Live Simple
Get Rich
Ryan S. Taylor
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-
Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. To view
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._ ©.
December 2007
Contact Info:
Email: libertyboom(a) gmail.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ryanstaylor
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=551852081
To keep things simple, I dedicate this book to.
You
--Ryan S. Taylor
December 2007
Contents
Introduction 7
Mindset 13
Part 1: Simplify Your Finances 16
Why Do You Want To Be Rich? 17
Get Out OF Debt Now 19
Credit is a loan against future earnings 23
Save Your Money 25
Build a $1000 Emergency Fund 28
Save Up 2 Years of Living Expenses 28
Stash Your Cash 29
Simplify Your Banking 32
Bank Accounts 32
Interest Rates 32
Direct Deposit 33
Automatic Bill Pay 33
Investing 34
Brokerage Accounts 34
40 l[k]/lRA/Keogh accounts 35
Rollover multiple 401 [k] accounts 35
Managed 401 [k] accounts 36
Self-directed 401 [k] 36
Mutual Funds - Overview 37
Single-family Mutual Funds 38
Index funds - Follow the Market 39
Life-cycle funds 40
Exchange-Traded Funds 41
Government Bonds 42
Dollar cost averaging 42
Simplify YOUR Spending 44
True cost of ownership 44
Reduce the need for services 45
Take off your shoes when home 46
Don't buy clothes that need dry cleaning 46
Rent or Own a Home? 47
Drive a simple car 50
New or Used? 51
Rent a car for long trips 51
Shop with a list 51
4
Opt-out of holidays 52
Part 2: Simplify Your Stuff 53
Purge 54
Bedroomfs] 54
Bathroom 56
Kitchen 56
Living and Dining Room 56
Garage 57
Home Office 58
Computer 60
Music, Videos, Books 63
Digitize old photos 64
Don 't carry so much stuff! 65
Pack Rat Nation 66
Communications 68
Landline Phone 68
Cell Phones 69
Stop Telemarketers from calling you 71
Email accounts 72
Mail 73
Instant Messaging 74
It 'sYour System 75
Cut THE Media Fat 77
Cancel the Newspaper 77
Cancel Magazine Subscriptions 78
Cancel Email Newsletters 79
Cancel Podcasts, Blogs, and RSS Feeds 79
Blogging, MySpace, Twitter, Facebook et al. 80
Turn off the TV. Cancel Cable and/or Satellite Service 81
Cancel Internet Service? 83
A Technology Sabbatical 84
Entertainment 86
Visit Your Public Library 87
Part 3 : Simplify Your Work Life 88
Purge the Office 89
Cut the overtime. Work 40 hours or less. 90
Don 't take work home 91
Managing Email 92
Don't multitask, single-task 94
Live close to work 96
Telecommute 96
Take Lunch 98
Take a Nap 98
Take a vacation 99
Put an extra day in vacation schedule to recoup. 1 01
Turn your vacation into a sabbatical 1 01
Part 4: Simplify Your Mind and Body 102
Commitments 103
Refuse to start what you can 't finish 1 04
Just Say No 105
Example Commitments 105
Simplify THE Mind 107
Laugh 107
Let Go of the Past 107
Be Yourself 109
Mind your own damn business 1 09
Don 't live in fear 110
Have simple friends 111
Don 't try to take care of everybody 1 12
Be willing to adapt 113
Avoid people who talk too much 1 14
Don 'the easily offended 115
Failure is an option 116
Stay away from negative people 116
Control your anger, or don 't let people piss you off 117
Simplify THE Body 119
Be an early riser 119
Slowdown 119
Do Nothing 120
Food 121
Drink Water 123
Get a juicer 123
Eat Breakfast 123
Physica I Fitn ess 1 23
Conclusion 126
Bibliography 127
Introduction
"The trouble with the rat race is, even if you win,
you are still a rat " - Lily Tomlin
Do you feel overwhelmed? Are you stressed out by your job and
home commitments? Is your home packed full of stuff? Are you buying
things just because it's cool to have? Do you buy things to satisfy a
perceived emotional need? Are you up to your ears in debt? Are you
afraid you'll have no money left for retirement? Do you wish you could
slow down and live a simple, yet satisfying and rewarding life?
If you are Uke most people in today's modern, consumer culture,
you might say yes to all of the above. We live in an age of prosperity and
abundance. We've experienced rapid economic growth that has
substantially raised our standard of living. Cars, TVs, air conditioning,
cell phones, computers, to name a few, are ubiquitous in nearly every
household, rich or poor. Today's middle class lives far better than the
riches kings of centuries past. Roman emperors would be shocked at the
sheer opulence and abundance we take for granted today.
This is a wonderful thing. Entrepreneurs working in the free
market produce goods and services to better our lives while adding to
the wealth of everyone. Most people nowadays couldn't imagine living
without their cell phones and the Internet. Yet it was a mere 15 years
ago in 1992 that the Internet, as we know it, didn't exist. The first web
browser. Mosaic, was a year away. Cell phones were expensive, bulky
and cumbersome. Remember the brick phones? Only the upper class
could afford it. Now we can communicate with just about anyone in the
world for a fraction of the cost just 5-10 years ago.
Our food supply has grown be leaps and bounds. Just walk into
any supermarket today and you'll be overwhelmed by the variety. It's
amazing just looking at the variety of simple, staple foods Uke rice and
legumes. For wine and spirit connoisseurs, like myself, there has never
been a better time to imbibe. Gourmet food lovers now have easy access
to some of the finest foods available at reasonable prices.
Unfortunately, while all of these advances really do make our
lives better, we seem to be fixated on obtaining as much stuff as possible.
Our status in this world is determined by how much stuff we have,
rather than what we do or contribute. Materialism has overtaken
society. For teenagers, you're not cool or part of the in-crowd unless you
have your iPhone, iPod, Xbox360 and your $150 Nike basketball shoes.
College kids are drowning in student loans and credit card debt. For
adults, it's always bigger, better and faster. Bigger house, bigger TV,
faster car, faster computer, more gadgets, more this and more that. Your
neighbor just got a 42" LDC HDTV. Time to head down to Best Buy and
buy a 46" TV with no payments for 90 days.
It's so easy to buy things that we rarely think about it. Over time
we accumulate so much stuff that we run out of room in our homes to
store it. Then we go out and rent storage space to store more stuff! Not
only are we accumulating material stuff, we're accumulating ethereal
stuff like email and voice mail. How many of you have an overflowing
email inbox? Do you spend hours each day reading and responding to
your email? How about voicemail, news aggregate sites, blogs, podcasts?
For many people, they've become the ultimate pack rat. Their physical
spaces are filled with stuff, the computers are filled with stuff, and their
minds are filled with too much stuff.
That brings me to worrisome trend over the past 10 years: the
rampant increase in consumer debt. The increase in debt is mainly
brought about by poUtical and monetary policies initiated by the Federal
Reserve and politicians in Washington, D.C. through artificially low
interest rates and a massive increase in the money supply. It gives the
false notion that debt is cheap and easily serviceable so people borrow
more than they can comfortably service. Businesses over-invest in
riskier projects and banks reduce their lending standards. This leads to
disaster down the road once the Federal Reserve reverses its easy
money policy and begins to raise interest rates. Easy credit dries up,
banks tighten their lending requirements, refinancing becomes almost
impossible and the bills finally become due.
Fortunately, all of this has convinced many people to downsize
their lifestyle. They've stopped buying things on credit and stopped
buying things they don't need. Instead of buying or leasing a new car
every few years, they're keeping the one they have for 10 years. People
are paying down their debt and increasing their savings. Frugality,
simplicity, and downshifting are the new buzzwords. This does not mean
shunning all technology and living a Luddite lifestyle. However, you are
free to live any lifestyle you choose. If living a Thoreauian lifestyle in a
wood shack by a pond suits you, then by all means do it.
Living a simple lifestyle does not mean sacrificing creature
comforts and technology. It means reducing the clutter in your physical
and mental space. It means living Ufe happily, and on your own terms. It
means getting out of the materiaUstic rat race and not giving a damn
what new TV your neighbor just bought. Living a simple lifestyle means
having more money without increasing your income; spending more
time with your family; getting more out of what you already have and so
on.
So, why another book on simplifying your life? Because it will
help make you rich! This book is largely driven out of my own desire to
simpUfy and keep more of my money. The crap I accumulated got too
much to bear. I wanted out of the rat race. I was tired of trying to make
more and more money to buy things I thought I really wanted. I realized
that my spending always increased commensurate with my income. I
was always making more money, but I spent it all. I had had enough.
I gathered a lot of tips from the Internet and read many popular
books on simplification. Some of these books turned out to be pretty
complex. Some went into excruciating detail on how to organize your
closets after you've donated or thrown away all the old clothes. What's
the point? You have fewer clothes! Organizing should be easy! Then the
book goes into more excruciating detail about "simplifying" your time
management. I thought this was going to help me lead a simpler life, not
make it more complex. Now I have to stress out about how organized my
closets are.
Simplification is really about using common sense. There is
really nothing complicated about it. It boils down to buying less, saving
more and making do with what you have. It means living within your
means. It means working less. It means having plenty of unscheduled
down time. It means reducing stress both at work and home. It means
slowing down. It means giving up technology that complicates your life
while using technology that really adds to your Ufe. This book will show
you how to simpUfy your life and get rich in the process. I'll show you
how to get rid of the junk in your home and office; pay off your debt.
To
increase your savings and invest wisely; utilize technology to simplify
tasks; get rid of junk mail and spam; simplify your shopping; look for
items that are easy to use and free of unnecessary gadgets and buttons. I
don't preach obsessive coupon cUpping or wearing thrift store clothing
to save a few bucks. If that's your thing, great but I think life should be
enjoyed and that means enjoying the finer things Ufe has to offer. I, for
one, would never want to give up my love of fine cigars, single-malt
Scotch whisky, and books. Don't ever give up something you truly love
just to simplify. After simplifying everything else in your life, you'll have
plenty of time to indulge in your passions.
I want this book to be simple to use. You can utilize as many or as
few tips are you'd like. You must choose the level of simplicity you want
to achieve. You can start with something simple as turning off the TV or
eating out less. Just purging the junk in your home is a great way to start.
You can go all the way and live in the woods Uke Thoreau. I would never
do something that extreme, but the thought has crossed my mind,
especially after enduring several bouts of Los Angeles traffic.
The choice is yours to better your life through simplification. You
can live a prosperous life without getting caught up in the hyper-
consumption world we live in today. You don't have to keep up with the
Joneses to be happy. You don't need all that stuff! The stuff you do buy
will be the best you can afford and will give you years of enjoyment, plus
you'll have more money than you ever though possible. You've already
started down that road by reading this book. Let's see where that road
will take you.
11
DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this book is for informational
purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical, legal or
financial advice. Seek out an appropriate professional advisor when
necessary.
12
Mindset
"In rich countries, consumption consists of people
spending money they don 't own to buy goods they
don't want to impress people they don't like." -
Joachim Spangenberg
To live a simple life, you must first change your mindset. This
will probably be the hardest thing to do; hence it must be the first thing
you do. It was difficult for me. I loved buying DVDs, CDs, books,
magazines, gadgets, appliances, clothes, and anything else that I thought
would make me happy. My girlfriend liked buying clothes and things for
the house. For short time I was happy, and then I would find something
else that would make me even happier. It is a vicious cycle that is hard to
get out of.
