Written by Jimmie Burroughs
Most who live in the United States would be well placed to afford a great lifestyle, if they were just content living the simple life. From time to time a super rich person bears out the advantages of living simple. This week multi-millionaire Charles F. Feeney Demonstrates a noble way to spend excessive amounts of money and it is not by pouring on the luxury, living in multimillion dollar houses, driving expensive foreign vehicles, and definitely not by hoarding. Mr. Feeney owns neither a home nor a car and flies coach. His watch is one of those $15 roles like it is easy to get at Target.
This week the New York Times has revealed that the 80-year-old Charles F. Feeney is the donor who gave his alum, Cornell University, a $350 million donation to build a new technology-based satellite campus on Roosevelt Island in N. Y City. Yahoo reports says, “This donation is anticipated to generate an extra $1.4 bill in tax income for the city, plus 20,000 construction roles and as much as 30,000 new jobs once the facility is up and running.”
It is generally known that Mr. Feeney is not impressed with all of the things money can buy, but rather in what it can do to help those who require help. When asked for the reason why he made a decision to give so much cash away, he responded, “I simply decided I had enough money.” It is his plan to be totally bust by the time he dies.
What a large amount of folks are yet to realize is that the simple life can release a large amount of stress caused by trying to live above their means , and free up time to live instead of fighting attempting to earn more cash to buy more things. One of the Problems is that too many think they need to have a home that’s 3 times larger than they want and drive a new car, or perhaps two new cars.
Here are 5 strategies how you can live a stylish yet simple life:
(1). Purchase a house that just meets your needs and has a low monthly mortgage. Use easy techniques to make it classy, like today’s modern color schemes that you can create yourself. Furnish it with older used, solid wood furniture, which is a much better quality than today’s new furniture. Things do not have to look new to be stylish; some wear gives character. Look for bargains on drapes and curtains. Some truly good home decorator items, and even furniture, can often be found in garage sales or thrift stores. Don’t go too far by decorating your home with a lot of un-needed junk; make it simple and tasteful.
My home is around 3,000 sq. feet. It was a foreclosure when purchased and required some aesthetical repair. Over time it has been modified into a gorgeous home and the work was done by yours truly. Even in the down market it’s still worth 2 times the original cost.
(2). Save your cash and buy an older used automobile. If you shop smartly, it is easy to get a good car with numerous miles left to serve you. Even if you do have to invest some in some repair, it’s going to be much less than the enormous standard payments on a new auto. I purchased and paid money for a 5 years old Jeep Wrangler with 68 thousand miles; it looked great. Five years on I’m still driving it, still looks good, and the manufacturer’s price is close to the same as when bought. Hopefully it will last another 5 years. There’s only been one little repair bill. The Wrangler is especially viable for pulling behind the motor home when I travel; it pulls so straightforward.
(3). Shop wisely for your attire; the perfect time to buy is at the end of the season when it is possible to get them for at least 75% off the original price. Last year I purchased a beautiful unique sport shirt that originally listed for $98 for $12.99, and acquired a leather dress sport coat in July for a $132 that originally listed for over $300.
There was a time when purchasing used clothes would be out of the question, but now I frequent Goodwill. 2 dress shoes that looked brand new, that sold for around $350 on the internet, cost $7.99 at Goodwill. Levies jeans that look just the same as the ones that cost $50 new, cost $7.95. A new George Forman griddle cost $2.99.
(4). Buy some of your groceries at a discount grocery. The brands are not ones you’re familiar with, but you’ll find that sometimes they are even better than known brands, and the savings are good. The sole negative is that you’re going to. Doubtless have to go to the chain grocery also to fill all of your wants. An alternative way to save is by utilizing coupons. Customarily the Sunday paper or mail outs will give you the coupons you need. Read some of the informative articles on the Internet about using coupons.
(5). Today one of the huge expenses is for fuel for your auto. You are able to save yourself a lot of money and time by planning your journeys to make one, or two, or more stops with a single trip. Save energy at home by monitoring your thermostat closely. Keep doors closed and lights and appliances turned off when not required.
Conclusion:
This is in no way an exhaustive list of every way to simplify your life, but these mentioned are a selection of the major ones; this is a great way to start. When I got fed up with the rat race and made a decision to streamline my life, it took 2 years to get the job done. It’ll possibly take you a little time also.
If you have Visa card bills, or you are living in a home much above your means, and driving an auto with high monthly payments, it’ll take a little time to downsize and pay off your bills, but it’s going to be worth all your effort.
The simple life is a great and rewarding way to live. You may find the peace that things will never provide by including God in your life. He’s going to fill the gaps that you will have falsely thought material things would. Learn the way to invite God into your life.
Jimmie Burroughs has been involved in teaching Christian Personal Development off and on for more than 30 years. He is a dedicated disciple of Jesus Christ and considers helping others his calling in life. His website contains many articles on preparing yourself for success thru personal development.