Comments on: Discontented, Disenchanted and Broke

By: What Advertisers Fear Most - SavingAdvice.com Blog

What Advertisers Fear Most - SavingAdvice.com Blog — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:22:04 +0000

[...] week I wrote about trying to find contentment by getting back to a simpler life, one freer from forms of mass entertainment and consumerism. There’s an additional benefit to [...]

By: Cindy M

Cindy M — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:08:37 +0000

Good column. I wish I were more the crafty type as far as hobbies are concerned. I do a lot of using up, making do, doing without, love cooking and yard kind of things but am not particularly crafty in the conventional sense, I guess. I stumbled on Threadbangers, a very cool DIY site, and I hope the hosts get offered a prime time spot. I’m surprised we aren’t seeing more recreative efforts being pushed on national TV and especially local public TV but am glad to hear about the large underground movement especially with younger people to recycle, reuse, recreate in their own enviroments. It can be great for everybody, a great tool for bringing people together in this increasingly isolating tech society.

By: Gail

Gail — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:43:38 +0000

Your post is a good one. So many times on forums like this you find someone desparately needing to cut back and they whine that they can’t, that they NEED all this stuff that is holding them back–my favorite is needng cable. If these people would follow your suggestions they would have a much fuller well rounded life and less need to pay for entertainment.

By: Nagel

Nagel — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:36:39 +0000

I am looking for a job right now. The Internet is a great tool for job search. Also, my partner and I share a cell phone plan – we need them for communications, emergencies and even… job search. I never use my cell phone for drawn-out lengthy conversations unless it is for long-distance with close relatives. Otherwise, we use email. Landline phone services have become actually more complicated and expensive than even cell phones in some cases.
Anyway, even though we may regard cell phones and Internet service as necessities rather than luxurious gadgets, we also treat them as important tools in everyday communications. The trick is to decide where else to cut down on what is truly not considered a necessity, which is a personal versus budget decision.

By: Johnny

Johnny — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:40:48 +0000

Gosh I’m a programmer, so I feel like a traitor, but one word kept coming to me reading this: Amen! I am so tired of crap and clutter in my life. I no longer have a tv (plenty of free movies on the Internet now), and I recently started learning guitar, and parking further from work and walking a couple miles each way. I’m interested in martial arts but finding a place that’s compatible is so far not working out, but anything to keep me outside, doing healthy, creative stuff, more power to it. Lots of nice parks to hike in where I’m living now, that’s free and fun. And I’m trying to work on getting my family to actually just sit and eat when I go to my Ma’s for gatherings, not just split up into groups!

By: Alia

Alia — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:42:09 +0000

Many years ago, my hubby and I agreed to wean ourselves off TV by attrition – not watching any new shows, only the shows we already loved. ER and Law and Order were the last of the originals, and now ER has ended.
A couple shows have snuck in through the years, but right now I’m down to four shows that I DVR and watch when I have time. That’s less than 4 hours a week, plus some news each day, which is WAY lower than the national average, I’m sure. Besides, three kids under 11 keeps me busy enough…

By: Ann

Ann — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:43:31 +0000

I agree with this for the most part. But…, my dad just turned 81 and has more computers, TVs, dvr, vcr, and assorted gadgets than anyone I know. And he knows how to use them, and he always wants more gadgets.

By: toyguy1963

toyguy1963 — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:15:12 +0000

Great article. i agree with so much of what you wrote. I’m finding that the more things I give up the happier i am. The internet is the really hard one for me. I could not completely give it up. Its hard to even cut down. But I only use a low priced dial up internet which most people find barbaric. Its plenty good enough for me.