My girlfriend and I started together in a quaint studio apartment
in Simi Valley. We did not have much but we were happy. As we both
took on higher paying jobs, we moved up and got a bigger apartment
until we finally ended up in a large, three-bedroom, two-bath apartment
in Burbank. We had plenty of room and soon filled it with stuff. I had a
fairly large recording studio that, along with my library, took up the
entire den. My girlfriend had a closet full of clothes and a room full of
plush toys. I had a large TV and stereo system, along with my numerous
computers I used for my job. We drove an SUV and ate out often. We had
plenty of credit cards and were not afraid to use them. I always thought
13
that there was always enough money to make the payments and
eventually pay them off.
Everything seemed rosy. We were up to our ears in credit card
debt and we had a large car payment. Then one day, we got a notice from
our landlord that our rent would be increasing in a few months. It was
not a huge increase but it was enough for us to take notice. We took the
first step in simplifying our lives by moving back to a one-bedroom
apartment. That was all fine and dandy but we forgot to simpUfy the rest.
It was a feat to move three bedrooms worth of stuff into a one-bedroom
apartment. Talk about cramped living quarters!
We continued to consume and go further into debt. We did
downsize some of the things in the apartment but we still had far too
much junk. One day I looked around the place and noticed all the crap I
accumulated and the credit cards bills to go with it. I said enough, and
decided it was time to purge. I had reached my breaking point. We
donated a ton of books to our local library. We cleaned out our closets
full of clothes. We donated anything around the house that we did not
want or use. Eventually, we were able to see the floor in our apartment!
It did not feel so cramped anymore and I could walk around without
bumping into something! Advances in computer technology allowed me
to get rid of all of my recording equipment and use just my laptop. That
reduction alone cleared out almost an entire room.
We moved into a slightly larger one-bedroom apartment where
we currently reside. Since we got rid of so much crap in the old
apartment, moving was much easier and we have more room in the new
apartment.
Another thing we did was trade in the SUV for a small, fuel-
efficient sedan. That was probably the best thing we ever did. It's
cheaper to repair and insure, our fuel costs have gone down
considerably, and it's easier to park. I'll talk about that more later in the
book.
Take a look around your home and look at all your stuff. You'll
probably notice a lot of things you bought for no reason other than it
was on sale, or it looked good at the time, or it was a new, or it was
something you just had to have. Ask yourself; do you still have to have it?
Does it still look good? How many DVDs in your massive collection have
you watched more than once? Did you ever use that cool cheese fondue
set you bought at Crate and Barrel? Check your closet. When was the last
time you wore that outfit you bought on sale at the Gap?
Once you start answering these questions, you'll start changing
your mindset. You'll start telling yourself, "Yes, this is very nice and it's
on sale but I don't need it right now."
I used to go into Best Buy and more often than not, I would buy a
DVD, CD or video game. Now, I can walk into the same Best Buy and not
want anything. My mindset has changed. I may have found a CD from
one of my favorite bands but refrain from buying it. My mindset has
change. My wants and desires have changed. Your wants and desires will
change too after you've changed your mindset. Once you do it's quite
liberating. The most important thing is you'll have more money. You'll
get richer by consuming less.
Being rich is a relative term. You'll have more money because
you're not buying stuff. Your income can stay the same but your net
worth will increase. Your income can even decrease and you'll still be in
a healthy financial position since you'll be living well within your means.
But when your income does increase, watch out!
15
Part 1: Simplify Your Finances
The first step to getting rich is to take control and simplify your financial
life. Once your money is under control, you'll be in control.
16
Why Do You Want To Be Rich?
What kind of question is that, you ask? Isn't the why obvious?
You want to be rich so you can have money to buy things! But wait; by
simphfying your hfe, you're not buying all those things you would
normally want. Technically, you could live on less and still be very
comfortable. Isn't getting rich anathema to a simple life? No, getting rich
is the result of living a simple Ufe.
We remember the old saying, "What's the use of making money if
you can't spend it?" Well, it depends on what you spend it on. Money
may not buy happiness but it does buy freedom. Once you've freed
yourself from your possessions [see part 2), you'll be able to quickly
accumulate monetary wealth, even if you don't increase your current
income. When you do increase your income, your wealth will increase
rapidly.
So the question then becomes, what do you do with all that
money? That's entirely up to you. You'll probably have no problems
paying for your kids' education. You'll be able to set aside plenty for
retirement and inheritance. You'll be free to travel wherever you want, if
you desire. You can donate generously to your favorite charities. You'll
be well prepared for any emergency [see Be Willing to Adapt below).
You can start that business you always wanted. You can trade full time.
You can turn your dreams into reaUty.
Another way to look at getting rich is from a process perspective.
Since most people want to get rich so they can buy things, you can enjoy
the process of getting rich. Blogger Scott Young writes, "When you focus
17
on the process leading to a goal over the results, you can be satisfied
regardless of whether you succeed or fail." i
So let's go get rich!
1 [Young, 2007]
Get Out of Debt Now
"Debt is the worst poverty. " - Thomas Fuller
If you're in debt with credit card, mortgage, and car payments,
this will be the most important thing you can do right now to simpUfy
your life. You life will change overnight once you're free from suffocating
credit card debt. Getting out of debt is really very easy but you'll need
discipUne and dedication. You've already changed your mindset so you
won't be buying things on impulse with your credit card.
Depending on the size of your credit card debt, you will need 2-4
years [maybe more) to wipe it out on your current income. Naturally, if
you come into some more money, it's always good to apply it towards
debt reduction.
I've developed a 5-step process to eliminate all of your credit
card debt. These steps were culled from many debt-reduction strategies,
most notably from Dave Ramsey, author of Total Money Makeover. This
particular 5-step process has been extremely successful for me.
1. STOP USING YOUR CREDIT CARDS! Yes, this is the first and most
important step. If you don't stop using credit cards to buy things
you don't need with money you don't have, you'll never get out
of debt. Take the credit cards out of your wallet and cut them up.
All of them. You may keep your debit card and one gas card for
emergencies, but make sure that gas card is a charge card that
requires full payment each month. You may also keep one
19
American Express card since it is a charge card, however, if your
propensity to buy on impulse is still too great, I would dispose of
this card as well.
2. Gather the latest statements from your credit cards, loans, car
payments, and mortgage. Write down the totals starting with the
smallest all the way up to the largest, most likely your mortgage.
3. You're going to start paying off the smallest debt first; then work
your way up to the larger debts. This is the opposite of what
many strategies claim. Dave Ramsey states that paying off
smaller debts provides greater motivation. You'll feel better
when you see one bill paid off. It motivates you to pay off the
others. If you are only paying the minimum on each card,
continue to do so. Since you'll no longer be adding any more
debt, your balances will go down. However, if you can pay more,
even if it's only a few dollars, please do so. You will not only pay
off the balance faster, but you'll avoid higher interest payments.
And that's another thing; don't worry about the interest rate.
Only worry about making the payments on time. The debt will do
down.
4. After you've paid off your first account, congratulate yourself!
See, it wasn't that hard, was it? Now, here comes the snowball
effect, as coined by Dave Ramsey. Take the monthly payment you
made on the first account and apply it to the next lowest balance.
For example, if you paid $20 per month on the first debt, you'll
all that $20 to the payment on the second account. If you were
paying $30 a month on the second account, you'll now be paying
$50 a month. See where this is leading? Your debt will be paid off
20
much faster. And when this second debt is paid off, you'll all the
$50 payment to the next lowest account.
5. Repeat as necessary until all of your debt is paid off. The
snowball effect can quickly turn into an avalanche in the later
months as more accounts are paid off. One monthly payment
could easily pay off a debt in one month.
As I said before, if you come into additional income and can
apply it to your debt reduction program, apply it to the account you're
currently paying off. Don't apply it to a higher balance account.
What about using a Consumer Credit Counseling agency? These
firms can help if you have a large debt and are on the brink of becoming
deUnquent. They can make it easier for you to pay your debts using one
large payment. They will handle the actual payment to your creditors
and keep them from harassing you. They can also negotiate lower
interest rates that can help you pay off your debt faster. The drawback is
a negative score on your credit report. But then, once you're debt free,
you might not care so much about your credit score!
If you choose to go with a Credit CounseUng agency, shop
around. There are many good firms out there. Be sure the one you
choose doesn't charge too high a fee. They should be easy to contact via
phone or email and provide you with easy tools on the Web to manage
your account balances.
Now comes the best part. Once you're debt free, you can start
living free. The most important thing is to not go back into debt. It's the
worst thing you can possibly do. It's Uke losing a lot of weight only to put
it back on again and then some. But I don't think you'll want to take on
any new debt ever again. One thing you'll notice is that you'll have more
2?
cash flow then you imagined. Instead of using all your cash to pay debts,
you can use it to save, invest, travel, or do whatever you want. You'll
learn that paying cash for everything is liberating. Paying cash will also
prevent you from buying things on impulse, because once the cash is
gone, it's gone!
Since you now have no credit card debt, you're next two largest
debts to pay off are your car payment and mortgage. Use the newly
"found" money to increase the payments on these two items. Use the
same steps as above. Pay off your car[s) first, then your mortgage. You
can end up paying these off in half the time. Now imagine how much
money you'll have when you own your home and car free and clear!
Many people think that credit cards are an absolute necessity in
today's world. In some ways, they are correct. In the post 9/11 world,
paying cash for certain things automatically makes you suspect. It
shouldn't be this way. Cash is the most anonymous way to buy things,
and in many cases, the cheapest. You'll never have to worry about going
in debt when you pay cash. Yet renting a car or getting a hotel room
without a credit card is difficult, if not impossible. Paying cash for an
airline ticket is sure to trigger a visit from a "friendly" TSA agent.
I don't carry any credit cards other than a gas card. I pay cash or
use my MasterCard ATM card. It functions just Uke a credit card but is
tied to my checking account. I can book hotel rooms and rent cars with it
and I never go into debt. Sure, the rental company will place a hold of
$200 on my account for the duration of my rental but I always have
more than enough money to cover the hold.
I don't believe that credit is a necessity today. Even though we
are moving away from cash and into electronic transactions, I can barely
think of any place that doesn't happily accept cash. The credit card
22
companies are aggressively using the power of marketing to get you to
give up your cash. I'm reminded of a recent VISA commercial that
showed a busy deli where everyone was marching in lockstep. Chefs
were flinging hamburgers, pancakes, and drinks directly on the
customers' plates. Customers happily and quickly pay with their VISA
check card. Everything was working Uke clockwork until some poor sap
opened up his wallet and pulled out cash. The entire deU came to a
crashing halt. Drinks and food were spilt, people crashed into each other,
and everyone looked upon our hapless gentleman as evil-incarnate. He
paid his bill and the factory line continued unabated. It was a blatant
attempt to get people to do away with cash and use their Visa card. They
say it's faster and more convenient. I say it's the other way around. Cash
is the most convenient way to pay for just about anything and it's a good
way to get discounts at certain establishments.
I'm very adverse to debt. I was stung by it years ago and vowed
never to get in that situation again. I save for something I want or I
refrain from buying it at all. Don't fall for the debt trap, it will ensnare
you for many years and cost you a small fortune to get out.
Credit is a loan against future earnings
Think of credit as a loan against future earnings. Every time you
use your credit card or finance a purchase, you're giving up future
earnings to buy something now. Many people in their early twenties who
are just starting out tend to beUeve that credit is a good thing to have
and use. The common assumption is that their earnings will rise over the
years to offset the cost of the debt. Hence, kids rack up tens of thousands
of dollars in student loans, credit card bills, and car loans. Many kids do
end up earning substantially more as they grow up but why carry such a
23
heavy debt burden so early? There are so many kids carrying student
loans well into their thirties.
It's nice to think your income will always be there, and in ever
increasing amounts. It's a positive way of thinking, but reaUty always has
a way of smacking you in the face when you least expect it. Being debt-
free means your future earnings are not beholden to a present-day
credit card debt. A sudden loss of income won't bankrupt you.
