Tag: frugal living

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Is Minimalism the Answer?

Over the last few months, I’ve been mulling over the idea of eliminating everything I own that serves no purpose. This of course is a lot of stuff.

If I’m to uphold the idea of living with purpose, then that means by extension that I don’t do things without purpose. At the very least, I shouldn’t partake in things that are detrimental to my purpose.

But what about things that are just fun? Can you live “with a purpose” without every single thing you do affected by it? Does your purpose interact with your recreation time? Should you even have recreation time to begin with?

So with great trepidation, let us descend into the depths of the question: Is it okay for devoted, purpose-driven Christians to own stuff for having fun?

The simple answer, of course, is “it depends.” God is not opposed to people having fun. God is, however, opposed to people being self-centered and putting other things before Him.

I don’t think most Christians want to deliberately disobey God. But we are very good at making excuses for doing things we like, even when we know it’s wrong.

And what’s more, there is a never-ending stream of people who will tell you how you can’t have fun, or at the very least, try to tell you how you’re allowed to enjoy yourself.

I don’t want to be either one of those people: not a killjoy, and not making excuses. I want the truth. What does God expect of me? Continue reading “Is Minimalism the Answer?”

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Building A 2-Wheeled Urban Assault Vehicle: Part 1

As I’ve written about many times, cycling is a great way to get fit and be practical at the same time. The toughest part will be getting your human-powered Urban Assault Vehicle ready for action. But fear not! We aren’t going into uncharted territory. In fact, I’m going to show you just how easy it can be to build the Ultimate Pavement Bomber, on a budget.

Start With A Bike

Do you already own a bike? Good. You’re better off than most people. Chances are you’ve got one of these three types of bikes:

  • Mountain Bike – fat/knobby tires, flat handlebar, possibly suspension fork and frame
  • Hybrid – skinny tires, flat handlebar, usually a suspension fork
  • Cruiser – fat tires, swept back bars, usually 1 speed (not always)

Any one of them can be pressed into service, with a few tweaks. If you already own a drop-bar road bike, then you’re pretty much there. Hybrids are awesome for shorter trips (less than 20 miles) because the upright riding position is good for visibility in traffic, but longer rides can be hard when you’ve only got one position to put your hands in.

Let’s assume the bike is in decent working shape: brakes and gears are adjusted and working, no loose hardware, and the bike is roughly the right size for you. If you have one of these rare unicorns, consider yourself blessed. If your bike needs work, then spend some time on Youtube learning how to adjust it, or bring it to a bike shop and have them do it for you (I recommend learning it yourself, for obvious reasons). Once your bike is in good working condition, it’s time to make its conversion to the dark side complete!
Continue reading “Building A 2-Wheeled Urban Assault Vehicle: Part 1”

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The Things I Want Are Not Things

(This article was originally written in July, on the 3 year mark from my accident.)

Today is the first time in a long, long time that I’ve been in any kind of pain. Normally, my surgical implants don’t bother me much. Every now and then I might get a twinge, and the scars itch a lot. But I haven’t had real pain from it in probably a year.

My work schedule is very sporadic. I spend most of the year doing documentation, gearing up for that short run where we go into production for a few months. We’re in that production run now, and I’m spending 11 hours a day on my feet, running around helping people. I actually like my job, quite a bit, and I like to think I’m pretty good at it.

But regardless, I didn’t wake up one morning and decide “Hey, I want to become a technical writer for a farm equipment factory.” It’s a job. I ended up here by the grace of God, and I’m thankful for what it provides me.

But in the end, it’s just a job. It’s not my life’s calling, any further than I’m called to provide for my family. Continue reading “The Things I Want Are Not Things”

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The Myth Of “Abundant Life”

“Abundant Life” as we’ve been taught it, by the modern Church, is a myth.

If you’ve ever heard someone say “God has blessed me with a new _____! He’s given me life more abundantly!” then you’ve been exposed to the lie. In today’s climate of soft theology and relativism, this kind of thinking is rampant, it’s destructive, and it’s wrong.

