View Full Version : What's the WILDEST thing you ever did as a result of these forums?
fidgiegirl
1-18-12, 6:31pm
Mine was replacing the hard drive in my former laptop by myself. Only 3 screws left over! :laff::laff::laff:
I never would have thought to do it if I hadn't brought the dilemma to the boards. I drug my feet for weeks leading up to it, scared that it wouldn't work at all. The tech guy at work helped me a ton, telling me what to order and finding the Apple technical manual to accomplish the job. In the end I did it, and got at least another year out of that laptop, enough time to save $$ for a new one just when the power adapter port pooped out (no repair possible - too old by then :laff:) and the old one had to go to happy laptop heaven.
How about you?
(And it doesn't have to be off the charts wild, just wild for you.)
Tried sharpening my disposal razor...I decided I can afford disposable razors, but I do use the same one for weeks.:0!
Kept reading threads here of political arguments against my better judgement!:)
Mighty Frugal
1-18-12, 9:30pm
Washed and reused my baggies
Quit my career in my early twenties to work part-time at a coffee shop, live on nothing and marry a man I had known for a month. Even though a lot of people here were a little worried for me about the marriage part, I still give SLN some credit there. This forum encouraged me to think for myself and examine my decisions based on very different criteria than I would have before finding this place. If I hadn't done that, I would probably have been scared off of making such a big decision so quickly. It's been 10 years since I left the job and almost 9 since I married Zach, and I am still very glad I had this place to encourage me.
Wildest thing?.....Hmmmm....I'm not very wild.
But, I went to part-time (32 hours/week) employment with 3 dependants.
We are fine. I save $1,000/month for college expenses, 9% of my income for my retirement.
We are fine.
gimmethesimplelife
1-18-12, 10:43pm
Quit my career in my early twenties to work part-time at a coffee shop, live on nothing and marry a man I had known for a month. Even though a lot of people here were a little worried for me about the marriage part, I still give SLN some credit there. This forum encouraged me to think for myself and examine my decisions based on very different criteria than I would have before finding this place. If I hadn't done that, I would probably have been scared off of making such a big decision so quickly. It's been 10 years since I left the job and almost 9 since I married Zach, and I am still very glad I had this place to encourage me.Wow, I love hearing stories like this! Congrats on making those big changes and I am glad they worked out for you.....Rob
This site played a big role in helping me get up the courage to quit my HSSJ about 5 years ago. I had a temporary transition plan in the form of a language fellowship for several months, but no clear job offer lined up after that. The universe smiled, a great job developed just as I was seriously starting to look, and I have been here and been very successful and happy for over 4 years now.
In 2009, when we were looking for apartments and worried about the price, people here were very encouraging. We didn't buy the most expensive/over the top one we looked at, and that turned out to be a good thing -- kitchen layout was a disaster in that one. We did buy one that I was worried was too expensive, but it turned out to be a very good investment both financially (has more than doubled in value in the past 3 years) and personally. The kitchen is a DREAM and I have loved making good use of it and developing my cooking skills/trying new foods.
Those are my biggies, but probably the bigger influence this site has had on me is in the small changes that have come in over time -- especially food and diet stuff, but also the support for family/relationship issues, financial matters, and workplace/career support. Love this place and the community/friends here.
lhamo
I went everywhere without makeup for a month! Now I just wear a bit of mascara and eyeliner and my skin thanks me. And I'm loving my homemade deodorant.
The can-do attitude and practicality here helped me change my flat tire without hesitation. I'm still kinda proud of myself that I did it; it was a bit physically difficult but definitely something I needed to know that I could do. Luckily it didn't happen at night on a highway during a rainstorm.
Get rid of hundreds of books. still sad. but not mad.
To boldly go where I hadn't dreamed of ever going before! As in, adopting (and putting to good use) so many of the insurmountable ideas, suggestions, and recommendations, put forth so kindly, so unselfishly, courtesy of the countless members who helped mould and fashion this forum into what it is today. Block-by-block, stone-by-stone.
(Regular, dedicated, active, involved members), who have always been so giving in the department of sharing their wealth of knowledge with all. True, honest-to-goodness, tried and true wealth, in it's rarest form, and it is that, proven, hands-on experience, guidance, and wealth, that keeps me coming back.