24
Save Your Money
Yes, it's that simple. You must save your money. Not enough
people save. Americans are saving money at the lowest rate since the
Great Depression. In an era of unprecedented credit expansion and
paltry interest rates, 'tis better to spend than save. Alas, there are a
small, but growing number of people who are getting off the
consumption bandwagon. They are saving more money and spending
less. The stress of keeping up with the Joneses is too much. Debt levels
are reaching a breaking point and you soon wonder if that shiny new car,
LCD TV, and large McMansion is truly worth it.
Bill Bonner, writing in the Daily Reckoning observes, "One of the
results of the credit explosion is that is makes it hard to tell who is rich
and who is not. People can live as though they had money, even when
they have none. Which puts a strain on the whole system of envy. A man
tries to keep up with the Joneses. ..who may be only trying to keep up
with him. Neither may realize that the other has no money. Both go in
debt chasing a mirage."
That last sentence is teUing. Wealth gained through debt is a
mirage. It is not real wealth, it is just stuff bought on easy credit. You
don't own it; the finance company does until you pay it off. And how long
will that take? How much will you really pay for that big LCD TV after the
interest is calculated? Epicurus, the Greek philosopher, stated that
maintaining an extravagant lifestyle is generally more troublesome then
the pleasure of actually living it.^ What that means is you have to
maintain a certain level of income to satisfy an extravagant lifestyle. This
2 [Wikipedia, Simple Living, 2007]
25"
means working longer and harder just to buy stuff. Then there's the
hidden and not-so-hidden costs of maintain what you already own. It's
one thing to afford a $100,000 car but you also have to afford insurance,
maintenance, and fuel. That can add up significantly over the life of the
car. Your income will have to match or exceed the ongoing costs.
Epicurus concluded that "what is necessary for happiness, bodily
comfort, and life itself should be maintained at minimal cost, while all
things beyond what is necessary for these should either be tempered by
moderation or completely avoided."^ Epicurus advocated frugaUty.
The argument against saving is the paltry interest rates offered,
especially during the last ten years or so. The other argument is the
rapid monetary inflation over the last decade has made saving money a
losing proposition. If a passport savings account paid 1-2% a year and
the dollar was depreciating at over 3% [a low-ball estimate), then you're
technically losing money.
Another argument against saving is that people are already
saving by investing in 401[k) plans and other tax-differed plans. This is
true but the savings I'm referring to is after-tax savings. That is what you
put aside from your take-home income. This is liquid savings; savings
that can easily be withdrawn for any reason and without penalties.
These types of liquid savings are basic savings and money-market
accounts.
Real wealth is created by savings and investment, not by
consumption through debt. Consumption that is paid for is great. You
own it free and clear. Being straddled with debt just to satisfy a want
3 [Wikipedia, Simple Living, 2007]
26
only leads to the stress of paying it off. And it will have to be paid off at
some time, lest you file for bankruptcy, as many are.
There is a great sense of relief, calm, and security when you have
money saved up. You know it's there to accumulate wealth, provide for a
family emergency, pay the bills if you get laid off, or to pass it on to your
heirs. Savings bring peace-of-mind.
There are two simple steps to start saving:
First open up a savings account. Check around for those that
offer the highest rate. Your bank's rate may be surprisingly low but some
are starting to compete with the Ukes of ING Direct and others. Shop
around. Some banks are offering yields as high as 5.05%. If you already
have a savings account with a paltry rate, find one with a high rate and
move your funds over.
Second, start putting money away every month on an automatic
plan. Pay yourself first. It doesn't matter how much. It could be as low as
$10-$25 per month. Just save something!
But, how do you come up with money to save when you've living
paycheck to paycheck? Well, if you follow any of the steps proscribed in
this book to simplify your life, you'll already have "found" money. As an
example, we'll discuss something called the Latte Factor.
David Bach, author of The Automatic MiUionaire, coined the
term, Latte Factor to explain how much money is spent everyday on
little things, Uke lattes and muffins and juices. A typical latte costs about
$3.50-4.00. Add another $1.50 for a muffin or pastry, plus $.50 for the
local newspaper and you're spending $5-6 every day. Some people
repeat this entire process in the afternoon nearly doubling their daily
expenditures and this doesn't include the ~$10 they would spend on
lunch. Multiply that by 20 days and you're spending $100-120 a month
27
on coffee and pastry! Just cutting the amount you spend in half and
making your own coffee will free up $50 a month for your savings
program.
Once you start on your automatic savings program, you'll watch
the account grow over time. You'll be surprised how fast the money will
grow. And it will grow even more if you add more money each month,
which you should strive to do. You'll feel so much better knowing you
have money in the bank rather than buying a 42" LCD TV with your
credit card. You won't be stressed out by money again. You'll have
enough for emergencies. What's more important is that since you are
living a simple Ufestyle now, you won't need as much money to live on
should you lose your job or suffer a sudden loss in income.
Build a $1000 Emergency Fund
Your first savings goal is to reach $1000. This will be your
emergency fund. It is there to tap into in case of any emergency whether
it's car troubles, a medical emergency, a family member needs financial
assistance or some other surprise expenditure. This is not the place to
fund a vacation or luxury purchase. It is used for bona fide emergencies
only. If you use the emergency fund, focus on replenishing the fund as
soon as possible. You always want to have at least $1000 for
emergencies.
Save Up 2 Years of Living Expenses
Now that you have a $1000 emergency fund, ask yourself the
following questions: What would you do if you or your spouse were laid
off? How long could you continue to live until you went bankrupt? If
you're Uke most people, not long. Too many of us live paycheck to
28
paycheck. One interruption in that income stream can lead to financial
ruin.
Thankfully, you're not like most people. By reading this book,
you've decided to get out of debt and save money. You've also decided to
reduce your consumption and live simply. By choosing this Ufestyle,
you'll be able to save a considerable amount of money on your current
income. Your next goal should be to save up at least 2 years worth of
expenses. These expenses should cover the basics: rent/mortgage,
utilities, food, car payments and maintenance, insurance, home supplies,
and basic clothing.
You can take comfort in know that you can live frugally, yet
comfortably for two years should any financial hardship come your way.
Of course you would cut out all unnecessary expenditures but you would
have enough socked away so you would never fear of losing your home,
car and other valuable possessions.
Stash Your Cash
For many people, nearly all of their cash is stored — albeit
electronically — at their local bank or in their investments. Other than
keeping a weekly supply of cash in your wallet or purse, your money is
stored somewhere else. There are obvious reasons for this. Hoarding all
of your cash at home increases the risk of theft. It makes paying bills
difficult since you have to physically go to a store or office to make a
payment. Your money doesn't earn interest, though most checking
accounts do not pay interest. That means your idle money is losing its
purchasing power every day due to monetary inflation. Finally, having
large amounts of cash on hand can be a bit unwieldy to manage.
29
Still, you're relying on other people to grant you access to your
cash when you need it. Under normal circumstances, obtaining your cash
is as easy as walking over to an ATM. Most people never think about not
being able to access their cash. The bank is always there. There's always
an ATM around when you need one. You can always pay for something
with a credit card. This is all very true but I think it is worthwhile to
keep some cash in your home, stored in a fire-proof safe. It doesn't have
to be much, perhaps two months of living expenses. You'll have ready
access to cash in case of any emergency and you won't have to rely on
your bank to provide it. You can conjure up many scenarios where
access to cash via your bank could become disrupted: terrorism, power
outages, a natural disaster, political upheaval, or a good old-fashioned
bank run.
Bank runs have been rare since most western governments
insure bank deposits. Recently, due to the subprime mortgage
meltdown, two banks — one in the United States and one in U.K. —
experienced a bank run not seen since the savings and loans debacle in
the late 1980s. Despite deposit protections guaranteed by the
government, people lined up outside the banks of Northern Rock in the
U.K. and Countrywide Bank in the United States to withdraw their
money from the bank. Confidence in the banks eroded and customers
wanted their cash before the banks went belly up.
The likely hood of a major bank going bankrupt is sUm as the
government can simply print more money to ensure deposit demands
can be met. However, for those living a simple life, having access to your
cash is paramount. Keeping a small, but adequate stash of currency in
your possession is a sound way of protecting yourself from a major
30
calamity. It is true that the money will depreciate over time but it is still
can be used to buy goods and services in a time of crisis.
31
Simplify Your Banking
BankAccounts
If you have multiple checking and savings accounts, consolidate
them. You may have a basic checking account for day-to-day expenses
and a money market checking account for larger purchases. Consider
closing the money market account and moving the account into your
basic checking account. Many banks offer accounts that pay interest if
you maintain a higher than average daily balance. With this type of
account, you still earn interest but only have to maintain one account.
I maintain two accounts, Washington Mutual for checking and
ING Direct for savings. There's an automatic monthly transfer from my
checking account to my savings. I picked ING because of their higher-
than-average interest rate. Now that the competition has increased,
banks are offering much higher rates than in years past. It makes good
sense no to consoUdate your checking and savings accounts into one
bank. As long as there are no low-balance fees or any other gotchas, you
can simpUfy your bank management by sticking with one, soUd bank.
Interest Rates
See if your bank has a high-enough interest rate. Check
Bankrate.com^ for up-to-date interest rates. Don't expect to find very
high interest rates, even among some independent banks. The average
rates for savings, money market and CDs have been between 3%-5%.
4 http://www.bankrate.com/
32
One thing to watch is the Federal Reserve's setting of the federal
funds rate. The Fed Funds Rate is the rate that banks charge each other
for overnight loans. A reduction in the rate will most likely mean a
reduction in yields offered by banks. The stock market always loves a
rate reduction but it is bad news for savers.
Direct Deposit
This one should be obvious. Who wants to deal with depositing a
check at the bank? Most employers offer direct deposit. Take advantage
of it and have your salary deposited in your account. Do the same for
your Social Security benefits, pension payments, 401[k) distributions
and any other income.
A UTOMA TIC Bill Pa y
Another convenience of modern technology is the ability to pay
all of your bills electronically and on a specific schedule. No more licking
stamps each month. Many banks offer this service for free over the
Internet. You specify which bills to pay and when to pay them. That way
you'll never be late and get hit with a late-payment fee.
33
Investing
One often puts money in investments and forgets about them.
You may have multiple 401[k) accounts, IRAs, mutual funds, individual
stocks and bonds, savings accounts, CDs, and money-market accounts.
Managing all of them can take a bit of time. Perhaps you don't want to
spend any time managing your investments. You'd rather spend your
time doing something else. You could hire an investment advisor to
manage everything for you, or you could follow these steps to simplify
your investments and manage them yourself.
This is your money we're talking about. You have to be
comfortable with your level of investment and trading risk. If you don't
know much about investing or trading, don't get suckered into the easy-
money lure of options and futures trading like you see on the late-night
infomercials. While options and futures can be used very effectively to
speculate and hedge, they should only be used when you have carefully
studied how these markets work. You can lose a lot of money very
quickly if you don't know what you're doing.
You have to decide how far you want to manage your
investments. There are so many different investing and trading styles
that it is beyond the scope of this book. You have to find and investment
or trading strategy that's right for you. It must be simple to manage and
meet your risk criteria.
Brokerage Accounts
Stick with one broker. Competition is fierce amongst brokers.
You don't need to spend outrageous commissions on a full-service
broker. Since you're simplifying your investment portfolio, you won't
34
need a full-service broker offering you the next hot stock. Find a soUd
discount broker and you'll save hundreds in commissions. Almost all
discount brokers handle nearly any type of trading product ranging from
stocks, bonds, treasuries, options, and in some cases, futures.
