Can I Live Without This?

But Wait! Order Today and . . .

This is a simple question I ask myself every time I go into Costco, Walmart, Kohl's and other stores I patronize. I ask the same question as I read all the product "newsletters" I receive from Rakuten (Buy.com), New Egg, Sweetwater, B&H Photo, BSW (Broadcast Supply Warehouse), Kohl's, Ben's Bargains, etc. that I receive on line. The same question applies as I glance through numerous magazines and other periodicals from my various areas of interest. And, of course, there is the incessant pounding from the TV home shopping networks and the commercials and infomercials on most TV channels and even Sirius satellite radio channels.

"But, wait! Order today and we'll double your order and send you two chartreuse, endlessly expandable, unbreakable, lifetime warranty muffler bearings for your Formula Go Cart Racer just pay separate shipping and handling of $495.00 each.

Blah! Blah! Blah! It never stops. It's called sales. It's the action part of marketing. Yes! They are actually separate functions. You are being sold something constantly - even those, ever more, frequent pleading and begging pledge drives for public television and public radio is simply another form of selling.

One has to wonder how the entire world, at least in the U.S. and some of the other developed First World countries aren't all blithering idiots. Then again . . . maybe they are. If they weren't our houses, apartments, businesses, caves, whatever, wouldn't be full of so much stuff we need to keep looking for larger places to live. Well, more accurately we should say more accurate places to "warehouse."

The Jolly German Elf

Over this past weekend I watched (walking through the living room of my friend's home) a jolly, stout, German man, with a cute German accent, sell upwards of $5,000,000 + of his namesake, Wolfgang Puck, stainless steel cookware and pressure cookers in two days by incessantly jabbering, along with the host of the various time slots, about his cookware while performing a sort of cooking vaudeville act. Please understand, I didn't watch him all day. I would have ended up sitting in a corner with my eyes rolling in my sockets, twiddling my thumbs and drooling all over myself. I only caught him in small increments as I passed by the TV. And, (thank God) he wasn't actually on continuously, just for an hour or two at a time, multiple times throughout the two days.

There was a counter at the bottom of the screen keeping a tally of the number of these items sold and it just kept going up and up. The supposed retail price of this set of cookware is $412.00, but it sold on Saturday for $199.99 and on Sunday for $249.99. The pressure cooker was $99.99 but was probably close to a $200.00 retail price. Now, it's not that this cookware isn't good. I know first hand that it is. My friend bought a set of it several months ago and I've used it.

The point is more than 15,000 people bought this through the incessant pounding away at their "reptilian" brains. But, you say, 15,000 is only a tiny number with respect to the fact that perhaps, millions of viewers will be tuned in at any given time during the day. My question is simply this, were these 15,000+ people not cooking before they saw this cookware on TV? Again, I know for a fact that my friend has at least (that I've seen) three sets of cookware - two before she bought Wolfgang's. 

Can I Live Without This?

That is a question I started asking myself about ten years ago. You see, I have been involved in both the marketing process and the sales process most of my life, even when I was a newspaper boy at age 12. While I'm far from the greatest marketing guru or salesman, I have read and studied the fields, attended seminars and workshops and have learned from the best.

But, let me tell you that I am no better than anyone else. I have bought so much stuff during my lifetime that I could have lived without very well, thank you very much. But, I, like the people who watch the home shopping networks or fill up their shopping carts with thing that aren't on their shopping list of needs, have been there. I've succumbed to the sales pitch - whether live, print, TV, radio, whatever.

I was living in a house including a partial basement, a two car garage and a small storage area in a small barn totaling about 3,000 square feet. I was single, basically occupying a single room, the master bedroom that I had turned into a sort of "studio apartment" and the house was FULL. Believe it or not, I was getting claustrophobic. When I'm traveling now, I have my 50 square feet of living space (with all the storage I need included in that area) and I never feel claustrophobic.

I finally learned, as I noted, about 10 years ago that I really didn't need all the stuff I had, yet I kept accumulating more. Yes! Our capitalistic society is based on consumers consuming stuff. But, consuming means using it up. We just keep getting more, never using up much of what we already have and adding to it.

I finally began asking myself the simple five word sentence, "Can I live without this?" Invariably, when I took the time to ask that question and was honest with myself, I realized I could live without whatever it is.

It took a while to make that a habit. Now, that question is the first thing that crosses my mind when I see something that catches my eye. It's very easy to just grab things or order things because at the moment, it seems the right thing to do. But, I've found that maybe I began rationalizing a "supposed need" for a particular item because it was on sale. Now I'll say, let me think about it for a couple days. Well, the days come and go and the real need never materializes.

Some people buy things they don't need just because they are a bargain. So, I say to that, you see a size 4 bathing suit at a super bargain price, but you wear a size 12, so you'll buy the size 4 bathing suit just because it's a bargain? Or you see a dump truck for sale and it's a real bargain, but you're not in the dump truck business. So, you'll buy the dump truck anyway, because it's a bargain? Believe it or not, I've heard people attempt to rationalize that kind of mentality.

Will the economy crash because you don't buy everything some fancy salesperson or ad campaign waves in front of you? Absolutely not because you will be in the minority of people thinking straight and the other 14,999 people will buy that Wolfgang Puck cookware.

Two Go Out For Every One Brought In

Here's another idea for you. I know people who do this very well. Before they bring any new item into their home, business or life they must divest themselves of two items they are no longer using, are worn out, depleted or are surplus to their needs.