Wild? Maybe not, but daring and adventurous, yes, for it is was with the additional help and accompaniment of the members of this forum, that I was able to give up smoking.
iris lily
1-19-12, 12:04am
Kept reading threads here of political arguments against my better judgement!:)
ha ha ha! Well, it didn't kill you. I see we didn't convert you, either. shame, that.
iris lily
1-19-12, 12:07am
I cannot think of anything at the moment, but I will say that when I try something new and DH notices he will make a crack about "I suppose your little online friends are doing that."
First reduced from a two-car family to a one-car family, and now a NO car family!
I can't say I did this as a result of the forums, but the support was key when we made the decision that I would quit my job and stay home with our infant. DH was a PhD student at the time and we lived on a very tight budget for about 4 years. Also, I think that reading about minimalism and decluttering made it easier for me to get rid of a lot of stuff when we moved cross-country, which saved us a substantial amount of money.
happystuff
1-19-12, 7:31am
Not "wild" but certainly motivated by this forum... made and am still using my own sourdough starter! Plus, declutter stuff I thought I would hold onto for years, but... can't even remember what that stuff was!
I cannot think of anything at the moment, but I will say that when I try something new and DH notices he will make a crack about "I suppose your little online friends are doing that."
:)
Wow, I love hearing stories like this! Congrats on making those big changes and I am glad they worked out for you.....Rob
Thanks Rob! I can't imagine what my life would be like if I hadn't taken those leaps. I am so happy to have had this place as part of my life for so long.
I paid off every last dime of credit card debt for the first time in 25 years. Then I switched to a card that earns travel points and I use it but pay it in full every month. Not very wild on the surface, but I'm going to California in a couple of months (never been) almost free and in another year my goal is a trip to England.
Bastelmutti
1-19-12, 9:36am
Reading YMOYL made me realize I could choose to move back from overseas and go freelance (I had a HSSJ at that time, too) & finding these boards way back when reinforced that. I still have the same business! That was wild in the sense that it seemed dangerous to go from a "steady" job to an "unsteady" freelance career with a family to support, but it all worked out.
PS The thing furthest on the frugality spectrum was making laundry detergent - didn't work too well! And DH thought I was crazy. But most DIY things I try from here work great!
treehugger
1-19-12, 11:54am
Not "wild" but certainly motivated by this forum... made and am still using my own sourdough starter!
Well the yeast, at least, is wild. ;)
This is a great discussion topic, but I can't think of anything wild or even particularly interesting that I have done as a result of being a member here. I will keep thinking about it.
Kara
HappyHiker
1-19-12, 1:14pm
Hmmm, maybe moving 3000 miles from our home of 33 years, heading to a place yet unknown and undiscovered..and luckily, ending up in a wonderful and warm new community where husband and I are so content.
1) Buying a 30 year Treasury bond at 5%. Everyone IRL thought that was a loser because interest rates would only go up. It's nice to have that as a backup E-fund!
2) Paying ahead on our first house which almost everyone IRL said was a bad idea because "you can invest it in the stock market for better returns". We paid it off and are still in our 30s! This allowed me to feel that it would be OK to escape from Phoenix even without a job, but happily I got one that allowed the move sooner :-) And now we can afford the Phx mortgage even if renters aren't in it for awhile and even if rent minus mgmt fee is less than the mortgage. Even though the move to Phx was a bad decision for us at the time, we could have gotten way more mired down and not been able to escape without thinking of some of the principles of SL.
Turned down multiple job offers during a recession while waiting for the right opportunity. If it weren't for this forum, I never would have considered doing something as wild as not having (or wanting!) a normal 40 hr/wk job. My family (and most of my friends) still think I'm crazy! :D
This has been a fun thread to read. Clearly this forum has had some really strong impacts on people's lives. I know it has on mine.
Hmm, did our laundry by hand and at the laundromat since may until I felt comfortable getting the repair people to come out, instead of feeling pressured to repair before I was sure we could afford it.
and just felt good about my totally conservative approach to money that has kept us okay for longer than a lot of peole.
A biggie for me - selling my house and downsizing so that I could turn my planned 5-years-off-work-sabbatical into full time retirement at age 42! That and washing out my baggies :-)!
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