401 [k]/IRA/Keogh accounts
These types of accounts function the same way: you put money
into the account and invest it. Depending on what type of account it is, it
grows tax-free until you reach retirement age, then you can withdraw it.
At that time. Uncle Sam extends his greedy tentacles and takes his share.
What type of retirement account you have or wish to have is up
to you depending on your circumstances. If you're working for a
company with a 401[k) plan, then that will probably be your main
retirement investment vehicle. You may also have a personal IRA or
educational IRA for your kids. If you're self-employed you'll normally
select a Keogh or SIMPLE IRA plan.
401[k) plans are the most popular but tend to be very limited in
investment options. Companies opt for a standard menu of large-, mid-,
and small-cap funds, one or two bond funds, an income fund and maybe
a sector fund. IRA and Keoghs are much more flexible. You can buy and
sell individual stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, futures, and options. Of
course, we want to keep our investments simple unless you want to be
an active trader.
Rollover multiple 401 (k) accounts
If you have changed jobs over the years and participated in your
company's 401[k) plan, you may have several open accounts.
Consolidate all of your 401(k) accounts into your current employer's
35"
plan or a rollover IRA. Rollovers are very easy and only take a few
minutes with a phone call or onUne. Then get into the habit of rolhng
over your 401[k) every time you change jobs.
Managed 401 (k) accounts
401[k) accounts were created to shift the burden of retirement
savings from the company to the employees. They would contribute, the
company would match a percentage of the contribution and the
employee would build a portfoUo from a restricted list of mutual funds.
That's great in theory, but many people are too busy and not
knowledgeable enough to know what kind of funds to pick depending on
their comfort level and current market conditions. Enter the managed
401[k) account. You select this option on your enrollment form; then
give some information about your retirement goals and current assets.
The plan will invest your contributions in a mix of funds based on your
goals. The account is usually rebalanced every quarter. Depending on
your goals and age before retirement, the fund mix may be more
aggressive in the early years becoming more conservative as retirement
age nears.^
Self-directed 401 (k)
This 401[k) account gives you the freedom to invest your
contributions nearly any way you want. You're no longer restricted to
the Umited investment options offered by your company. The account
functions more like a traditional IRA. Any gains made in your account
5 [Smith, 2005]
36
are tax-free until you withdraw. But, as I've said before, if you have the
time and tenacity to trade your own account, then this is the best way to
maximize your 401[k). For companies that do offer a self-directed
option, most require a minimum contribution balance in a traditional
401[k) before you can convert to a self-directed account. Ask your
benefits administrator if your company offers a self-directed 401[k)
account.
There are many more types of retirement accounts that are
beyond the scope of this book. For a thorough Ust of available accounts,
read the Retirement Plan Primer at The Motley Fool website. ^
Mutual Funds - Overview
I'll be upfront: I don't like mutual funds. I'm not saying you
shouldn't invest in them. There are good funds out there provide
consistent returns above the S&P 500. Unfortunately, almost 80% of the
funds underperform the market.^ I just think there are better investment
vehicles out there for those wiUing to take just a little bit extra time to
research.
My biggest beef with mutual funds is that the vast majority of
them are long-only. Basically, that means they buy low and sell high. But
isn't that they way you're supposed to invest? Yes, but it only works if
the stock you buy or the sector you invest in is going up. In bull markets
and sectors that trend up, you make money. Unfortunately, during bear
markets and sideways trends, many traditional mutual funds lose money
•5 http://www.fool.com/Retirement/RetirementPlannmg/RetirementPlannmgl5.htm
7 [Motley Fool]
37
or barely break even. Over the long run, many mutual funds barely
outperform a basic index fund that tracks the S&P 500.
Mutual funds have been around in one form or another since the
mid-1920s. They didn't take really take off until 1975 when the
Individual Retirement Account [IRA) was created by Congress. Even
more people invested in mutual funds with the rapid adoption of
defined-contribution plans [401[k)s).8 They've been a mainstay in the
investment world ever since.
Probably the most positive thing about mutual funds is their
simpUcity. You pick a fund or two to diversify, send them your money
and wait. The trouble is what kind of funds to pick from the over 8600
registered funds. ^ Below are ways to simplify your mutual fund
investments.
Single-family Mutual Funds
Another simple way of investing is to stick with a single family of
funds from one company such as FideUty or Vanguard. It takes the guess
work out of picking different funds from different companies. The
downside is that some of the funds may not perform as well as others
from a different company. You're no so concerned about picking a top-
performing fund manager; you're more concerned about the variety of
funds from the family. You'll be able to diversify your asset allocation
across a wide variety of sectors and styles. 1°
8 [Wikipedia]
9 [Wikipedia]
10 [Michael A. Weiss]
38
Index FUNDS - Follow the Market
Index funds are among the simplest of all mutual funds. All they
do is invest in stocks or bonds that make up a major index, such as the
S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Wilshire 5000 for stocks,
and the Lehman 10-year Bond index for bonds.
These funds perform very well during major bull markets, as was
recently witnessed during the dotcom boom and the recent run-up in the
Dow and S&P 500 earlier this year. However, during bear markets,
chances are good you'll lose money unless you sit it out until the next
great bull market. As an example, if you invested $10,000 in the
Vanguard 500 Index Fund which tracks the S&P 500 back near the end of
1997 and held it, it would increase to nearly $16500 at the top of the
market back in 2000. But we all know what happened after that; the
market crashed over the next two years. Your investment would have
dropped to roughly $9000 by the end of 2002. It would take another 4
years for your investment to get back to its 2000 peak." But, if you
adjusted for monetary inflation, you would still be down from the 2000
peak! Those who invested in the NASDAQ are still down 50% from the
lofty highs of 2000! But, if you're willing to wait many years to cycle
through a bear market, index funds tend to perform decently in the very
long run. Just be aware that bear markets can last well over 10 years if
they are severe enough.
For those who simply don't want to deal with tracking
investments and want to invest their money and forget it, index funds
are the way to go as long as you can weather the bull and bear market
cycles over decades, yes, decades. Vanguard funds such as the Vanguard
11 [Vanguard, 2007]
39
500 Index Fund Investor Shares [VFINX) [as described above) and the
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund [VBLTX) provide a simply way to
invest in the broad stock and bond indices. 12
One thing to be aware of with index funds is that they are
actively managed. By that I mean companies are being added and
removed from the index each year. The index fund you invest in does not
manage the index. It only buys the component stocks that make up the
index. The actual index is being managed. Dan Ferris explains: "Here's
how it works... An index will drop a stock if it crashes and add one that's
perhaps become large enough and which the indexers feel is 'more
representative' of the sector. The indexers will tell you it's more complex
than that, but that's what it amounts to."i3
Since the indexes are constantly adding and removing companies
from the index, it can affect the performance of the index and your index
fund. Still, you would be better off buying an index fund. Even in a bear
market, there is almost always a sector that is outperforming the rest of
the market. See below for Exchange-Traded funds. Even though I disUke
most mutual funds, I wouldn't hesitate to park some of my investment
money in an index fund during a bull market.
Life-cycle FUNDS
These funds are a simpUfied way of investing for retirement. You
won't have to research a lot of different funds, nor would you have to
figure out how to diversify your portfolio.
12 [Vanguard - Personal investors homepage]
13 [Ferris, 2007]
40
A life-cycle fund is really a fund of funds. It invests in a range of
funds from the same fund family, i.e. Vanguard's life-cycle funds invest in
Vanguard mutual funds. They are designed for asset allocation based on
your time horizon and appetite for risk. A more aggressive Ufe-cycle fund
will invest in funds that are heavily weighted with stocks. Conservative
funds will allocate more towards bonds.
There are two types of funds: static allocation and target
maturity. Static allocation funds require you to move your money into
more conservative funds as you get older. A target maturity fund does
the work for you. You pick a fund with a specific retirement year and it
will automatically move from a more aggressive portfolio to a more
conservative one as your target year approaches. A CNNMoney article
states an example, "...T. Rowe Price Retirement 2020 [TRRBX) currently
allocates 61 percent to U.S. stocks, 16 percent to non-U. S. stocks, 18
percent to bonds and 5 percent to cash. The allocation to bonds and cash
will increase as 2020 approaches. "i4
Exchange-Traded Funds
An exchange-traded fund [ETF) is very similar to an index
mutual fund, but it trades like a regular stock on an exchange. That
means you can buy and sell an ETF just like a single-company stock.
There is an ETF for about every major sector and index. You can
trade ETFs that track the S&P 500 index, the Dow Jones Industrial
Average, the gold sector, oil and energy, technology, and currencies.
According to Investopedia, "By owning an ETF, you get the
14 [Sahadi,2003]
4?
diversification of an index fund as well as the ability to sell short, buy on
margin and purchase as little as one share. Another advantage is that the
expense ratios for most ETFs are lower than those of the average mutual
fund."i5
I like ETFs. I have more control over my investments and can
move in and out of high performing sectors. I'm not stuck in a typical
long-only growth mutual fund that can barely beat the return on the S&P
500. 1 can also simplify my investments by owning a few sector ETFs like
gold and energy. ETFs are perfect for people who have a self-directed
401[k).
Government Bonds
Investing in treasury bonds [government bonds and notes) are a
very simple way of investing and among the safest. The minimum
investment is $1000. Interest rates are generally a little lower than CDs
and money markets, but they are exempt from state and local taxes. You
can buy them directly [and commission free) from the United States
Treasury at www.treasurydirect.gov. There you can find information
about other government bonds in smaller denominations such as I
Savings Bonds, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities [TIPS), and EE/E
Savings Bonds.
Dollar cost averaging
This is one of the easiest ways to invest. It's very similar to an
automatic savings plan. Each month, you invest a fixed amount in your
15 [Forbes Media, 2007]
42
investment of choice; let's take mutual funds for an example. You buy
fewer shares when prices rise and more shares when prices drop.
According to Investopedia, "Eventually, the average cost per share of the
security will become smaller and smaller. Dollar-cost averaging lessens
the risk of investing a large amount in a single investment at the wrong
time."i6
[Forbes Media, 2007]
43
Simplify YOUR Spending
True cost of ownership
Whenever you buy something, you have to recognize the true,
long-term cost of ownership. This is especially pertinent with electronic
gadgets and items that require a subscription service to operate. That
$600 iPhone could end up costing you over $2000 in the first two years
when you add the total cost of a mandatory 2 -year cell phone plan, taxes,
and fees. 17
Nearly everything you purchase on an installment plan will cost
you considerably more when interest is factored. The total cost of
ownership for a car could end up being nearly double the sticker price
when you factor in depreciation, interest, insurance, fuel, repairs and
maintenance.
Now this doesn't mean that you should forego a car or your cell
phone. But it should give you pause before purchasing something that
will cost far more than the initial price. A blog post at Mint.com states,
"Consider this: let's say for whatever reason you have financial trouble
in the future. You're living paycheck to paycheck, and suddenly one
month becomes extremely difficult. ..Would you wish you'd had $2,200
so you can provide food for your family?"!^ It is something to think
about. But, since you are making a commitment to simplify your life, you
probably won't be purchasing an iPhone anytime soon, right?
17 [Cap, 2007]
18 Ibid.
44
Reduce the need for services
Acquiring large amounts of stuff requires the ability to manage
said stuff. Yet we are so busy working and toiling to earn money to
acquire that stuff, we hire people to take care of our stuff. The gardener
takes care of the lawn and plants; the maid cleans the McMansion; the
dry cleaner handles the laundry; the babysitter and/or day care handles
the kids; the cook prepares meals; the personal trainer keeps us in
shape; the accountant handles the finances; the broker handles the
investments.