I debated on whether to even write this, as it’s a hard topic to swallow. Take, for instance, my article on Technology In the Church. I knew as I was writing it that it would ruffle some feathers, because it clearly calls out believers to put their money where they claim their faith is. That makes people uncomfortable. But I’m okay with making people uncomfortable.

The Christian life is not about human comfort. If it were, we could discard the entire book of Job. Or Acts. Or the Gospels. Or pretty much the whole Bible. In the book of Job, the Bible says Job was righteous in every way, and yet God allowed him to be afflicted. All throughout the Bible, there are stories of righteous people suffering and enduring hardship. The thorn in Paul’s side. Lazarus’ death. Job. King David. The disciples. Even Jesus himself.

If God were in fact trying to make everyone comfortable, then what would the point of that be? We know God doesn’t change. We know God allows suffering in righteous people. Therefore, it is wrong for us to assume God wants us to be comfortable. Comfort does not honor God. He allows us to be comfortable, in the same way he allows us to endure suffering. To God, it’s just a part of life, not the goal in and of itself. It’s not a reward for being “good enough.”

“But doesn’t God want me to be happy?” Continue reading “The Myth Of “Abundant Life””

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Some Things Money Can’t Buy

I don’t rant very often, and most people who know me would say I’m a very laid-back guy (some people say if I were any more laid back, I wouldn’t have a pulse). But sometimes, my cynical side thinks bad things about expensive bikes, and snobbish cyclists… and I have to take a long, hard look at what I really enjoy about riding a bike.

I like real casual group rides, the kind where they might stop for donuts and coffee. I’m not interested in Snagging a Strava KOM. I like hanging with my buds, getting lost and finding new trails and roads. I’m the guy who shows up to group rides in baggy shorts and a 35 year old Raleigh, and proceeds to ride whenever, wherever. My jersey pockets aren’t stuffed with Blok Shots, probably just bananas, PB&J and some trail mix in my panniers.

I’ll admit it, I’m tempted to over-think cycling, and so are a lot of other people. But at the end of the day, I don’t need a bunch of stuff to enjoy cycling. That’s part of why I started riding to work. I didn’t want to just ride as a hobby. I wanted it to be a normal part of my life, like breathing, or eating. I wanted to make a difference in the world, and a change in my life.

And I think, overall, I’ve accomplished that. I’ll admit it, my bikes are heavy, mostly cheap, and cobbled together from spare parts. Even if I were concerned about weight, I couldn’t spend serious coin on a bicycle. And I’m here to tell you you don’t have to. I’ve been around long enough to know what you ride isn’t as important as how much you ride. And even that pales in comparison to how much you love to ride. I will always have respect for someone who puts down big miles, especially if they do it on a cheap/heavy bike. Bonus points if you built the bike yourself. Don’t think that you have to have to lay out a lot of money to have a decent commuter bike. Usually, you can use what you have already, and just add to it as you go.

This is how I got started, with a cheap bike. Continue reading “Some Things Money Can’t Buy”

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Saving Money The Hard Way

Every now and then, stuff breaks. That’s shocking, I know, right? But it does. It might be your clothes dryer, your car, your TV, or who knows what. Sometimes you can fix these things, and sometimes you can’t. But if you can take the time to learn how to fix things, it’s worth the time invested! let me explain.

If you have, let’s say a car, that snapped a timing belt. Well, the first thing you do is make sure it’s the timing belt. Do you know how to check the timing belt on your car? Do you even know what a timing belt is? Time to learn. Go go Google and find out.

Then, you need to know if a timing belt something you can replace on your own. Sometimes a snapped timing belt will destroy an engine… sometimes it won’t. It depends on whether the engine is an interference design or not. If it’s not, then chances are there’s no serious damage. Do some research and find out!

If your engine isn’t an interference engine, and you know it’s the timing belt that went out, then you’re in luck! You can probably fix it yourself, for less than $50. It will just take some research, and about 5 hours or so. Chances are your car would be in the shop more than 5 hours, so overall, this isn’t bad.

