Simple Living Dividends

[Geila]

With all salons closed across the state, someone posted about how we'll finally know what everyone's hair color really is. And I thought how glad I am that I stopped coloring years ago. No roots to worry about! All my female friends and family color their gray, I'm the lone au naturale exception. Just one more small example of the many unexpected dividends of simple living. It reminded me of an old Seinfeld episode where newscasters are forced to forgo makeup and hair styling. It was pretty hilarious.

What are your pleasant recently discovered simple living dividends?

[Tammy]

I used cloth diapers and wash clothes for my babies. The same system will work in a post toilet paper world. 😄

[Geila]

I used cloth diapers and wash clothes for my babies. The same system will work in a post toilet paper world. 

:laff: I have lots of old sheets on hand plus fabric from my never-began sewing projects. Dividend #2! Thanks, Tammy. :D

[Teacher Terry]

The fact that I cannot get my hair cut and colored is the least of my worries at this point:((

[Tradd]

I stopped coloring my hair about 4 years ago. My hair is salt and pepper, with more silver at the front. I have a short cut, last done in Feb. I'm good for at least 2 more months.

Being used to amusing myself, mostly by reading and by listening to the radio, is a valuable skill at this time. I know people who are going out of their minds without being able to visit people.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Well if you wash them in the bathtub maybe, there is a limit to what I want to expose the shared apartment laundry to, no I just can't see it. The thing is sharing a lot of things, an apartment laundry not that I have the hookup for my own, exercise equiptment in the gym, public transportation although I only made so much use of it - I took it but not for my commute or anything (and it would be scary to rely on it now), seemed like a good idea once upon a time.

[razz]

My dividends include ample homemade salsa, stewed tomatoes, bread, frozen veggies/fruits and pickles from last year; homemade laundry detergent; classic style clothes that last for years; simple haircut that I can trim a little myself; simple minimal cosmetics; simple wants and needs that are easily met.

All that said, I confess that I am struggling with the loss of the rest of the MetoperaHD season, Stratford and Shaw Festivals where I have ordered tickets to see now cancelled shows, the cancelling of my cruise to Alaska...

Basically, I have a comfortable roof over my head, ample supplies of life's necessities, my cute little beagle for company, a garden to plan for, lots of safe walking spots and family and friends to talk to over the phone, Facetime or email. Lots more of valuable dividends than losses. Interesting thread to make on think.

[Tradd]

There has been a lot of discussion abut "family cloth" aka non-disposable toilet paper on several frugal places I frequent online.

I guess I would do it for number 1, but not for number 2. It's just me, and I have a washer/dryer in my apartment.

[nswef]

I've been using cloth for urine - a pea green washcloths, change them frequently and it has cut back on toilet paper use tremendously. Not sure about the cloth for bm's, but if diapers used to be soaked and washed, I suspect that could work. I'm hoping not to have to resort to that, but we have PLENTY of rags.

I miss the library the most.

[rosarugosa]

I feel bad for the people who find staying home such an ordeal. Home is my favorite place to be and boredom is never an issue.

[Tradd]

I’m itchy because it’s just about the beginning of dive season and I’m not sure when I’m going to be able to dive again!

[ApatheticNoMore]

If I knew I would be working from home, I would have got faster internet. The thing is I have slow cheap (and it IS much cheaper than anything faster about $23 a month) DSL because it's all I needed, didn't care about movies and videos etc. But I didn't know I'd be working from home, not only was that not a requirement, it was not an option, and pretty much never has been much anywhere. This is an anti-dividend. Why am I so cheap? :) It works but it could be faster.

I had some money to do some fairly minimal stock up, to buy groceries for 2 weeks at a time if I want etc.. That's mostly due to ok income (ok realies the stock up money was money I saved for some things I can't do now anyway!), I've never ever pretended one could really live with any sort of resilience without earning a decent income, hard as that may be to find sometimes.

[frugal-one]

If I knew I would be working from home, I would have got faster internet. The thing is I have slow cheap (and it IS much cheaper than anything faster about $23 a month) DSL because it's all I needed, didn't care about movies and videos etc. But I didn't know I'd be working from home, not only was that not a requirement, it was not an option, and pretty much never has been much anywhere. This is an anti-dividend. Why am I so cheap? :) It works but it could be faster.

I had some money to do some fairly minimal stock up, to buy groceries for 2 weeks at a time if I want etc.. That's mostly due to ok income (ok realies the stock up money was money I saved for some things I can't do now anyway!), I've never ever pretended one could really live with any sort of resilience without earning a decent income, hard as that may be to find sometimes.

Could or would you consider calling to get faster internet. The $ difference may be worth the aggravation????

[ApatheticNoMore]

Yes the thing is I suspect everyone is doing that now, as basically the whole area is on lockdown BY LAW, everyone who isn't considered essential (and whether we are unclear) is either working from home or out of a job, as work from home suddenly became the law last week, of course many companies moved to work from home sooner but we didn't really have plans to. So it might be awhile.

[rosarugosa]

ANM: It might be something they can do at the flip of a switch, so probably worth the aggravation of making the phone call. Just have a book handy for the inevitable lengthy hold time.

[kib]

I feel bad for the people who find staying home such an ordeal. Home is my favorite place to be and boredom is never an issue.It's nice that being a hermit is suddenly a virtuous activity and not evidence of sociopathy, isn't it? :~)

[pinkytoe]

I have never been one to waste things but resourcefulness is really kicking in. Washing the alum foil and freezer bags. Every piece of trash gets scrutinized to see if it might have another use. I am saving newspapers to make pots for seedlings. Saved the net lemon bag in case I need to make a scrubby for dishes. And so on...

[happystuff]

I have never been one to waste things but resourcefulness is really kicking in. Washing the alum foil and freezer bags. Every piece of trash gets scrutinized to see if it might have another use. I am saving newspapers to make pots for seedlings. Saved the net lemon bag in case I need to make a scrubby for dishes. And so on...

Good for you! Some family and friends used to laugh at me when I would cut the glued edges off of cereal bags and use as waxed paper. I think some of these little things are starting to be appreciated now.

I've also been trying to make sure that absolutely no food goes to waste. Someone brought us some apples yesterday that are just on the edge, will cut them up and put them on the dehydrator today. Same with some excess cabbage, etc.

[SteveinMN]

put [apples] on the dehydrator today. Same with some excess cabbage, etc.
Dehydrated cabbage? I'm intrigued....

[JaneV2.0]

It's nice that being a hermit is suddenly a virtuous activity and not evidence of sociopathy, isn't it? :~)

But most sociopaths really, really need other people--they need them to feed their egos and to exploit for personal gain.

[happystuff]

Dehydrated cabbage? I'm intrigued....

LOL. Yes, dehydrated cabbage. If shredded like in a coleslaw, it dries quickly, and I have reconstituted it for use in a "meat and cabbage pie" recipe with a degree of success. Simply chopped in chunks or long, thin cuts goes well in soups and stews.

[SteveinMN]

Thanks, happystuff. I don't believe I've ever heard about that before. Might be a handy thing to have around as a keto noodle substitute in a few different dishes... I have a dehydrator. I think I'll add cabbage to the grocery list.

[happystuff]

You're welcome. As with anything dehydrated, it's all in the reconstitution (when not eaten dried) - sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. LOL. Good luck.

[danna]

Yes, rosarugosa my home is my fave place to be!
Lots of things that we have been doing as part of our lives
are making this time a little easier!