When you simplify, you'll find that you don't need to hire anyone
to do these things. You'll be working fewer hours so you'll be home
earlier and more often. You won't have so much stuff in your smaller
home. Your entertainment is simpler and more family oriented. Your
investments and finances have been consolidated. You've simpUfied your
eating habits. You've drastically reduced your wardrobe. You've
simplified your exercise program. Guess what? You can now fire your
accountant, broker, personal trainer, maid, cook, gardener, dry cleaner,
babysitter and day care provider. You've just saved yourself a small
fortune!
I know how dreadful it can be to do the laundry and prune the
garden and clean the house. But, when you don't have a large wardrobe,
doing the laundry is quick and painless. When you don't have a large
house full of furniture and piles of stuff, cleaning the house can be
accomplished rather quickly with a vacuum and a quick dust.
Maintaining the garden is a great way to exercise and get outdoors.
I remember growing up in our neighborhood and never once
seeing a gardener. My parents live in a middle-class neighborhood
consisting of rows of tract houses built in the 1950s with large front and
45"
back yards. None of my neighbors that I knew hired a gardener. Each
weekend they were out there mowing the lawn, trimming the hedges,
pulhng weeds and watering the plants. It was just something you did on
the weekends. Now, people with less than half the yard space of my
parents' house hire a gardener.
Eliminating services reduces the need to rely on other people to
take care of things in your life. You become more self-reliant. You can
take charge of your life and not let your possessions take charge of you.
Take off your shoes when home
It is customary in Japan to remove your shoes before entering
the home. It makes great sense, yet it is far from a custom in Western
countries. There is an obvious reason for taking off one's shoes at home.
You leave all the dirt and gunk off your carpets and floors. This will save
you a pretty penny on carpet cleaning. Your carpets will need just their
normal vacuuming.
Don't buy clothes that need dry cleaning
Give your wallet a break and buy clothes that don't require dry
cleaning. This may be more difficult if you work in a traditional office
environment that requires a shirt and tie. Fortunately, in today's casual
work environment, the majority of the clothes we wear can be machine
or hand washed. Stick with cotton. If you do wear a suit.
46
Rent OR Own a Home?
Ever since the end of World War II, owning a home has become a
right of passage for middle-class Americans. It was touted as a safe
investment and a means to greater wealth. Hence, the creation and
expansion of the suburbs as millions took out mortgages and bought
their dream home.
Back in those days, paying off your mortgage was important.
Parties were held after the last payment was made and the mortgage
note was burned. People did not want to stay in perpetual debt. Owning
their home was a priority.
A home is not an investment. It is a liability, even if you've paid
off the mortgage. A home is where you live. You have to pay insurance,
maintenance, and confiscatory property taxes. Taking equity out of your
house in the form of a second or third mortgage is not cashing in on an
investment. The only time a home becomes an investment is if you sell it
for a profit or rent it out for income. Only then, you still have to buy or
rent another home, unless you're in the business of buying and selling
real estate.
The real estate boom of 2002-2005 has plunged millions of
people into high-cost mortgages that eat up a majority of their income.
Home prices soared as everyone jumped into the boom hoping to make a
quick buck. Outrageously low interest rates fueled even more
speculation and gave rise to the sub-prime loan. Sub-prime means
individuals with sub-par credit histories.
The lending industry handed out money like candy to anyone
with a pulse. They then sold their loans to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae
who then packaged all the loans together and sold them as mortgage
47
backed securities. They turned debt into an investment, betting that real
estate prices will always go up.
The lenders also got fancy with their own mortgage products.
Instead of the staid 30-year fixed mortgage, lenders offered a dizzying
array of loans geared towards people who didn't have enough down-
payment or income to qualify for a traditional mortgage. Interest-only
loans, adjustable rate mortgages, negative amortization loans. All of
these allowed buyers to pay much lower monthly payments on a much
larger house. Of course, their payments would balloon after several
years when the loan was adjusted to higher interest rates. People soon
found their mortgage payments rising from $1500 to $2500 and more.
The threat of foreclosure looms and, indeed, foreclosures are rising
rapidly across all major real estate areas.
I advocate renting your home or apartment. I simply see owning
a home as a major hindrance and a huge drain on my income. Even if you
have a family, renting a home may be better for you financially. You
won't have to worry about a mortgage, mortgage insurance, or repairs.
Plus, it's far easier to move if you rent. Say you received a new job offer
in another city. If you own a home, you'd have to sell it and buy another
place. That could take a while and you still have to make your mortgage
payments. If you rent, simply give your landlord 30 day notice and move
to another rental in the new town. It's simple and less stressful.
But what about the generous tax deductions for owning a home?
It makes no sense to buy something just to receive a tax deduction. The
amount of money you save from maintenance, insurance and interest
costs could easily make up the yearly tax deduction.
Since you are reducing the amount of stuff you have, you can live
in a smaller home or apartment. This will drive down your housing costs
48
with lower rent. Even if you choose to buy, your mortgage payments will
be smaller as will your down-payment.
My girlfriend and I live in a comfortable one-bedroom
apartment. We see no need to move to a larger house or apartment at
this time. Our possessions are few so we don't require a large living
space. This really keeps our housing costs down. We don't even have
renters insurance. There's nothing in our house worth stealing! This lets
us put our money to more productive and profitable uses.
If your house is worth more than you paid for, consider seUing it
and move to a smaller place. Pocket the profit and rent. Kiss your
mortgage payment goodbye and put the money into interest-earning
investments or your kids' college fund.
Paying rent is not throwing your money away. I am simply
paying for a temporary place to live. Look, I'm not eschewing home
ownership. Home ownership is for people who want a sense of
permanence. It makes sense to own if you plan on living in your house
for the next 20-30 years. As long as you paid a decent price and can
readily afford 15-30 years of mortgage payments, then buy a home and
live in it. Don't worry about rising property values. You have no need to
take out a home equity loan since you're not taking on any new debt. You
won't need to refinance your house if mortgage rates drop. That means
you're extending the term of your mortgage and will continue to be in
debt well into your retirement years. If home ownership is where you
want to be, find a place you love in a city you love even more. You're
going to be there for a very long time.
49
Drive A SIMPLE CAR
Want to save a ton of money on gas, maintenance, and
insurance? Drive a smaller car. Forgo the gadgets and other do -dads that
plaque new cars and opt for something simple. There are so many
features on today's new cars that few people use them or even know
about them. They're getting as complicated as computer software. You
know that those gadgets in your car will break down over the years. It's
one thing to fix the normal mechanical components of a car, but how
much will it cost if the large LCD screen fails in your dashboard? What
will it cost you if your Bluetooth receiver fails? How much is it to replace
the satellite radio antenna? What about all those knobs, buttons, and
dials on your dash? Think of your car as a means to an end and not a
status symbol. Remember, you're simplifying so status symbols are not
needed. A small four-door sedan with cloth seats, air-conditioning and
automatic transmission will provide high-quaUty, comfortable
transportation for 6-10 years. Cars are built so well now that practically
all of them will last 10 years with proper maintenance and care. You can
pick from a wide range of car makers, from the Nissan Sentra and Versa
to the popular Toyota Yaris, Honda Civic. Other models are the Chevy
Aveo and Cobalt, and the Ford Escort. For those with larger families,
mid-size sedans such the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima,
Chevy MaUbu, and Ford Fusion are great choices.
If you have a large family or tend to haul large items around, then
it really doesn't make sense to drive a smaller car. An SUV or truck is the
only way to go. They're still the best way to haul the kids and groceries
around despite high gas prices. If that's the case you may want to shop
around for the smaller, crossover SUVs.
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New OR Used?
There are two camps of car buyers: those who hke to buy late-
model used cars, and those who like to buy new. Used car buyers save
money on the initial depreciation of a new car. These cars are generally
2-3 years old and may be coming off a lease. The cars are generally still
covered by the manufacturer's warranty. Used car buyers can buy a
larger and more luxurious car for the same price a new, smaller car.
The new car buyers Uke buying a new car then run it for 10 years
or until it dies or becomes too expensive to repair. They'll take the
depreciation hit knowing they'll keep the car a few extra years.
I belong to the new car camp. I buy my cars new and run them
for years. We drive a 2001 Nissan Sentra that we bought back in 2000.
It's got over 130,000 miles and is still running strong. We plan on
keeping it for another three years before purchasing a new Sentra or its
equivalent.
Rent A car for long trips
Consider renting a car for long trips. We've been doing this for a
year now and it has saved us a lot of money on repairs while reducing
the mileage accumulation. Rental prices are relatively inexpensive,
especially if you rent a sub-compact. This will significantly prolong the
life of your car and increase its resale value by keeping total mileage low.
Shop WITH A LIST
Impulse spending is what gets a lot of people into trouble.
There's a reason why the celebrity magazines are located at the front of
the checkout lanes. You read the headlines and browse through the
5\
magazine while you wait. Sure enough, the magazine is in your cart
waiting to be rung up. Sure it's only $4 or so but it was a totally
unnecessary expenditure. It was a pure impulse buy.
Always try to plan your shopping ahead of time. Bring a list and
only buy what's on the list. You'll save money and buy fewer things. Sure,
you'll probably remember something that you forgot to put on the list
and that's okay. The key thing is not to get sucked into making an
impulse purchase.
Opt-out of holidays
It seems there's a hoUday every month that requires you to
spend money on gifts. That can add up very quickly if you have a large
family. It gets worse when you add birthdays and anniversaries.
Simplify your hoUdays and opt-out of the unimportant ones. You
can still celebrate the hoUdays; you just don't need to spend money on
gifts. Send a card. Visit family members. Call and say hello. Even if you do
need to send gifts, there are thousands of gifts that don't cost a lot and
are more meaningful in an age of excess materiaUsm.
52
Part 2: Simplify Your Stuff
The second step to getting rich is getting rid of the stuff in your life. This is
all the physical items thatyou've accumulated over your lifetime. Let go
and be free.
53
Purge
Now it's time to apply your inner Stalin and purge the stuff from
your home and office. Depending on the just how much stuff you have, it
could become a major project. For packrats, purging maybe the hardest,
yet most liberating experience you'll have. Purging may take anywhere
from several hours to several days. You can go gung ho and set aside an
entire weekend or you can break it up into chunks and tackle specific
sections of your home. It's entirely up to you.
Remember, you can't get attached to your stuff. Never let your
possessions own you. You must be able to let go or else you'll never
really live a simple Ufe.
There are three things you can do to purge your stuff:
1. Donate/gift it
2. Sell it
3. Chuck it
When I purge I generally do 1 and 3. For me, trying to sell things
on eBay or through a garage sale is too much hassle for a few dollars in
sales. However, if you want to have a massive garage sale and maybe
make a few bucks, by all means have one. You can always donate or
chuck what's left over. If you have some items that are valuable that you
don't need, than selling them on eBay or craigsUst may be the best
solution.
Bedroom(s)
Let's start in the bedroom closet. Go through all of your clothes
and shoes and purge anything you haven't worn in over a year. Don't
think about it too much, just do it. If you've gained or lost a few pounds
54
and have clothes that don't fit you anymore, purge it. Did you receive
clothing as a gift that you know you won't wear? Purge it. Are you still
holding on to that Member's Only jacket from high school? Donate it. Go
through all of your drawers and purge old stockings, socks, underwear,
and workout gear. Seriously, if your shoes or underwear have holes in
them, chuck them. When you're finished, you'll be surprised at how
much closet space is now available.