I've even heard of people who have parties and tell their guests they have to take two items home with them from a selection of "stuff" the host has set out for the guests to select from. What a great idea. The host gets to downsize and get rid of stuff and the guests, who still crave having more stuff get it at no cost.

Everyone wins, more or less (well, actually the host wins).

The Ultimate Snow er, Sales Job

Let me make a couple final points.

Think about this. I read an interview with one of the former "hosts" for HSN or QVC, the two main TV shopping networks. He said when he went to audition for the job, a producer handed him a regular, yellow, No. 2 pencil with an eraser at one end and said, "Tell me about this pencil for ten minutes." If you never have, tune into one of the TV shopping networks sometime and just imagine the host blathering on and on about that No. 2 pencil, because that's exactly what he or she is doing.

Here's my second point and it's another thing to ponder regarding the power of sales and marketing. After you read this, regardless of where you stand, honestly ask yourself - Why?

Imagine placing a person into a very high level and extremely powerful position. This person has a sketchy background, some of which doesn't seem to make sense. The person came from a somewhat strange heritage, also. The person is supposedly highly educated, yet you can't examine his or her educational credentials. The person never held a real job based on his or her profession as most people define jobs but dabbled in a few areas including teaching. The person managed to get him or her self into one position of power and authority, but never did anything truly remarkable, memorable or all that effective and left before completing the third term of that assignment. The person left the first assignment incomplete to take on another position of even higher power and authority where he or she also did nothing remarkable, memorable or effective and left the position early to take on the ultimate position of power and authority. This person, by many people's estimation, has either been ineffective or possibly made things worse during his or her tenure.

I am, of course, talking of the current President of the United States. Now, to be sure, he is not the first and only POTUS of questionable credentials (in my personal opinion) to attain this position of, arguably, the most powerful head of state in the world. But, consider that few knew much about him (and still don't) before he was elected to the office. Also, consider that he has associated at various times with people of very questionable character. Additionally, he never served in any manner in any military capacity (not that every past president has), yet he's the Commander-in-Chief of the largest, most powerful and expensive military force in the world with control over massive numbers of weapons of mass destruction.

How did he achieve this?

This is the power of Sales and Marketing. Whether orchestrated by himself or someone behind him, there was a massive power of defining the market and it's several facets, then focusing extremely targeted sales pitches designed to persuade and to sell to those who were persuaded, if you will, the product named Barrack Obama to a large enough part of the market to take home the prize.

It's really not all that different from selling Wolfgang Puck's stainless steel cookware to people who already had some kind of cookware and then taking home his prize - the profits. In both cases, they pitched it and made us believe we couldn't live without the product.

Any questions? Can you live without (whatever) it (is)? I've learned to and I'm happier and freer because I did. 

R.I.P. Mork, Patch, Adrian, Mrs. Doubtfire . . .

I am, of course, addressing only a few of the characters portrayed by the late Robin Williams. Yes! Rest in peace, Robin!

Tonight, the world learned of the passing, apparently by his own hand, of this entertainment genius. I'm not going to make this a long, maudlin discussion of his life, his talent, his characters, TV shows, stage performances and movies, his humanity or philanthropy. All the news channels and entertainment shows are and will continue to do an excellent, over the top job of that.

What I want to make note of is the Demon that took his life at the young age of 63. That demon has a name and that name is Depression.

I am, personally, well acquainted with this horrific affliction. I, myself, have experienced some depressive states from time to time over my life, so I have a limited knowledge and understanding of the despair and darkness that depression can drag someone into. But, on an even more serious level, my father suffered from depression. I was a senior in college, having not quite attained the age of 22, when my father apparently found himself in a similar place as Robin Williams did today. Unfortunately, my father didn't even make it to 63, he took his life at 42.

Devastation

I cannot begin to describe the devastation my father's suicide caused for our family, his friends, professional colleagues and me, in particular. The causes of his dive into the depth of despair were likely several. Unfortunately, those who were left behind are scarred for the rest of our lives, ever wondering why we didn't see it coming and what we could have done to prevent it. But, there is never an answer.

So, here is what I'm saying to you, my loyal readers, and to those who may find this blog someday in the future and read this article, be aware for yourself, your family, friends and colleagues. Depression is often genetic, so if someone in your direct family bloodline suffered from depression and/or hurt himself or herself or took his or her own life, talk with your doctor about it. Depression is very stealthy. You may not even realize you are dealing with it, perhaps, until it's too late.

If you have a family member, friend or colleague you suspect may be dealing with some depressive demons, talk to them. Be a friend. Suggest they bring it up with their regular primary care physician. Physicians can do some tests to rule out things it probably isn't before considering that a person may be dealing with depression.

Preventive Action

Do everything you can to prevent your life from dragging you into the pit of despair. We live in a very stressful, complicated, often unfair world. There is a lot of negative all around. The news and talk shows and many of the TV crime and drama shows as well as movies proffer this negativity 24 hours a day. While this stuff may be reality, it doesn't have to be your daily reality.

There is so much to love about life. Watching your kids or grandkids growing up if you have any. Enjoying time with your spouse, if you're married, as well as family and friends. Exploring hobbies. Learning new things. Experiencing the beauty of nature, places of interest and meeting new people, whether locally or through extended travel to new places. Volunteering to help in any of many ways, the disadvantaged, disabled and hurting people in your community or around the world. Get involved in the arts - whether theater, performing in a choir or something else. If your job or occupation is bringing you down or stifling your life, consider what you'd have to do to change to something you'd be attuned to and love doing.

