Why the SS life?

[prison break fan]

I've always worked much too hard to want to give my wages to T***o or Sainsbury! Don't even like saying the words! I was widowed when my children were very small so economy has played a large part in wanting to grow my own food. Knitting and sewing have always been hobbies, as has wine making. Having worked in several restaurants, never want to eat out! I could go on ------ pbf

[MikeM]

for me it's to be as free of the man as I can be. You can't rely upon him but you sure can rely upon yourself.

[JulieSherris]

I think for me, the main reason has to be that I just wanted to give up the 'keep up with the Jones'es' type of life.....

Sounds a bit shallow when it's typed, but last year we lived in Blackpool, deep in the holiday area, with all the pubs around us.... hubby was seriously heading for the nearest rehab clinic because of his addiction to alcohol, even though he never let it get in the way of work, it got in the way of everything else......

So, to compensate, you make sure that you have the best of everything around you - maybe to convince yourself that all is right with your life - even when it's so clearly not.

Growing up, my dear nan had the most wonderful garden & I always got involved, and summer hols were spent on a smallholding on the Isle of Wight - purely magical.

So when deciding what to do with our marriage last year, I had an idea of 'running away' - from the life we'd created, rather than from each other. First, we thought of scotland, but the work wasn't there for hubby... so when we looked at ireland, it seemed like it was going to work.
And we haven't looked back!
He's not been to a pub by himself for over a year... he has his 3 or 4 cans of guinness each night, but it's here at home - not spending 4 or 5 hours in the pub away from home..... he takes pride in what we have now - and it's nowhere near what we used to have!
Today he's spent the entire day moving turfs to the hayshed... I was hard pushed to get him to put the rubbish out last year!

And so THAT is why we have started on the SS life - to live a simpler life, TOGETHER....

And long may it continue
Julie x

[mamos]

What a fantastic story

I wish the both of you the very best of luck with the future

I know what you mean about the keeping up with the Joneses. We are becoming snobs in reverse at the moment and trying not to buy nice new shiny things just for the sake of having the latest thing or because it has a certain name on it.

I am really into cycling and it is the sort of sport where there is built in obsolescence at every turn. Each year the bike manufactures bring out the latest whiz bang thing that you just have to have and you wouldn't be seen dead on last years stuff. Luckily, I have never had the money to partake in the actual buying of such thingd but that did not stop me drooling over the latest catalogues and being envious. Then I discovered single speed cycling. I know it is the latest fad at the moment and every bike maker has jumped on the band wagon but the true spirit of single speeding is building your own bike up from scrap you find on ebay or better still the dump. It is great. I very rarely look at the bike catalogues now because there is very little in there I can use.

This weekend i bought a new bike. Well, I say new, it is probably older than I am but it is beautiful and I got it for £40. I was more excited getting that bike than I have in the past buying a £1000 bike.

Funny how things change

mamos

[MikeM]

Then I discovered single speed cycling. I know it is the latest fad at the moment and every bike maker has jumped on the band wagon but the true spirit of single speeding is building your own bike up from scrap you find on ebay or better still the dump. It is great. I very rarely look at the bike catalogues now because there is very little in there I can use.

what a great idea. My first job after leaving school (and just before joining the army) was assembling bikes for a little, bespoke bike maker. That sounds like something I could get right back into, if I ever have the time.

[JulieSherris]

Blimey, Mamos!
In our derelict cottage at the moment, sits a custom built Ribble Cycle..... it cost 3 times what we paid for our dear beloved Saab car, but hubby was into triathlon some years ago & when he bought it, he knew exactly what he wanted..... since being out here, he's ridden it about 5 times

There are also his & her mountain bikes - not wildly expensive, but I loved my bike in Blackpool - I could do 30 miles a day easily on the prom simply because it was mainly flat - there is NO WAY I am going out on my bike here in Ireland - it's dangerous enough in the car on these tiny country roads!

I'm undecided as to what to do with my bike though - I keep wanting to pop it on freecycle..... then hubby says about taking them with us when we go away, so we can bike together in the summer....
I shall wait till next summer - if I've not ridden it by then, then I guess I never will again.

Good luck with the bike building & also with the 'reverse Jones' concept - my MIL is coming to stay in 2 weeks for Xmas.... now, she really IS a Jones personality... I'm not sure she'll be very impressed with our new life here... she LOVED the new 4 bed 4 bath, all mod cons brand new-build house that we rented last year & took loads of pix to show to her friends. I don't think she'll be taking any pix this year!!

[mamos]

Don't sell your bikes. Unless they are a really good make you will not get that much for them. Better to keep them and use them

mamos

[eccentric_emma]

Thats true. we have a bike that only cost us a tenner from the freeads it barely gets used but suddenly we'll see something on freecycle that we'd like and OH hops on the bike and goes and gets it. definitely worth those very few usages as we dont have, or even need a car, except for those very rare times where we need to be somewhere in a hurry (and 9 times out of 10 the bike will do!)

[mamos]

Well my new/old bike is now fully refurbished and is ready for the road and because I have bits and bobs of bikes around the place it has cost me nothing over and above the £40 for the bike last weekend.

Probably worth 5 times what I paid for it now



mamos

[Flo]

Funny,for me it's the old thing about give me a child till he is 7 and I will show you the man.

I come from a reasonably self sufficient family and so I am.

[romie]

Hmm, we where discussing this the onther night

I'm very new to actually doing the SS life, but always had the need in the back of my mind
I think i've grown up, i've had an incredibly bad year had my life savings stolen off me by a superficial psychopath who spent approx £4k per month!!! but it's made me take stock

Now I'm soooo happy never felt this happy in years, so i'm going for my dream. the garden is all getting dug up for veggies and chickens, i re use everything i possibly can, i'm cutting down on general consumption, i've handmade most of my xmas pressies and i feel fab

[mamos]

Well done for coming out of such a negative situation in such a positive way

Plus you seem to have a dog that is twice as big as you

mamos

[romie]

Thank you

He's not quite as big as me

he's a pup and still growing!
He'll be useful pulling the barrow!

[linzibean]

I think it's several different reasons all combining for me. For one, I'm a bit of a hippy, and feel connected to the land, and like a Hobbit I like nothing better than working the earth!! Also, I grew up in a household where everything was crap convenience food, parents never grew a thing in their lives. I hated the way I grew up and as soon as I managed to get myself out from their shadow and living my own life, I made sure I grew as much as I could, cooked all my own food, and didn't waste energy, resources and food like they did!

Plus, hubby is a botanist, so we both have a love of things wot grow

[sleepyowl]

My dad had an allotment & my friends owned a farm so I have been around that kind of life a lot plus my mum used to knit & still makes her own clothes ( due to having an awkward build due to her disabilities