Keep your wardrobe simple. There's no need to have 50 pairs of
shoes. Ladies, I know this can be difficult. For most men, it's easier. Two
pairs of Oxford-style dress shoes for the office and a couple of pairs of
tennis or athletic shoes are all a man really needs. For the ladies, well,
you probably need a little bit more, but not that much! Out of all the
shoes in your closet, you probably only wear 5-6 pairs regularly. Start
by keeping 7-9 pairs and go from there. There's always a pair of shoes
needed for special occasions and you shouldn't get rid of them.
A blog comment suggested that men keep three suits, a formal
outfit, a semi-formal outfit, and a "messy" outfit for painting, repairing
the car and other dirty chores. I would disagree with the formal outfit
unless you regularly attend black-tie events. It's perfectly okay to rent a
tuxedo. A semi-formal outfit is also not required. A man with three suits
almost has a complete wardrobe for any occasion. Put a tie on and it's
formal; take the tie off and it's business casual. The components of a suit
make for a very flexible wardrobe.
Look around the rest of your bedroom and purge any
decorations you that you don't want anymore. Purge old bed sheets,
pillows, and comforters. Look in your nightstands. There's always
something to purge in there.
55
Bathroom
Next, move to the bathroom[s). Purge old toothbrushes, shaving
gear, perfumes, cologne, makeup, nail polish and other toiletries that you
should have thrown away long ago. Check the laundry pantry and purge
old towels, washrags, and cleaning suppUes.
Kitchen
Donate old utensils, glassware, dishes, gadgets and appliances.
It's time to donate that old set of Ginsu knives you bought after watching
a late-night infomercial. Clean out your refrigerator, and then clean out
your cupboards. Throw away old food and donate canned goods.
Living and Dining Room
The dining room is a bit antiquated in today's world. The dining
table is just another storage place. Seldom do people actually eat at their
dining room table. Get rid of all the crap you store on your dining table.
Either put it someplace more appropriate or trash it. It's not a place to
throw your wallet and keys after work. I know, my girlfriend won't let
me keep anything on the table! If your dining room has a bar or hutch, go
through them and throw away old liquor bottles, coasters, and bar
accessories you never use. Donate seldom-used glassware, serving
dishes, and other knickknacks that get stored in the dining room because
there's no other place to store them.
In the living room, donate old stereo equipment that is gathering
dust. Do you still use that record player or cassette deck? Toss old
remote controls. Consider getting a universal remote to control all of
your electronics. Toss old magazines, newspapers, and other things that
get strewn across the living room.
56
Look at the walls of your living room. Is it plastered with family
pictures, store-bought art, and your children's drawings? If these bring
you pleasure, then leave them up. If not, consider removing some of
them and give your walls some breathing room while giving the
appearance of more space in your house.
Garage
It used to be that the garage was a place to park the car and do
the laundry. Dad would have his workbench and tools and the kids
would store their bicycles and other outdoor playthings. Yet, few people
actually park their car in the garage. Why? The garage has become the
ultimate storage room for everyone's junk. Just look at the picture below
for an example. This is bad but I've seen much worse. When I walk to the
office, I walk through an older residential area and I'm constantly
amazed at how much stuff accumulates in people's garages. There are
several that are literally stacked floor to ceiUng with junk.
Figure 1 - pack-rat garage^'
19 http://www.ableremoval.com/images/RUBBISHLOAD55shr.jpg
57
If your garage is even half this bad, it's time to do some major
purging. Apply the "sell it, donate it, chuck it" principle to everything in
your garage. You know most of it is stuff you'll never use anymore. Do
you still keep your kids' old bicycles? Do you have old tools that are
rusted and don't work anymore? Golf clubs, camping equipment, old
clothes, board games, garden tools, old lawn mowers, barbeques,
furniture, workout equipment, toys. Get rid of it.
Once you're done, maybe your garage will look like this:
Figure 2 - Clean Garage^o
Just think, you could actually park your car in the garage where it
belongs. Not only will your garage be cleaner, but safer.
Home Office
Next we'll move to the home office, if you have one. Look at your
desk. Is it cluttered with papers, magazines, notes, computer media and
equipment? Does it like the photo below in Figure 3?
20 http://www.garagedetail.com/cover_garage.jpg
58
Go through each piece of paper and either file it or chuck it.
Chuck the broken pencils and the pens with no ink. The goal is to get it
off your desk.
Attack your filing cabinets. Only keep the essential paperwork.
Chuck those old instruction manuals for equipment you no longer own.
Toss old articles, lease agreements from an old address, and credit card
statements from years past. Unless you run a small business and need to
keep every scrap of paper for legal and tax reasons, there's no need to
hang on to so many documents. When you're done, your desk could look
like the one shown in Figure 4 [that's my office desk.]
Figure 3 - Messy Desk^i
21 http://farml.static.flickr.com/44/115599042_52baa9fbl6.jpg
59
Figure 4 - Clean Desk
Computer
It's one thing to accumulate paper and other physical items, but
you'd be amazed at how much stuff you accumulate on your computer.
Over time, our hard drives become stuffed with junk. Go through all of
your document files and delete anything you don't need. Delete memos,
presentations, spreadsheets, old project files, audio and video files, and
press releases. Delete anything that you don't need for your current
work. There may be files you have to keep for archival purposes but ask
yourself if you can get the files on your company's network or from
another colleague, do you need to keep it? If you need to keep files but
don't need regular access to them, back them up to a DVD or external
hard drive.
Don't worry about sorting through your email yet. That's for a
later chapter. But do take a look at your desktop. Delete all icons and
shortcuts that you don't regularly use. The desktop has become a giant
inbox for email attachments, downloads and saved files. Unfortunately,
many people never clean their desktop and soon enough, their entire
60
screen becomes one giant glob of icons [see below for an example of
desktop clutter.]
Figure 5 - Cluttered Desktop^z
This type of desktop makes finding things difficult. Files should
be stored in you're My Documents folder if you're using Windows, and
the Documents folder if you're using a Mac. How you setup your filing
system is up to you. Fortunately, the search functions in today's
operating systems are robust and very fast. Whether you use Windows
Desktop Search, Google Desktop, or Apple's SpotUght, you can find any
file on your computer fast. This makes it easy to have a clutter-free
desktop like the one I have, shown below. [Yes, I'm a Mac geek!)
22 [Atwood,2006]
61
Figure 6 - Uncluttered desktop
Another thing to look at is the amount of music, video and photo
files. These can take up tens, if not hundreds of gigabytes. Storage space
is very inexpensive, but these files are a form of clutter. Clutter is clutter
whether it's a physical item or a bunch of bits and bytes stored on a
computer.
Many of us take our music collections very personally. It is
reflection of who we are. It is a timeUne of our lives. That said, there is
more than Ukely a large amount of music you never listen to, or haven't
listened to in years. Ask yourself, if it disappeared from your library,
would you even know, or care that it's gone? Go through your music
collection and delete music you know you'll never listen to again. Hunt
through your albums, get rid of the crappy filler tracks and keep the
good stuff. It's perfectly okay to keep everything Miles Davis ever
recorded if you're a die-hard fan [like me), but I'm sure you could get rid
of a few Loverboy and N'Sync albums. Wait. ..I like Loverboy. Scratch
that! Get rid of a few Snoop Dogg albums. That's better!
62
Do the same with your video collection. How many YouTube
videos do you have that you watched once? It was probably the guy
getting hit in the testicles or that crazy Star Wars kid. You know what to
do, delete it.
Music, Videos, Books
I had a very large collection of DVDs and CDs. My CD collection
numbered almost 300 at one time. The DVDs numbered over 100.
Naturally, this collection took up a lot of space in the apartment. First, I
ripped my entire CD collection into MPS files on my computer then
gifted the CDs. For the DVDs, I went out and purchased two CD binders
that hold about 200 CDs each. I removed the DVDs from their cases and
filled the binders then I chucked the cases and donated the racks. Now
when I buy a DVD, I'll watch it to make sure there are no defects, and
then I chuck the case and store the DVD in the binder. New CDs get
ripped into the computer.
Even now, my DVD collection has filled over three large binders.
Ugh, that's too much. Thankfully, new movie download services offered
by Apple and others let me download DVD-quality movies to my
computer. No more physical media to store. All you need is a hard drive
large enough to store your movies. With the cost of storage space
declining rapidly, it's not as expensive as you'd imagine.
Here's the rub about digitizing your movies and music: you now
have a hard drive full of music and videos. You've removed the physical
clutter of discs and cases but you've retained the clutter of having
hundreds, if not thousands of individual music and video files.
Go through your books and donate all the books you've read and
don't want to keep for reference. Your local library will be happy to see
63
you. If you want to donate a book but need to retain some of the
information, you can either scan the pages into your computer or
transcribe sections using your word processing software. I've done this
myself with several books. I'll use Microsoft Word and enter in a brief
outline of the book and all of the relevant information I'll need for
reference.
If you have the necessary audio/video capture equipment for
your computer, you may want to start transferring your old VHS tapes,
vinyl records, and cassettes to your computer. The details are beyond
the scope of this book but you can find a wealth of resources on the
Internet.
Digitize old photos
Do you have stacks of photo albums stuffed with pictures? Do
you have shoeboxes overflowing with photos from every family event
over the past twenty years? It's time to get rid of the photos and digitize
them.
Thanks to advances in scanning technology and photo
management software, it's easy and cheap to scan in all your photos and
store them digitally on your computer. All you need is a cheap $50-$75
scanner and software like Apple's iPhoto for the Mac or Google's Picasa
for Windows and Linux. You can scan all your photos into your computer
with fantastic resolution. You can even repair old photos with basic color
correction, scratches and red-eye removal. All of your photos can then
be stored on your computer or burned to a DVD for archiving. Then if
you need to print any photo, it's available at the click of a mouse. You can
dispose of all the paper photos and albums leaving your closet or
64
bookshelf free of clutter. Better yet, use one of the many online photo
storage sites Uke FUckr^s and Photobucket24
Don't carry so much stuff!
This is mainly aimed at the ladies with the bulging purses that
weigh fifty pounds but it is also directed at men who lug around a fifty-
pound laptop bag and riddle their waist with cell phones and iPods and
have a huge wallet bursting out of their back pocket. You don't need to
carry all that crap around.
Ladies, open up your purse and dump everything on the table.
Get rid of everything you don't think is essential. Leave the checkbook at
home. Pair your makeup down to the essentials. You don't need to take
your entire makeup kit with you. It's okay to keep a small thing of tissue
and certain feminine hygiene products. Yes, your brush and cell phone
are essential, but you don't need to carry around a bunch of pens, paper,
receipts, video rental cards, car wash cards, movie stubs, and other
knick-knacks that clutter your purse. You should be able to reduce the
amount of stuff in your purse by one-fourth to one-half. You could
probably make do with a smaller purse and your shoulder will thank you
for it.
Gentlemen, take a lesson from the ladies and dump all the crap in
your wallet and pockets on a table. File those business cards. Trash the
movie ticket stubs. Only carry your driver's Ucense, a bank ATM card,
one gas card, and maybe an emergency credit card. You can carry cash in
your wallet but I prefer a simple money cUp. Get rid of any key on your
23 http://www.flickr.com
24 http://www,photobucket.com
65"
wallet that you haven't used in over a year. Definitely get rid of it if you
have no idea what it is.
I personally can't stand to where a cell phone or MPS player on
my belt. In fact, I don't even wear belts unless I absolutely have to. I find
a belt to constricting. I've tried attaching a cell phone to the side of my
pants, usually my front pocket, but it feels like an appendage sticking out
of my body. I'm constantly knocking the damn thing off. So I put my cell
phone in my front pocket. It's small enough to not be annoying, plus I use
a Bluetooth headset so I don't need to handle the phone as much.