Be A Friend

Tell your loved ones that you love them. Call distant family members and just say you were thinking about them and wanted to let them know. Call friends, those you regularly see and/or talk with, but especially those you don't see very often or perhaps for years or decades, and tell them you were thinking about them. Smile as much as you can. Try to make others smile regardless of their relationship to you or their station in life as a clerk in a store, a ticket agent at the airport, the receptionist at your doctor's office, etc. Attempt to make everyone you come in contact with each day feel just a little better because you spoke on the phone or crossed paths. You may lift them out of a little depression, but you'll do yourself a world of good at the same time.

There is ALWAYS a Way

Finally, remember, there is ALWAYS a way out of the darkness. There is always someone you can talk to who cares. I'm here and I care. Email me and let me help you find some light. Even when you don't believe anyone loves you, believe me, there is someone, just reach out. Whether you have a strong religious faith or not, there is something bigger than any of us and you were born into this world for a reason. You are needed. Learn to let go of negativity. Learn what it will take to live free and find the happiness and contentment you seek. It's there. I know.     

Enough Is Too Much

I'm sure you reached a point of frustration at some time during your life when you just threw your hands up and declared, "Enough is enough!" Everyone reaches that point at least once, if not multiple times during his or her life.

But, let me pose this question . . .

When does enough become too much?

Here is what I mean and I'll use a series of questions to make my point.

How long does it take until you have accumulated "enough" stuff that it becomes too much and begins to weigh you down emotionally, psychologically, physically, spiritually and financially?

How long does it take for you to stay in a job you dislike or despise "enough" that you'll tell your boss "to take this job and shove it?"

How long does it take until you spend "enough" time on the Internet or glued to the TV screen watching sports or pulp TV content or even news programs living vicariously through other people's lives when it doesn't add anything to your life, but is likely detracting from your life?

How long does it take for you to realize a relationship is toxic "enough" to have a negative impact on your emotional, psychological, financial and/or physical condition?

How long does it take for you to realize you've given up "enough" of your life to meet everyone else's expectations and demands that you've never lived up to or met your own personal expectations and dreams?

How long does it take to accept that there is only "enough" time and "enough" of yourself to serve one master . . . one captain of your own destiny?

How long does it take to reach the point when your finally realize that "enough is too much?"

We ALL Reach The Same Destination At The End Of Life's Journey.

It doesn't matter whether you, like me, were fortunate enough to be born in the United States of America or any other country considered a "Western" or "Developed" country or you were born in a small, primitive village somewhere in Asia, Africa, South America, some small island nation in the Pacific or Caribbean or any other undeveloped or underdeveloped place in the world. Your basic needs are the same as every other human on the planet. You need food, water, shelter and a sense of security from prevailing danger. We were all born with nothing and we'll take nothing with us when we leave except our memories.

The areas we, as individuals and societies, differ in begin with the "wants." The wants of a person in some small, remote primitive village might be a bright, yellow Hanes Beefy-T shirt or maybe a basic pair of, what we used to call, sneakers. Meanwhile, your wants might be a bright, yellow Ralph Lauren polo shirt or a pair of Air Jordan's. If you're a woman, similar comparisons apply. Depending on the part of the world, you may want a mule, horse or camel for your transportation. In the developed world that might translate to a hot Mustang, Camaro or a tricked out SUV.

The point is simple. The people in the undeveloped or underdeveloped societies needs are the same as yours, but their wants are much more modest. The wants in the developed world are much more extravagant. Not only are the wants more extravagant, but there seems to be an insatiable desire to accumulate more and more of these "wants" requiring more and more space to store it when one tires of it and moves on to something else.

Luxuries is another completely different category. A luxury for someone in an undeveloped society might be to have a dwelling of their own with perhaps three or four rooms and some kind of simple indoor toilet facility. This dwelling would be for only the immediate family. The parents, grandparents, siblings and grandchildren would live somewhere else.

You may feel a need for 5,000 to 50,000 sq. ft. with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, special areas for entertaining, gaming, exercising, tinkering, playing and even indoor swimming pools, Jacuzzis, bowling alleys and theaters with surround sound. And let's not forget the multiple vehicle garages filled with Mercedes, Ferrari roadsters, Hummer H2's and a variety of exotic motorcycles.

WHY?

Why the great disparity between the wants and luxuries of the undeveloped societies and your (my) developed society? The answer is actually pretty simple.

Because you can and they can't. It's really no different than that simple statement.

Why do you want all this "stuff?" Again, the answers are simple. First, because you see others with it and you want to keep up with the Jones's (or Vanderbilts). Second, because someone makes this stuff and through aggressive marketing makes you believe you "need" it, so you have to consume it. Third, because from a very early age in our modern, advanced, developed society, you were conditioned to be ready, willing and able to sell your life and soul into "indentured slavery" to get as much of the pie as you could accumulate. It's your way of spreading your wings and saying, "Look at me, what I've achieved and what I have." It identifies your position in the pecking order of society.

If you seriously looked at all your stuff today, how much of it could you really live very comfortably, happily and contentedly without? Would a nice Ford or Chevy get you to and from the same destinations that your Beamer or Mercedes does? Does a bright, yellow "house brand" shirt cover and protect you the same as the $75 or $100 designer label shirt?

Who Is Happier?

This question is subjective, of course. I don't know you and maybe you're the happiest person on the planet, in which case, I'm very happy for you. I'm not envious or jealous of you. I don't particularly want what you have. But, that goes back to the "different strokes for different folk," concept I've mentioned before. 

