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| Even when all we had was a porch, we still grew as much food as we could. |
If this is the worst economic meltdown since the last Great Depression, that means today is the best possible time to be living simply since the 1930s. Look at that - I found something to celebrate!
Will there be a repeat Great Depression in the 2020s? Some think so, by mid-decade or sooner.
I am an optimist, but I also want to be prepared for the worst possible pessimistic scenario.
Any way we go, it looks like the near future will be bad for expensive, debt-dependant, complicated and extravagant ways of living.
So how does one prepare for an impending economic depression? Simplify as much as possible starting right now.
Keeping life lean and efficient is an age old method to get by, used to great advantage by our ancestors for millions of years. If it wasn't as effective as it is, we might not be here today.
And if we don't adopt it now, we might not be here in the distant future.
The less baggage you have stacked on your travois, the more manageable traveling through this will be.
In that regard, here are a few suggestions that have worked for us over the years.
7 Simple Living Tips For the Next Great Depression
1) Possess only useful things. Get rid of as much of the other stuff as you can. Be ruthless - you will be surprised at how little stuff one needs to live a simple and enjoyable life.
2) Grow as much food as possible where you are at - roof tops, vacant lots, back yards, side yards, front yards, other people's yards, balconies, patios, window boxes, guerrilla gardening public spaces...
3) Cook for yourself, using basic, nutritious and economical whole ingredients. Learn to love beans, peas, lentils, rice, and other cheap protein sources that store well.
4) Do not take on more debt, and if possible, pay off debt already accumulated.
5) Use free morale boosters to transcend mere survival and provide respite from the challenges of the times. Things like singing and making music, or walking in the park.
6) Make what you can, repair what you can, do it yourself if you can, and do without it if you can. Cut out all waste, and learn new skills to improve self-sufficiency.
7) Help and love one another. Strong communities are resilient communities that thrive in all conditions.
Simplicity works in good times. But the great thing is, it works even better in challenging ones.
There probably has never been a better time to adopt the simple life than right now at this very moment.
Carpe simplicitism.
Great post. All is so true.
ReplyDeleteGood list. Remember that "useful" is up to the individual. Our stash of jigsaw puzzles (that we bought over time at the thrift store) may not be deemed useful by others, but to us they bring great joy as we don't mind doing them many times over. Same with my small stash of art supplies like colored pens, pencils, sketchbooks, etc. Simple and useful are a frame of mind - sipping lemonade on the back deck doing a jigsaw puzzle feels simple, useful, and happy to us. I do grow a garden on the deck and in the front yard - it's small but producing some good veggies to snack on, and I'm learning a lot. That's what it's all about. Hope everyone in the NBA community is safe and well. - Mary
ReplyDeleteIf something does work, keep it. Things that do no work, and only detract from your life, must go. Puzzles do work, and for me, I would also include art supplies.
DeleteIt is very satisfying to grow any amount of your own fresh food.
It sounds like you are doing well, and that is great.
Take care.
I remember the time my two-year-old found a stick and scratched around on a tough, old oak, perfectly content to examine the bark with her new tool. I never discouraged her simple loves. I grew up with parents who could make anything. It was inspiration, I suppose, for me and my siblings.
ReplyDelete