Pack Rat Nation
To give you an example of just how much stuff we accumulate,
the list below is taken from an article in Mother Jones magazine about
our status as a nation of pack rats:
"Since the 1970s, the average U.S. home has grown by 80%. Yet
Americans face a 'storage crises,' according to UCLA researchers.
"The self-storage industry is only 35 years old. It took 25 years for the
first billion square feet of storage space to be built. The second biUion
square feet was built in just 8 years.
"7 square feet of commercial storage space now exists for every
American.
"1 in 11 households rents storage space~l miUion more households
than two years ago.
"4 in 5 new homes have multicar garages. Most two-car garages have
one or no car in them.
"75% of L.A. garages are used in ways that preclude any parking.
66
"According to Mental Health America, more than 2 miUion Americans are
hoarders.
"In 2003, a Bronx man spent two days trapped under his magazines-
ranging from Vibe to the Harvard Business Review—before firefighters
rescued him.
"Each American produces 800 megabytes of digital data a year, the
equivalent of 30 feet of books."
[Gettelman, 2007]
67
Communications
To successfully live the simple life and reduce clutter, you must
get control over your means of communication, mainly phone and email.
How many phones do you have? Most people have a home phone, work
phone, and a cell phone. Many people have two cell phones, one for the
office [usually a Blackberry] and one for personal use.
Landline Phone
Too many of us are slaves to the phone. Like Pavlov's dogs, we
jump the moment the phone rings. We interrupt everything we do to
answer the phone. This is most problematic at the office. Meetings are
interrupted and projects are put on hold. How many times have you
been in a meeting only to have someone's phone go off, maybe even
yours? Do you excuse yourself and take the call?
Condition yourself to stop answering the phone every time it
rings. Unless your job requires you to answer every call, there's no need
to pickup on every call. Most company phone systems have caller ID so
you can instantly tell if you have an in-house or outside call.
Befriend your voicemail. Unless you're expecting an urgent call,
let voicemail pick up the majority of your calls. This lets you control
whom you talk to and when. You retain focus on your work and reduce
the distractions.
Get in the habit of only checking your voicemail at specific
intervals throughout the day. You could check your voicemail in the
morning, right after lunch, and before leaving for the day. Set aside
specific times during the day to make and return your calls. Over time
people will know when to expect a call from you.
68
Should you even keep your landline? The advantage is the almost
complete lack of dropouts. You can call nearly anyone in the world. Try
that with a cell phone. It's cheaper if you strip out all the unnecessary
services that phone companies try to sell you. A basic phone line can cost
less than $20 a month including all the onerous taxes and surcharges
and you never have to worry about running out of minutes. Most cell
phone plans run $30 and up and don't include texting and other data
services. The only real advantage to cell phones other than portabiUty is
the inclusion of long-distance calls.
Drop call waiting, call forwarding, three-way calling, and
voicemail if you don't use it. Drop *69 services and caller ID. Wait, did I
say drop call waiting? Yes, it's so rude to interrupt the call you're on just
to take another call. The other person can call later if there's no answer.
That person should know that you're on the other line when all he hears
is a busy signal. Remember the busy signal?
Don't pay for voicemail. Buy an inexpensive answering machine.
It works just as well and you can check messages from any phone. Your
landline phone service should be as basic as can be.
Shop around for long distance plans. You need to ask yourself
just how many long distance calls you make. You may pay for more than
you use. If you do make a lot of long distance calls, then it may be
cheaper to use a VOIP plan or free PC-to-PC calling like Skype. This is
especially good for international calls.
Cell Phones
The above tips also apply to your cell phone. People know that
they can call your cell phone and instantly reach you. Jack Canfield, best-
69
selling author of The Success Principles and Chicken Soup for The Soul,
keeps his cell phone off and only uses it for outgoing calls.
You could make a more drastic move and completely give up
your cell phone and replace it with a prepaid calling card. If you feel you
must keep a cell phone in case of an emergency, purchase a pay-as-you-
go cell phone and store it in your car. If you want to continue carrying a
cell phone on your person, keep it off as Jack Canfield does, or put it in
silent mode. You can check your cell phone's voicemail at the same time
you check your regular voicemail. Be very selective in giving out your
cell phone number.
You could cancel your landline and use your cell phone as your
primary phone. Many people are already doing this since many cell
phone plans include long distance calls at no extra cost.
For years, I've despised carrying a cell phone around. It was just
another gadget I had to carry. But recently, I've come around and enjoy
the convenience the cell phone affords me. With a wireless Bluetooth
headset, I can really enjoy hands-free calling. I still haven't given up my
land line but I can see myself disconnecting from the wired phone world
very soon.
Cell phones encourage people to be rude. It's not that they're
intentionally rude; it's the nature of talking on the phone that creates
rudeness. The cell phone is a major interruption. You're always doing
something else when the phone rings. And it's almost always in the most
inconvenient places. Nothing infuriates more than people taking a call
while checking out at a store. You're attention is not focused on paying
for your items, it's chatting with who's on the phone. You can see the
look on the clerk's face when trying to deal with someone who is not
paying attention.
70
Stop Telemarketers from calling you
It's 6:30pm and you sit down at the dinner table or in front of the
tube for dinner. You take the first bite and the phone rings. Damn! You
know who it is and you shouldn't answer it but you do. It's a
telemarketer from your cable provider, phone company, mortgage
broker, or charity. You either politely let them go through their spiel
then decUne their offer, or you do what I do, you hang up before they
even get started.
Back in June 2003, the Federal Trade Commission [FTC) began
the Do Not Call registry to prevent telemarketers from calling any home
or cell number on the registry. The only time a telemarketer can call you
is if you willfully opt-in. You register your phone numbers at
http://www.donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 from the number you
wish to register. You can register as many numbers as you like. In about
30 days, the calls should stop. It has worked for me. I rarely get calls
anymore.
Now, I normally don't approve of any government meddUng in
business practices outside of outright fraud and theft. The fact that
telemarketers call is because you have provided some business with
your phone number when then gets sold to other businesses which is
then sold to telemarketing firms. Yes, it's your fault. You fill out an
application for a supermarket discount card; you give them your phone
number. You fill out an application for a credit card; you give them your
phone number. You're walking around the mall and you see a contest to
win a brand new car. All you have to do is fill out a form and wait for the
drawing. You give them your phone number on the form. Now you
understand why you get phone calls every night at 6:30.
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The best thing to do now is to never give out your phone number
when fiUing out any paper form. It's not required and if a clerk requires a
phone number to process the form, just say you never give out your
phone number. If the clerk persists, then take your business elsewhere.
This is more difficult with online forms. Many websites require a
phone number before you can proceed. In that case, you need a phone
number specifically for unsolicited calls. There are a couple of services
that offer free phone numbers. One is K7.net. This service provides you
with a free number that can be used to receive faxes and voicemail. You
get your voicemail via attachments in email or you their website. Other
services are available including Google's Grand Centrales, Onebox^^, and
YouMail27.
Email accounts
Gaining control of your email can be a daunting task. You
probably have multiple personal and business email addresses. You
might receive over a hundred emails a day not counting spam and other
junk mail.
Email addresses have a habit of growing over time. You have a
home address and a work address. Along the way you may have
acquired a couple of free addresses like Yahoo! or Hotmail. As an
example, here's all of the email accounts I had: two for the office, one for
home, one for my home business, one from my previous internet
provider, and three free accounts. That is a lot of email to keep track of.
25 http://www.grandcentral.com
26 http://www.onebox.com
27 http://www.youmail.com
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One solution that I use to manage these accounts is to forward
everything to one account with the exception of my primary work
address. I picked Google's Gmail [www.gmail.com) as my primary email
address because it is free, I get over 5gb of storage, and I can access it
just about anywhere, including my cell phone. My DSL account also has
2gb of storage but how long will I stick with my ISP? If I find a better
provider and switch, I'll have to move everything to the new email
address and that's a real pain. With Gmail, it doesn't matter who my ISP
is. Other choices include Yahoo! Mai and AOL mail, both with unlimited
storage and Microsoft's Hotmail with 5gb of storage.
If you have old email accounts that you haven't logged into for
over a month or two, close the account. Some free services like Hotmail
will automatically close an account if you haven't accessed it in over 30
days.
Mail
Regular mail isn't nearly as unwieldy as email but the ever
present junk mail is still a problem. Trying to get rid of junk mail seems
like a futile effort. No matter how many times you try, it just keeps
appearing. There are things you can do to rid yourself of excess mail.
1. Contact the Direct Marketers Association and sign up for their
Mail Service Preference28. Visit. There's a $1 fee for this service.
This will reduce the amount of junk mail you receive but not all
of it. Companies that are not members of the DMA can still send
'https://www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailing
73
you unwanted mail. You should always try to contact the
company directly and have them remove you from their mailing
Ust.
2. Visit OptOutPrescreen.com29 or call 1-888-567-8688 to opt-out
of pre-screened credit card and insurance soUcitations.
3. Credit card companies send out their privacy notices at least
once a year or whenever their policies have changed. In those
notices, there's almost always an opt-out option. Take advantage
of it so you won't receive any marketing from your credit card.
If you don't want the hassle of doing all this yourself, you can use
services like Lifelock^o. For $10 a month, they will do all the work for
you.
Instant Messaging
Many people in the younger age bracket have replaced email with
instant messaging. They have a large Ust of "buddies" to send text
messages to instantly, either on their computer or through their cell
phones. Now most instant messaging services have audio and video chat
capabiUties that function Uke free phone calls. It's a very convenient way
to communicate but it can also get cumbersome if you have numerous
accounts from various providers.
The most popular service is AOL Instant Messenger [AIM) from
America Online. The next most popular are Yahoo! Messenger, MSN
Messenger, Google Talk, .Mac, IRQ, Jabber, and a host of others. Most
29 http://www.optoutprescreen.com/
3" http://www.lifelock.com
74
people have accounts with the top three. You may have signed up with
several providers. You have three different appUcations running, one for
each service. Then you have three different buddy lists. Most of the
services can't talk to one another, with the exception of MSN and Yahoo!
There are applications that support all services but they usually lack
audio and video chat.
Probably the best thing to do is consolidate your IM accounts down
to one, maybe two at the most. Pick the one that has the largest buddy
list and stick to that. Tell your other buddies you're moving to one
service in an effort to simplify your life. Invite them to move over so you
can continue to chat.
It's Your System
What all this boils down to is getting organized. It's about finding
what works right for you. There are numerous organizational systems.
Dave Allen's Getting Things Done^i system is extremely popular right
now, especially with tech workers. But his system is just one of many.
You need to find the one that works for you; or maybe it's a mixture of
different systems; maybe it's your own system. For example. Treasury
Secretary and former Goldman Sachs CEO, Henry Paulson doesn't use
email at all. All of his communication is handled via phone, voice mail, or
in person. Marissa Mayer, a VP at Google, lives in email. She thrives on
email.32 1 use a mixture of both but I have been relying less on email and
more on phone or in-person communication. Above all else, it has to be
31 http://www.davidco.com/
32[AlexTaylorIII,2006]
75"
simple for you. You can't let it control your life. If it is, the system isn't
working.
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Cut THE Media Fat
We are media junkies. We feed off of 24-hour news networks,
newspapers, magazines, Internet blogs, podcasts, and newsletters. We
get news alerts on our cell phones. We spend hours updating our
MySpace page and instant messaging with "buddies." We have to be in
the know about the latest celebrity. It's an addictive form of
entertainment.
Tim Ferriss, author of the Four Hour Work Week, says the best
way to simplify is to go on an "Information Diet." ZenHabits.net calls it a
"Media Fast."