In general, studies seem to indicate that societies that are undeveloped and have very little of the kinds of material things we want or the luxuries we aspire to, seem to be happier societies. Within our own developed societies, those who choose to live simpler, less materialistic lifestyles, also seen to be happier. I am neither a psychologist nor an anthropologist, so I can't give you specific scientific data or statistics. I'm just relating what my readings and observations of the human condition are as I travel the U.S. And, to be honest, most of what I see and feel is nuance not overt demonstrations of happiness or unhappiness.

I certainly do not consider myself to be the judge or jury to condone or condemn your behavior or anyone else's. I am the judge over my own life and that's a big enough responsibility. If, in your heart of hearts, you're happy and free and living exactly the life you've always dreamed of, then carry on. I believe you have something most others don't have, but pretend they do. However, if you're not living the life you've always dreamed of, then maybe you need to go into your heart of hearts and ask the hard question . . . "Why not?" The answer is there. If you're an honest judge of your life, you'll know the answer and begin to make plans and choices and take actions to change it. If you're not an honest judge of your life, then you'll likely carry on the rest of your life always wondering why it's just not as you dreamed it would be.

So, when is enough too much? When you finally realize that enough is enough and it's time to make some changes. Any thoughts on this? I'm always open to your ideas. 

Ed's Living Free Simple Plan For A Meaningful and Purpose Driven Life

This morning I read a very interesting post by Trent Hamm in his very popular blog (over one million readers every month) The Simple Dollar. The title of the article is "Building a Meaningful Life from the Bottom Up." The title of the article is a link to the actual article if you'd like to read it yourself.

I enjoy Trent's articles because they are straightforward and make good common sense when it comes to personal finance and living a simple life financially. The first thing Trent said in this article was, "One of the biggest struggles of modern life is the search for meaning and purpose." Boy is he on target with that statement.

We live in a world that is so busy and so stressful that most people simply keep going, doing all kinds of things they consider necessary until . . . well, until they stop, because they are too stressed, have run out of time and are just too tired to do anymore. So, they call it a day and start the next day doing the same thing and end the same way, day in and day out, including the weekends. Is there any wonder that most people realize little joy, contentment and fulfillment in their lives? They simply do stuff they automatically accept as necessary and important without determining if it serves any meaningful purpose in their lives.

I can certainly relate to this. I chose an entrepreneurial route for my life, as opposed to a more traditional employment scenario in a private sector, institutional or governmental career. I found myself, on many more than a few occasions, asking myself "why" and "to what end" am I doing whatever it was that I was doing. Of course, the older one gets, the more confusing this becomes.

For example, I often hear people who are tired of the work routine, regardless of their employment choice - traditional job or entrepreneur, who can't wait for the, supposed, bliss of retirement. Then, I hear the same people, once they've made this leap into, supposed, bliss, complaining that they are now busier than they were before they retired. It doesn't make any sense, but it seems to work this way for many people.

I would often jest with friends, when asked about the self-employed, entrepreneurial way of life, saying I traded 9-5, five days a week for 14 to 16 hour days six and seven days a week and holidays and vacations didn't exist. Looking back at my life, I realized that I complicated my businesses and my life in unrealistic ways because I believed this was expected of me and necessary. Unfortunately, as I look around at other people, including many young people, today, I see the pattern repeated.

701,280 Hours

What exactly was the meaning and purpose of all the time I spent using up so many of the precious 701,280 hours (80 years, including leap years, the average life expectancy)? I've told myself it was to have a nice home, create financial security, acquire a never-ending list of things I wanted for myself and my family and similar goals. I even said I wanted to make the world a better place. However, the reality was, I had no idea what was really meaningful and served my purpose for ultimately being joyful, content and fulfilled. I wonder how many people live their lives and never do discover meaning and purpose for themselves.

Quiet Desperation

Thoreau said, "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." To me this simply means that most people function throughout their lives just "doing" and doing whatever it is without an understanding of any underlying meaning or purpose. But, everyone is desperate to get whatever it is that they do done so that one day some of them will wonder what it was they actually did, why they did it and feel no contentment or fulfillment. And, because they are so accustomed to the rut they've carved for themselves, they may reach retirement and then fill their time with more things to do that produce no contentment or fulfillment. But, it's what they do because they are so conditioned to the idea they are expected to do it.

I remember an early issue of the magazine, Travel & Leisure, then either part of or promoted by American Express, with the major cover story, "The Lost Art of Doing Nothing." That story impacted me. On the one hand, the very concept of actually enjoying doing nothing totally intrigued me, while on the other hand, I couldn't fathom the concept of actually living, even a short period of time, doing nothing. The reality for me was that purpose and meaning were just "doing." It didn't matter what it was, just doing anything. The idea that doing nothing was actually doing something didn't register.

"Life Pyramid"

Trent Hamm has developed an exercise for himself that he repeats approximately every three months or so. He calls it "My Life Pyramid." He explains it in great detail in his article (link above). Actually, while I found it very detailed and easy to follow, I remembered that Trent is in his late 20's or early 30's. He hasn't made it to the mid-life 40's and 50's when reality begins to settle in. Reality is that all the dreams and goals of those 20's and 30's are not reality. And those who actually achieve many of them, find there is little that's fulfilling and joyful about the things, especially material accomplishments.

Trent's "Life Pyramid" was inspiring for me. However, by the time I got to the end of the article, I realized that at 69 years of age, while I still have some good life and living ahead of me, Trent's approach to goal setting was just too complicated for me. If you are in your 20's, 30's or maybe even your 40's, it may make more sense for you.

