15. Decide to be happy with what you have
    Simply deciding to be happy can make you a happier person. You don’t have to have sunshine and rainbows all the time to just take a couple minutes each day to look around and name three things you are thankful for.
  16. Rent or buy a smaller home
    I’m a big proponent of living small. We do it everyday in our Airstream trailer. Living in a small space has actually made me much happier. We have less space to clean and we collect less junk!
  17. Research minimalism and let it inspire you
    I used to think more is more, but after reading about minimalist homes online and in books, I’ve become a convert. Minimalism doesn’t have to mean emptiness. I think of it more in terms of tidiness and cleanliness. People with minimalistic homes think about things before they bring them into their space. Their conscious of their choices and everything has a purpose. It’s totally inspiring.
  18. Stop making giant, unobtainable to-do lists
    (This list isn’t unobtainable because I know you can just do two or three of the items! You don’t have to do everything.) Major guilt here on this one. I always make these huge lists of to-dos that end up stressing me out and I never end up getting all the items on the list done. Instead of making these giant lists choose two or three things that absolutely need to get done that day and do those items.
  19. Cut down on your sugar intake
    Since my family has been having some health issues lately, I’ve been much more conscious of my diet. I already don’t eat gluten, but I know that I can always make my diet better, so I began to look at the amount of sugar I consumed. And I discovered that sugar is hidden in everything! In the past year I’ve slowly been weaning myself off sugar. It hasn’t been easy but it’s effected my mood greatly. Instead of feeling grouchy in the afternoon and after dinner when I needed my sugar fix, I’ve felt more energetic. And I’ve become very sensitive to sugar. Now foods with too much sugar taste bad to me. It’s nutty.
  20. Steer clear of chemicals
    Living with less and living a more natural life go hand in hand. I no longer have room for five different house cleaners, so I use my go-to cleaner, vinegar! And now I don’t have to worry about harmful chemicals in cleaners leaching out into my food.
  21. Learn the difference between need and want
    Learning the difference between need and want is so, so hard. I’m not going to deny it. I still struggle with it, but a few tactics have helped me. When I am about to buy something, I’ll take just a couple minutes to reflect on the item. I ask myself: Do I really need this? Am I going to feel guilty after purchasing this? Do I have room for this? Just doing that two minute reflection has helped me to learn the difference between wants and needs.
  22. Remember that no one is perfect
    We all slip up sometimes. We all fall of the savings bandwagon. And if you do, there are ways to get back on. Recognize that we all make mistakes. Blogs and websites are carefully curated and often they don’t show the humanity of the author’s life. We all have things we are dealing with, we all make mistakes, we all are imperfect. Remember that.
  23. Learn to let go of negative feelings
    Negative feelings clutter up our minds and often times, we buy things to make up for something. Maybe we’re trying to keep up with the Jones. Maybe we’re trying to just “fit in.” Don’t let those negative feelings wreak havoc on your wallet or your life. Learn to let go by meditating, journaling or taking those nature walks. Learn to let it go.
  24. Buy products that can do double-duty
    Always, always, always purchase products that can do double-duty. This is a space and money saver. Like I said before, vinegar can do quadruple duty. It’s a cleaner, de-greaser, you can wash your hair with it and you can use it in your barbecue!
  25. Collect experiences, not things
    And my favorite piece of advice is to collect experiences, not things. Things only give us temporary happiness. But when we think back to those happy experiences we had (like a dream vacation) we’ve got long-lasting happiness.

Got any ways to make life easier and save money at the same time? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

 

2014 Goals

I'm obsessed with moleskin planners.

I’m obsessed with moleskin planners.

Ya’ll probably know by now that I am obsessed with goal making. Just the process of setting goals makes me feel more productive and ready for… well… life. Making S.M.A.R.T. goals is the best way I’ve found to achieve my goals.

But this year was a bit different. Usually I’m pumped about making goals, but as I thought about what I wanted to achieve in the upcoming year, I got a little overwhelmed. I want so much! But instead of worrying about creating too many goals, I wrote each thing down that popped into my head. Maybe we’ll call them intentions instead of goals. 🙂

Writing down every.single.thing. that I wanted to accomplish was liberating. Brain dumps can be that way sometimes. I’m not going to share my goals here because the majority of them are too personal, but the goals ranged all the way from daily flossing to appreciating the everyday.

What are your goals for 2014? Share them with me in the comments!

love,
melanie

 

Things I Miss About Traditional Housing

Our untraditional home

Our untraditional home

I love living in an Airstream. It’s seriously one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, but it’s not all rainbows and butterflies either. Shelli, who blogs over at The Laughing Nanny and also lives in an Airstream, got me thinking about the things I miss about traditional housing. This list isn’t all inclusive, obv. On different days I miss different things. But here’s what I’ve been a missin’ most.

1. Long showers. The water heater in our Airstream is super small, so a lady only has time to shave one leg before the water turns cold. It’s not a luxurious situation. And at this point, a tub seems like a far away dream.

2. A big stove. We’ve made the best out of our cooking situation, but I still miss having four, fast, gas burners to heat up my food.

3. The ability to close off a space. Since we don’t really have any separate “rooms” in the Airstream, when I get up, George wakes up and when George want to stay awake at night, I have to stay awake. It’s been an adjustment to have to really adapt to each others’ schedules, but we’re making it work. (As Tim Gunn would say.)

4. House-chore free weekends. Before the Airstream, we rented, so we didn’t have to take care of home chores like painting, spraying for bugs or fixing appliances. We still have a super long to-do list and I’m pretty sure we always will have something to fix on the old Airstream. No more house chore-free weekends for us.

5. Closet space. Our closets are pretty much nonexistent. I miss being able to neatly fold my clothes and not have to fold them three times to jam them in an airplane-like overhead compartment.

I love being a negative Nancy but the things I miss about traditional housing, in no way out way the things I don’t miss.

Stay tuned for that post!

love,
melanie

 

Vacation time! Vacation time!

labor day weather forecastI am super pumped to be taking a mini vacation this weekend with George and some friends. We’re heading out to the beautiful Outer Banks of NC.  I haven’t been on a trip all summer. Actually, I don’t think we’ve even gone anywhere since our honeymoon. Life has been so nuts. We’re not taking the Airstream this time because our friend’s mom rented a house on the OBX. OBX is Outer Banks for the non-North Carolinans. 🙂 Learning something new everyday huh, folks? The weather is supposed to be perfect and I cannot wait to get a little time to relax.

Do you have plans for the labor day weekend?

Here’s hoping to a relaxing and refreshing weekend,
love,
melanie

 

Guest Posting and Goals

 

Pic courtesy of andthenwesaved.com

Pic courtesy of andthenwesaved.com

So, did you guys know I’ve been doing a little guest posting on other blogs? No? How would you know? I haven’t told you! Well, I have been doing a little guest posting on AndThenWeSaved, a personal finance blog. My first guest post went live earlier this week. It was a piece on how to save money on textbooks– something I’m totally passionate about. I hate to see students spend their hard-earned beer money on textbooks!

One of my blogging goals is to get out there more, do more guest posting and get my name noticed. I recently read that you aren’t supposed to tell people your goals because it makes you feel more accomplished than you really are. But I call BS! I think people are too secretive about dumb things like goals. Let’s all share our goals, talk about our dreams, plan them out and then carry them out with intention. It’s about empowerment, not secretiveness. It’s about being honest with our struggles and helping others through honesty and love.

What are some of your goals? How can I help you achieve those goals?

with love, intention and honesty,
melanie