Yes, the photo in this post is me changing a timing belt. I already had the tools, but tools can be borrowed (usually for free from an auto parts store) and information can be learned. It’s not that bad.

The real thing I want people (that means you, reader!) to understand is that it’s not as hard to fix things as you’d think. Some people say “I don’t have the mechanical aptitude to fix anything!” but I don’t believe that. There are tons of articles and videos on the internet that can walk you through it, step-by-step. You can save thousands of dollars this way! I’m not trying to stiff mechanics and repairmen, but let’s be honest, their time isn’t cheap. Most repairs aren’t that hard.

Don’t be afraid to do some research on your problem to figure it out for yourself. The added bonus is, once you’ve learned how to fix something, that’s a permanent skill! If you keep adding to your list of skills, eventually you will be confident enough to tackle jobs you never thought you could.

This is how I got started in frugal mechanics… out of necessity. Now I do it because I can, and the long-term benefits are well worth it!

What are some things you’ve accomplished that you never thought you could tackle?

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The Story of Stuff

Sad reality check of the day: we have too much stuff. Specifically, *I* have too much stuff. I’m preparing myself for a massive personal minimizing, and hopefully, it will help motivate my family to do the same. You can believe what you want about ecology and conservation, but I definitely agree we’re consuming too much, and I’m going to start with myself.

If you remember my post on the difference between Minimizing, Frugality, and Simplicity, you’ll remember “Simplicity” is our goal, not just getting rid of everything… minimizing is just a means to an end. Once I’ve de-cluttered my surroundings, I can focus on what’s important… family, music, and writing.

I’m going to try to document stuff as I get rid of it, and possibly will use the Ebay Mobile app to get rid of the more, um… “interesting” bits of hardware I have laying around.

Lastly, here’s an interesting video to get you thinking about all our “stuff.”

[youtube_sc url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW_7i6T_H78″ autohide=”1″]

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Thoughts On Technology In Worship

If you’ve never heard of it, there’s this new thing in churches called Environmental Projection. There’s a new company dedicated to expanding worship spaces using- you guessed it- projectors. This is just the latest in a long line of technology-driven “improvements” in worship services.

My initial reaction to this was disbelief, then understanding, then skepticism. I totally understand why it works, and I think it’s extremely cool. But deep down, I’m very cautious of things that we add to the worship service just to make it “more appealing.” Now, before you think I’m a fool, I don’t mean we should try to make the service unappealing. We’re not Franciscan monks. This does bring up a very valid point of discussion, however, and I’d like to indulge in it. There are generally two lines of thought on this. One, we should use whatever means possible to reach the lost and bring people closer to God. This is hard to argue, and with newer technology, it’s getting more and more prevalent. There are even Seminary degrees for Church Media Arts.

The flip side to this is that it is very easy for things like beautiful sanctuaries, large orchestras, feel-good preaching, and so forth to take the focus away from God and His message. If you can only worship in a sanctuary with 360° projectors, a full orchestra, and nice padded seats, then are you worshipping God, or something else? Are we including new technology to reach the lost, or are we simply catering to a specific crowd? Honestly, I don’t really think churches are using technology to “Reach people” as much as they are using it to satiate their existing membership (or woo other churches’ members).

*Disclaimer* I am a born-again techno-geek Renaissance Man. I love technology and the possibilities it brings. I’m also a Bible-believing man, who recognizes God, and more specifically, God personified in the form of Jesus Christ. I like technology, but I also understand that it is simply a tool, a means to an end, not an end in and of itself. I do not believe in technology for its own sake! Everything should have a purpose, and apart from that, it is by definition unnecessary.

So where do I stand on this? Where should the Church stand on this? Well, I wish it were simple, but there’s a few things to consider. Continue reading “Thoughts On Technology In Worship”

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Stick To What You Know, A.K.A. “Less Is More”

Life is funny. Since Google shut down their RSS Reader feed, I discovered RSS is a pretty slick way to compile and review bunches of excellent blogs. I didn’t even know what the fuss was about until I heard all these people complaining about how convenient it was, so naturally, my curiosity got the better of me.