Ed's Living Free Simple Plan For A Meaningful and Purpose Driven Life

I said that Trent's article inspired me and it did. So, I decided to spend a few minutes rather than hours thinking about things that had meaning and purpose for my life and led to fulfillment, contentment and joy. Here they are. They are short, simple, sweet, easy and best of all give me fulfillment, contentment, joy and often (usually) make a difference in other people's lives.

1.   Make 12 people smile everyday

2.   Stop doing things that are meaningless and have no useful purpose to me

3.   Do something to help someone else have some joy everyday

4.   Stop thinking, worrying or stressing about things I have no control over

5.   Do something everyday that brings me joy

6.   Laugh as much as possible and as hard as possible everyday

7.   Explore, learn and see something new/different everyday

8.   Give as much of my knowledge and experience as possible without expectation of return or reward

9.   Do not become dependent on others, but cultivate new friends continually

10. Never forget old friends; we are part of each others' lives

11. MAKE MEMORIES, lots of them, they are the only things that go with you when you die

12. Become financially independent - on MY OWN TERMS based on my needs in life

That's it! These are simple. They all bring me great joy, contentment and a feeling of purpose and meaningful engagement. They are all fluid. My world won't end if I only make 10 people smile on any given day. In other words, if I live the rest of my 5, 10, 15, 20 or any more years and focus on these goals, I will die a content and fulfilled man.

I hope I made you smile as you read this. That's one of many smiles for today.

How do you like this idea? What are your goals to make your life have meaning and purpose?

From 900 Square Feet to 5,000 Square Feet to 50 Square Feet

Here is an interesting juxtaposition for you. Can you imagine downsizing from 5,000 square feet to only 50 square feet? That is living in 1% of the largest amount of space I had ever occupied.  Just think about that for a few minutes and see if you can wrap your mind around that contrast.

In the Beginning - my parent's first house - about 900 sq. ft.
My first house was also about 900 sq. ft..

From my early youth, I remember, my parents' first home. It was around 900 square feet of finished living space. The next house was larger, the house after that was larger still and the next three houses were each slightly larger with the last home my parents owned, at the time of my father's untimely death, being the largest of the six homes they had.

I left my hometown of Clifton, New Jersey at 22 and moved to Syracuse, New York to attend graduate school at Syracuse University. I moved to a one-bedroom apartment. Then I moved to a two-bedroom apartment. Within less than two years I had moved to a four level townhouse about twice the size of the two-bedroom apartment. Then my Uncle Sam called me and I enlisted in the Air Force. Ultimately, I went to Washington, DC where I started out with a 400 square foot efficiency apartment.

Moving Up To 5,000 Square Feet

With the Air Force behind me, a wife and the future prospect of a family, I moved to my first house. Interestingly, it was about the size of my parents' first house, 900 to 950 square feet. From then forward, the houses got larger. When I moved to Winchester, Virginia in 1984 I moved into a house with a total of about 5,000 square feet. Unfortunately, it was while living in this house, after 18 years together, that my marriage unraveled.

The period from the end of 1989 until October 31, 2008 I lived in five houses ranging from about 1,000 square feet to approximately 3,000 square feet. I shared part of those years with a second wife, (less than six months) and about five years of an eight-year relationship sharing space with a significant other and my son. But, of that 19-year period, I lived alone for about 13 years. Of course, I worked from home all of those years, so my businesses shared the space with me. I believe it's fair to say I occupied an average of about 2,500 square feet during that period.

Let me say I have lived comfortably most of my 47 adult years (to date). However, looking back, it's also fair to say I really didn't NEED all the space I occupied. The only regret I have is that I don't have the money it cost to live in all those over-sized living spaces. Imagine if I had chosen to live comfortably in half the space at half the rent or mortgage payments, half the utilities and half the upkeep and maintenance. Hindsight doesn't count for much. There are no do-overs in life. I accept how I lived without regret. 

I can say the 400 square foot efficiency apartment in Washington, DC was probably the most efficient living space I lived in during my 47 years, of self-sustaining, adult life. I guess that's one of the reasons they are called "efficiency" apartments.

Rethinking My Space Requirements

During 2006 and 2007 I began to realize, as a single guy with the family (my, by then, adult son) long out of the nest, I really didn't need all the space I had. I had come full circle and had created an efficiency apartment of about 400 square feet in the master bedroom suite of the ranch house I had on my small 49-acre horse ranch. The balance of the more than 2,100 square feet of space had been offices, recording studios, storage, packing/shipping and "public" space. For most of preceding two years (prior to October 31, 2008), the extra space was just costly storage space.

I no longer had any employees and I was wrapping up the book publishing business with the intention of selling it or dismantling it. I was also downsizing my interests and capabilities in the recording business. I was approaching 65 and had recently survived prostate cancer a few years earlier. My interests, dreams, goals and desires for my future life had begun to take on new meaning. It was time to think about downsizing.

I had an interest in the nomadic, mobile lifestyle since I was in college. With few obligations at this time of life, I was drawn to serious consideration of this lifestyle dream. I also became aware of the "Tiny House" movement. Believe it or not, I always attempted to run my businesses with as small a footprint and as efficient operation as possible. Of course, the exception to this was during my early business career when I was thinking like an "empire builder."

The timing seemed right for making such a change. I was tired, drained, frustrated and disillusioned by the business world, the government, the economy and my businesses in particular. I had accumulated more stuff than anyone should be entitled to have. And, I no longer had a spouse or family to be responsible for. It was definitely time for a major lifestyle change.

Downsizing To 50 Square Feet

I began to research and design a plan to wrap up the second half and launch the third half of my life. It required downsizing the house, 49-acre ranch, all the "stuff," minimizing my lifestyle, reducing my cost of living/overhead, living frugally and reinventing my professional future. Little did I realize we were at the beginning of what would become the deepest plunge in our economy and lifestyle since the Great Depression. Whatever financial security I had would soon vanish very rapidly. Yet, it was the most opportune time for me to make these changes.

Ny friends', Roger & Joyce with their 40' motor coach.
This became "overkill" in my plans for simple, frugal living. 

The plan included acquiring a large (40') motor coach, a small car to tow behind and reducing my technology and recording equipment requirements to be accommodated in a 300 to 350 square foot condo on wheels. Ultimately, after the major part of the downsizing process and after the economy took its toll, I realized that, while I had lost a significant amount of my security, I was way ahead of the pack in so many ways. I had reduced my cost of living/overhead by about 80% in one day when I left the 49-acre ranch on October 31, 2008 and became, for all practical intents and purposes, happily "houseless" for the first time in my 47 years of adult life including all the expenses and encumbrances that represents.

My McVansion and its 50 sq. ft. of compact, efficient living.

I learned how to live in small rooms and spaces at a couple friends' houses when I wasn't traveling. The plan to acquire the behemoth motor coach downsized to acquiring (another) 17 foot high-top conversion van and building it into a 50 square foot, micro condo on wheels (or a mobile "tiny house") It had, fortunately, before I made the plunge, become very apparent that a huge motor coach, especially during this massive economic downturn, would be an expensive white elephant.

So, I began my new life. I'm still downsizing. I still have "stuff" left from the original downsizing in 2008. I find it enjoyable and a constant challenge to build and refine my tiny, 17-foot (50 square foot of living space) van, named "My McVansion," into the most comfortable, efficient tiny house on wheels. Just imagine at one time living in 5,000 square foot and then moving into 1% of that space. In future articles, I'll describe in more intimate detail the emotions, the challenges, the joys, the setbacks and the self-discovery of this journey.     

My McVansion Food Shopping List

A favorite lunch or light dinner; a fresh, REAL tomato that I salt liberally on 15 grain bread slathered with Miracle Whip and a bottle of water flavored with Pomegranate-Cranberry powdered drink mix.  

My last article offering three tips for simplifying included comments about how I've simplified my diet as I travel in "My McVansion." Madmike, a blog reader, sent in a comment that he would like to see the list I have developed for my personal diet and tastes while traveling the highways and byways of America. So, to follow up on that article and to respond to Madmike's request, here is my shopping list.

Ed Helvey's My McVansion Travel Food & Sundries Shopping List

Meat (Protein):

            Canned Chicken*

            Canned Salmon*

            Canned Tuna*

            Chicken*

            Beef*

            Pork including bacon (occasionally)*

            Fish, fresh, various

            Hot Dogs, all beef or turkey based*

            Sausage, beef or turkey based*

            Cold Cuts, prefer turkey based*

Soup:

            Progresso Soups, Lite/low sodium*

            Yakisoba Soup

Cereal (Grain):

            Great Value Grape Nuts

            Great Value Honey Oat Crunch with Almonds

            Oatmeal

Bread (Grain):

            12 or 15 Whole Grain Bread*

            Rolls & Buns - Various*

Dairy:

            Dannon Lite & Fit Greek Yogurt or equivalent*

            Blue Diamond Almond/Coconut Milk

            Cream Cheese - various*

            String Cheese

            Other Cheeses*

            Eggsa

            Butter (real - Land of Lakes)*

Crackers & Snacks:

            Carr's water crackers*

            Snyder's of Hanover pretzel pieces*

            Chocolate Chip/Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (one kind/small packs)*

Beverages:

            Black or Breakfast Tea*

            Chai tea

            Green Tea

            4C Lite to Go powdered drink*

            Bolthouse Smoothies*

            Juice, fresh squeezed, sugar-free

            Water*

            (Never any soda type soft drinks or coffee)

Vegetables & Fruits:

            Celery Sticks*

            Broccoli*

            Spinach*

            Romaine Lettuce

            Potatoes*

            Sweet Potatoes*

            Corn on the Cob

            Green Beans

            Other veggies as available

            Salad Fixings*

            Tomatoes*

            Bananas*

            Navel Oranges

            Grapesa

            Strawberries

            Fruit Cups - Del Monte, Dole or similar (in water)*

            Other fruits as available

Condiments, Spices, etc.

            Miracle Whip*

            Mustard*

            Catsup*

            Salt*

            Pepper, coarse*

            Lemon-Pepper

            Chili Pepper*

            Onion Powder*

            Garlic Powder

            Parsley*

            Italian Seasoning

            Cinnamon

            Tumeric

Misc.

            Peanut Butter*

            Jelly or Jam*

Sundries

            Paper Towels*

            Paper Plates*

            Plastic Cups (reusable)*

            Plastic Eating Utensils*

            ZipLoc Bags (usually two sizes)*

            Aluminum Foil & Plastic Wrap*

            Toilet Paper*

            Lysol Antibacterial & Air Freshener Spray*

            Lysol Antibacterial Towelettes*

            Dawn Dish Washing Soap*

            Gain Liquid Clothes Detergent*

           

So, there you have it. Everything with an * is either currently on board or has been on board in the last year.