I started following all kinds of blogs, from friends and people I respected. As I looked through my list last night, I discovered most of them have a common thread. This caught me off-guard at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew why. They almost all have something to do with non-traditional living.

So what does this have to do with me?

Well, I have a blog, too (shocking, I know). What good is it if I just post occasional rantings here? A few people like reading what I write, but it’s not doing much other than that. What if I could combine all the things I have experience with in ways people could actually use, and then post them up here to help other people get to where I’m at?

Well, yeah, that’s a no-brainer. I’ve already got a few articles on how to do things, but I haven’t tied them in to anything specific. I’ve just been posting whatever comes off the top of my head, which sometimes is interesting, and sometimes isn’t.

So starting today, I’m going to start tying all these things together with a common thread: living a non-traditional, debt-free Godly life, and using that freedom to turn around and bless other people, because that’s what God wants His followers to do.

Let’s face it. Who wouldn’t want to donate thousands of dollars to charities? I mean good charities, not the ones that are business cover-ups. Who wouldn’t feel great about being able to genuinely help people who need it? But most people don’t, because they allowed themselves to get to a place where they spend everything they have, and nothing is left over.

I’m here to tell you that there’s no reason you can’t retire early with what you’re making now, and spend the rest of your life doing whatever the heck you want to. All it takes is lowering your cost of living to the point where you can put a decent amount into a retirement fund, and then work a little while and let it build up.

Spend less, save more. Sounds easy, right?

It works exactly like losing weight (which I’ve also done). Your calorie intake has to be less than your output, or you will never- I repeat, never- lose weight.

“But that’s uncomfortable!” you say. “Why can’t I eat and spend what I want?” Well, you can. But you won’t lose weight, and you won’t become free from debt. You choose.

Still with me? Okay, this is where it gets interesting. I’m here to help you find ways to do more with less, using stuff I have experience with. We’re going to lay out a few things you’ll need on your journey to “Less Is More.” Almost everything I’m going to recommend is either free, or ridiculously cheap.

Resources You Should Be Reading

You can’t change your life without at least a little direction. If you’re serious about wanting to change your life for the better, you should start by reading Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover. (Here’s a hint: borrow it for free from the library!) Dave breaks it down into seven “Baby Steps” but you shouldn’t be discouraged. This is how I got started!

The basics, for Those Who Can’t Wait:

  1. Save $1000 for emergencies. Do what it takes to get there*, and don’t touch it!!
  2. Snowball your debt, i.e. pay off the smallest debt you have**, then move on to the next biggest one until they are all gone.
  3. Once your debt is gone, use the money you saved from credit payments to save 6 month’s of income in the bank.
  4. One that’s done, invest at least 15% into your 401K and/or a Roth IRA***
  5. College Funds for Children. This is optional.
  6. Pay off your mortgage. Without dropping your retirement investments****
  7. Build wealth and give. This isn’t really a step, per se, it is the goal!

*If you can’t save $1000, then lower your cost of living until you can.
**If you can’t pay off the smallest debt, lower your cost of living until you can.
***If you can’t invest 15% into retirement, lower your cost of living until you can.
****If you can’t put money down on the principal of your mortgage, well… you know.

Seriously, it’s a very simple equation. Money in > money out. If you can’t increase your money income, then lower your money output. It’s just that simple.

“Ah!” you say with a frown. “I can’t lower my standard of living!”

Well, yes you can, unless you’re already homeless. You just don’t want to. But you do want to be debt-free, right? Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to work until you’re 75, and then pass on debt to your kids?

“Sure, doesn’t everybody?” you say.

Right. But what are you willing to give up now in order to be able to do that later? Cable TV? Hobbies? Eating out? Designer clothes? New cars? Chances are you have at least one of those things. If you do, and you’re still in debt, you should stop right now and think. There are tons of websites and blogs to give you ideas as to how to save money.

I can see you’re upset, so I’m going to just leave you with these words…

Less is More.