Important Notes

Now, let me make some important notes to clarify things a bit. I know there are some readers who are going to question my choices on how healthy and/or nutritious the items are. Let me first reiterate, these are MY choices and I am not suggesting or recommending that you have to consider all or any of these items for you and your lifestyle.

Second, everything on this list I have chosen very carefully. Not everything is on board all the time. There just isn't enough room (or weight capacity) to carry all of this all the time. 

Anything canned or packaged like soups, hot dogs, cold cuts (or lunch meat for those not from the New Jersey/New York metro area) and other foods are vetted by me on a few criteria. The criteria include, the amount of sugar, sodium and other ingredients that I can't pronounce. I look for packaged foods that have the least amount of these items. Another criteria is space. How much room do the items take up in a vehicle with limited space? Still, another criteria is convenience in preparation. I'm not always in a place where I can easily start an open fire to cook and grill on. Additionally, I don't have a full complement of cooking pots, pans and utensils, so I make my choices partially based on what I have to prepare foods with.

I like fresh meats, fish, veggies and fruit, however, I don't really have any serious freezer space in my 2.7 cu. ft. refrigerator. To be honest, a 2.7 cu. ft. refrigerator offers very little space to keep much of any of the items that must be refrigerated. I don't refrigerate catsup, mustard, Miracle Whip salad dressing, certain fruits and veggies, peanut butter, jelly/jam and other items most people refrigerate. These items (and others) don't actually require refrigeration, but I try to use them up reasonably quickly.

Repackaging to Conserve Space and Items Not on the List

I repackage some items eliminating bulky boxes and other containers and use flexible ZipLoc bags (that I often can reuse depending on what is kept in them). This list also allows me a fair amount of variety. Since I can't keep everything in the van all the time, I simply change certain items from the list to keep eating from becoming boring. And, if I see something that's not on the list as a standard item, I might buy it so I can enjoy the flexibility.

For example, I like sauerkraut, pork & beans, baked beans, chili, beef stew and homemade soups like 15 bean soup with sausage and split pea soup with ham and potatoes. I don't usually have a way to make large pots of chili, bean soup or pea soup, but when the opportunity presents itself, I jump on it. I love sauerkraut on hot dogs and with various kinds of sausage.

I also love baked beans and pork and beans, however, they usually have a lot of sugar in them, more than I like to eat very often. Plus, I attempt not to eat certain items like those when I'm going to be in close proximity to other people for reasons I'm sure you're aware of. So, they are occasional treats, along with a small pie or a couple donuts or bear claws from time to time.

I'm NOT a Newbie at this

Remember, of my nearly 50 years of adult life, I've spent about 50% of them being fully responsible for my own nutrition and meal preparation. I've been considered a very good cook by a lot of my friends. However, there is a significant difference when one goes from a well equipped kitchen to living off the grid in roughly 50 sq. ft. So, I know what I like. I/m careful to maintain a good level of quality nutrition and I balance that with the necessity to conserve space and accommodate a convenience factor. I feel that I eat well. My doctor finds no deficiencies in all of my medical lab work. Could I do better? Absolutely! But, I'm not going to deny myself the pleasure of eating the foods that sustain me and I enjoy.

Of course, this kind of diet/menu also allows me the freedom to enjoy a nice pizza, other Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Polish, Cajun, German, traditional American food as well as others from time to time. Life is to live. Food is fuel and is necessary for proper functioning, but in my book, it's also part of the pleasure of living.

Share Your List and Ideas

I hope this list and my notes are helpful for planning your own culinary delights, especially if you're a nomadic traveler. Submit your comments about my list and what you like on your list. I may be missing something that you're already enjoying. 

Three Tips for Simplifying Your Life and Being Freer

Living free is something each person has to define for his or her individual life and circumstances. We live in complicated times and for the mainstream more traditional lifestyle in most developed countries it is only going to get more complex in the future. One major step towards living freer and happier is to simplify your life as much as you can, allowing for your specific circumstances. So, here are three tips to help you live a simpler life.

#1. Simplify your Financial Life. There are numerous ways virtually everyone can do this. First, eliminate as much paper from your life as possible. This is good for ecology as well since it saves trees and all the energy to make paper and transport it in numerous ways. It also saves space and time since you don't have to handle, file and store the paper You can do this by receiving all your bills (or at least all that are available) electronically. Then pay them electronically.

Second, you can also simplify your life by eliminating extra bank accounts. You can use one or two accounts and simply maintain several ledgers for different purposes on each account, again, electronically. There are several very inexpensive, simple and efficient home bookkeeping software programs available. Some of these programs will even schedule and pay your bills.

Third, use debit cards in place of paper checks whenever possible. But, here's an important hint. Make sure your debit card is issued through Visa or Mastercard. Many banks are now charging a service fee whenever you use your debit card and enter your pin code. However, if you simply choose to use the same debit card, with the Visa or Mastercard logo on it, as a credit card (even though the funds will still be debited directly from your checking account) you will not be charged a fee by your bank.

Finally, eliminate extra credit cards and close accounts that you are not using like old department store accounts (Sears, JC Penny's, Target and so on). Select one or two, credit cards with low APR's, especially if you must carry a balance. However, I highly recommend you pay off each card every month and don't carry any balances. Keep your credit limits reasonable. The higher your limits the more tempted you'll be to buy stuff you don't really need. You may also want to consider keeping one high credit limit card, with the lowest possible APR, for emergencies. You might want to just keep it in a safe deposit box or a small home safe. Only use it for real emergencies like paying a hospital deductible, should the need arise. One other note, be careful when you close credit accounts. Make sure the issuing agency notes that closing the account was at the customer's request. Also, don't close them all at one time. All of these account closings will be reflected on your credit report (which you can and should check regularly on line) and it could be detrimental to your credit if not handled properly.

#2 Simplify your Wardrobe. Whether you care to believe it or not, you, like most other people (except those who have already simplified their wardrobe) only wear about 20% or your clothes. Like so many aspects of life, Pareto's Principle or the 80/20 Rule applies to your closet. Check it yourself. First of all, I recommend that you stop being a slave to fashion. I know! I know! We all want to look cool and chic. I've been there and done that. I had the bell-bottom slacks, the leisure suit, and the Nehru shirt with the big medallion. I fell right in lock step with the rest of the fashion lemmings.

Here's the thing. A good, simple, basic wardrobe never goes out of style, saves a fortune, always looks good and appropriate and makes your life so much simpler in choosing what to wear each day. Now, I know that women are really drawn into this fashionista stuff. And even worse, women's clothes typically cost so much more than men's clothes. However, I know many women who have just a couple pairs of neutral slacks, a couple easy to care for skirts, a few tops that go with the slacks and skirts, a few different belts and scarves and other accessories and, viola, they can mix and match those few items to create all kinds of combinations. They always look great. The same goes with sports wear like shorts and tees or tank tops. 

Men can apply the same ideas. Depending on your situation men can usually get away with two or three pairs of comfortable, quality shoes. Women should be able to do the same, again, depending on your specific situation. Keep underwear simple, practical, comfortable and easy to maintain. Ladies, I know you like to wear all kinds of sexy, frilly lingerie. So, have one or two sets for "special occasions," but remember I'm trying to simplify your life to make you freer and happier. Always think . . . comfort, ease of care, economy and least amount of space. 

Think of it this way. You are going on a trip. You can carry one bag with you and it's a backpack. You have to haul that backpack everywhere you go. How light can you make that backpack with enough clothes to get you through one to two weeks without having to wash anything? Now, let's make it a bit simpler. How much do you need to go for four or five days? This applies to both men and women.

At another time we'll talk about make-up, jewelry and other "stuff" that is nice, but expensive, can be distracting and is very often unnecessary.

#3. Simplify your Menu. Even those of us who think we have a very economical and simple diet are probably spending way more than has to be expended and the meal process is likely much more complicated than you realize. Interestingly, there is an opposite supposition. Eating out all the time, consuming fast food because it's fast and efficient and relatively inexpensive and eating all kinds of things that are bad for us.

Now, believe me, I love food as much as anyone. I am not a gourmet. I'm not impressed or usually satisfied with the food at a four or five star, very expensive restaurant. I'm not saying that it's not good or worth the price (mostly paying for the ambiance). I'm simply saying that I am very happy with good, properly prepared, simple foods. I honestly believe that most people are like me in that manner, however, because of peer pressure with co-workers, friends, family and so on, we end up eating food that is more expensive than it has to be, takes way more time to prepare it and is probably not the best for a long-term, life sustaining diet.

Here's what I do and suggest. Figure out what you like to eat. I don't mean McDonald's Big Macs, Arby's roast beef and the Colonels best greasy chicken with its secret herbs and spices. Break them down into meal categories i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner. By the way, there is nothing wrong with eating breakfast food for dinner and lunch food for breakfast and so on. Variety is still the spice of life.

Select good, health-sustaining foods. Make sure you include lots of fruits and veggies. Watch out for too many grains and pastas. I love a good slab of cow (beef) from time to time, but decent cuts of beef can be pricey and we don't need all that much (if you're a vegetarian or a vegan you don't have to worry about this - but you are missing out on something good - oops, I'm editorializing, sorry). We need some protein in our diets and there are lots of ways to get it including eggs, chicken, fish (lots of fish is good) and other protein-laden foods.

My professional speaker friend in Dallas, Texas, Ed Foreman, always expounds on the concept that we should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. Many nutritionists promote this idea, as well.

Again, the idea is to simplify our lives to make us freer and happier. So, do I want to deprive myself of some of the nice pleasures that food can provide? Absolutely not! But, what I do want to do is have a simple, easy to prepare, nutritious, life-sustaining and economical diet that I really enjoy and can then enhance by the occasional excursion to a new (to me) or unique restaurant (not the chain places) or even just a favorite fast food place. I like Subway sandwiches; 6" is plenty, saving the other half for another meal. I load the sandwiches with all the spinach, tomatoes and other veggies they can cram on it. I usually only have them apply vinegar for a dressing because it flavors the "salad (with my meat and cheese of choice) on bread" without adding any calories. Oh yeah, and I like the taste that way.

For those of us who travel either in motor homes, vans, trailers or even backpacking, there is a limited amount of space available for food stocking. So, I've created a list of the basic foods I can mix and match and eat day in and day out. The list is pretty simple, yet, allows for lots of diverse flavors while being nutritious. And it's all designed to require simple preparation, thus saving me time, money and energy (since energy is a big consideration when living off the grid for periods of time).

So, there are three tips everyone can put to work to simplify one's life. None of them are hard to implement, however, the results will be to realize less stress and more freedom and that makes one's life happier and more harmonious.

I'll expound on these three ideas more in the future and I'll add more simplification tips as I go along.