Cancel the Newspaper
It seems a lot of people are already cancehng their newspaper
subscription. Subscription and newsstand sales are down at most major
newspapers. Circulation is down almost 3% in 2006 on top of decUnes in
2005.33 Department store, automobile and classified ads are also
suffering from flat and/or declining revenues. According to a Pew
research poll, people say they don't have enough time to read a daily
newspaper.34 Funny, we're too busy to read a newspaper. But, if you
have simplified your life, you'd have plenty of time to read the
newspaper. Not that you'd want to.
If you're one who still subscribes to daily newspaper, consider
canceling your subscription. You'll save a tree and reUeve yourself from
33 [Institute, 2007]
34 [Institute, 2007]
77
reading the constant barrage of negative news. Since news has been a
24-hour, instant access affair for the past 10-15 years, we've all turned
into constant news-junkies. Weaning yourself off of the daily news can
be difficult and goes against everything you've learned about being an
informed citizen. For me, it's been difficult. I haven't subscribed to a
newspaper in years but I constantly read it on the Internet. On occasion,
I will pick up a newspaper while getting breakfast. However, every time I
do that, I am always disappointed in the quaUty of the news reporting. I
have wasted $.50-$l every time. I've since stopped reading newspapers
all together.
How do I stay informed? Every week or two, I'll glance at Google
News [news.google.com) just to see what's going on. Tim Ferriss says he
walks past the newspaper stands and scans the headlines. He finds out
what's going on by asking his friends in casual conversation. What you
find out is that it's usually the same old thing: war, death, poUtics, and
celebrities. About the only thing I follow regularly is football. I visit
NFL.com and ESPN.com every few days.
Cancel Magazine Subscriptions
How many magazines do you subscribe to? How many do you
actually read each month? How much is it costing you each year? Cancel
all the magazine subscriptions except the ones you read cover-to-cover
each month. For instance, I only subscribe to two magazines. Cigar
Aficionado and Mix. I read each issue cover-to-cover.
Are you a professional who subscribes to numerous free industry
magazines and trade journals? How often do you read them each week?
If you're Uke me, I rarely get a chance to glimpse through them. I work in
the computer industry and years ago I subscribed to InfoWorld,
78
Computer Wo rid, CIO, eWeek, and others. I rarely, if ever, read them.
They just filled my inbox, and then my trash can. I canceled all of them
and read them on the web.
If you do go cold turkey with the subscriptions, you can always
read them at your local bookstore or newsstand. I like to visit my local
Barnes and Noble bookstore and read all my magazines over a hot cup of
coffee. I can read as many magazines as I want all for the price of coffee
and a pastry. It beats spending hundreds of dollars each year on
subscriptions. Or drop by your local library [see below.)
Cancel Email Newsletters
Email can be a wonderful productivity tool and a burdensome
slave driver. Yet there are millions of mailboxes stuffed with email
newsletters that no one reads. It's so easy to subscribe and they're
almost always free. You find a newsletter on a subject that interests you
and you subscribe. After reading the first few issues, you find that you
run out of time to read the rest. Pretty soon, your mailbox is stuffed with
unread newsletters. Simplify and cancel all of them. That's right, cancel
all of them and don't subscribe to anymore. Trust me, you won't miss
them. I used to subscribe to 6-10 newsletters and now I subscribe to one.
I don't feel Uke I've missed anything important and I have more time
read things that truly stimulate my mind.
Cancel Podcasts, Blocs, and RSS Feeds
A subset of email newsletters is the burgeoning field of
audio/video podcasts, blogs, and RSS feeds. If you don't know what any
of these things mean, then you can safely skip this section as you're
79
probably not subscribed to any of them. Consider yourself lucky, they
can be a tremendous waste of time even if the information is useful.
Podcasts are Uke radio or TV shows that you can download and
listen to on your MPS player. There is so much to listen to and, Uke
newsletters, they're almost always free. Blogs are an online journal of
sorts that you can subscribe to. Every time a new entry is posted to the
blog, you're notified. RSS feeds are the same thing and many news
organizations publish feeds of the top headlines.
To truly simplify, you have to eliminate distractions. While
podcasts can be highly entertaining and educational, they are a
distraction. You have to find the time to listen to each podcast episode. If
you subscribe to too many podcasts, you'll find that it could take all day
just to listen to them all. If you commute to the office, then listening to a
podcast is perfectly okay. Just limit the number of podcast subscriptions
to one or two.
Blogs and RSS feeds are updated almost constantly and can be a
major source of distraction. If you're on your computer all day, like me,
you're constantly getting notified of new blog posts. I remember one
time I found myself checking new blog posts nearly every 5-10 minutes. I
realized that I had not gotten a single bit of work done. In that instance, I
cancelled nearly all of my non-work related blogs, and podcasts.
Recently, I even cancelled my work-related podcasts. By the time the
podcast was posted, it was old news. I had already read everything
onUne.
Blogging, MySpace, Twitter, Facebooketal.
This rise of social networking has been phenomenal over the
past several years. It seems everyone and their mother has a MySpace
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page; or a blog; or they're Twitterings^ [or Powncing^e) with friends; or
they're engulfed in the world of Second Life and World of Warcraft. If
you don't know what any of these things are, then you have nothing to
worry about. There are a great many people that spend hours each day
on their MySpace page. They're tweaking their profile, answering emails,
posting songs and videos, inviting friends, etc. It may be fun but it's just
another "thing" you have to manage every day.
John Dvorak calls all of this the "Digitally Mundane Life."^^ He
believes we are wasting an enormous amount of time checking email,
tweaking MySpace pages, surfing the web, reading forum threads,
editing Digg articles, and other things. He has a point. None of these
things help simpUfy your life. It only compUcates things. It's more "stuff"
you have to deal with. Yes, it's not physical stuff but it is "stuff" in the
sense of managing its whereabouts and content.
Unless you're someone who needs to use MySpace or Facebook
as a means of marketing and promotion-bands, artists, writers, actors,
etc—then the best thing you can do is close all of these accounts and take
back your digital life. You may lose your vanity but you'll gain back your
sanity. I maintain a sparse Facebook profile to market my writing
projects, blogs and to keep in touch with old school friends.
Turn off the TV. Cancel Cable and/or Satellite Service
My girlfriend loves to watch TV. She's watched it all her life. It
provides entertainment and relaxation after a hard day at work. I grew
35 http://www.twitter.com
3<5 http://www.pownce.com
37 [Dvorak, 2007]
up on TV. I spent countless hours watching MTV, sitcoms, dramas,
movies, news and cartoons. Basically, if I got bored, I turned on the TV.
One day over a year ago, I got tired of watching all the tripe on TV. The
news channels were spewing the same garbage and filling the screen
with inane talking heads. The commercials drove me nuts. I decided
right then and there to turn off the TV. I have never looked back. There
are only three things I watch on TV: NFL Football, South Park, and
Turner Classic Movies. Unfortunately, my girlfriend still watches a lot of
TV and getting her to turn it off has been next to impossible.
Turning off the TV was one of the easiest things I've ever done to
simpUfy my life. I no longer schedule my life around TV shows, nor do I
set aside a day to watch multiple episodes of CSI recorded on TIVO. I no
longer worry about what's going to happen next on Desperate
Housewives or who's going to be eliminated on American Idol. I simply
don't care anymore.
One thing you'll notice when you decide to turn off the TV is how
quiet your house becomes. The background noise from the TV
disappears. You're electric bill will go down.
This leads to cancelling your cable or satellite service. If you're
not going to watch TV, then why spend $50-150 a month on cable and
satellite service? This may be extreme for some, but it is the next logical
step if you've decided to turn off the TV and you'll save at least $600 or
more a year.
We still subscribe to basic cable service so my girlfriend can
watch her shows. I use the TV to watch DVDs, but I've been watching
more movies on my computer and Sony PlayStation Portable.
You may be asking, if I give up all of my means of entertainment,
won't I be bored silly? Initially, you may be hard-pressed to find
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something to do when you would normally be watching TV. Over time
you will find something to do. Once I turned off the TV, I found myself
reading more than I ever did. I started writing more, hence this book. I
enjoyed being outside and soaking up the beautiful California weather.
You may find yourself taking up a new hobby or reacquainting yourself
with an old one. It's a process you'll discover as your life becomes less
scheduled and simpler. You'll also find that you get more done. You're
more productive and can finish tasks faster without the distractions.
Cancel Internet Service?
This could be seen as simplification gone to the extreme for most
people. The Internet is now regarded more as a utility, right up there
with water and electricity. The thought of being without Internet access
is difficult for many to grasp, yet only a mere 15 years ago, in 1992, very
few people outside of academia and the government new about the
Internet. But, really question whether or not you can do without Internet
service at home. Naturally, if you work from home or operate a home-
based business, you can't afford to not have Internet service. However,
for those with more traditional jobs and office Internet access, Internet
at the home is not really a necessity.
If you've thought about giving up Internet access but aren't quite
ready to pull the trigger, try a trial run. Go one week without accessing
the Internet at home. Start on a Monday after you get home. You can use
your computer but don't check email or load a web browser. In fact,
unplug the Ethernet cable from your computer or disable wireless
access. If you think you need to do something that you would normally
do online, think of another way to accomplish it. Or see if it can wait until
83
the morning when you're onUne at work. Don't cheat and go onhne with
your cell phone.
Once you've made it through the first day, do the same thing the
next day and the next. Soon, a whole week will have passed and you
haven't gone online at all. Now continue for another week. You may be
forgetting about being online at all. If that's the case, then pick up the
phone and cancel your service.
A Technology Sabbatical
A San Francisco Gate article told a story of a number of
information technology professionals burned out on technology and
taking a sabbatical from all things tech. One woman cancelled all of her
consulting projects and told her cUents she was taking a sabbatical to
clear her brain. The article states, "Gobsmacked by the information
tsunami, overwhelmed by the ever-growing tide of technology must-
haves and convinced that a matrix of communication instruments was
insulating her from friends and family, [she] took a sabbatical six weeks
ago."
A computer engineer says all these gadgets are part of a
"hedonism treadmill." "(It's) a marketing-induced mind-set that makes
us think we're falling behind if we don't acquire the newest gadgets. All
you have to do is look at all the people waiting in Une to buy an iPhone,
or an XBOX 360, Playstation 3, or Nintendo Wii.
While we have all this technology to communicate with people
all over the world, we may have lost some ability to converse face-to-
face. "What the Pew survey doesn't consider is the possibiUty that tech
users are so enveloped in the worlds of email and cell phones — so deep
84
inside a blinding technology tunnel, eyes fixed on a computer monitor or
Blackberry screen — that they've lost the distance or proportion to judge
their effectiveness in face-to-face social situations." Perhaps that is why
more people perceive an increase in rude behavior mainly due to people
interrupting face-to-face conversations to answer a cell phone or answer
a Blackberry email.
[Guthmann, 2007)
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Entertainment
Entertainment is becoming more expensive, especially going to
the movies. A family of four can easily drop $100 for tickets and
concessions. It's far cheaper to stay at home. Rent a DVD and make your
own popcorn for a fraction of the cost. Make a night at the movies a
special occasion. During the summer months, many cities show free
movies outside.
Play board games with the family. Break out the Monopoly game
and enjoy several hours of family fun, plus teach the kids a few things
about the free market.
Go to the beach and soak up the sun. Take the kids to the park for
a picnic, or just the two of you for something more romantic. Visit a
museum or local art gallery. Go hiking and camping.
Concert and sporting event tickets have skyrocketed over the
last ten years. A night out for two at a concert or football game can easily
run into the hundreds of dollars for tickets, food, and parking. Many
cities offer free or inexpensive musical concerts. Also check out small
clubs and coffee houses that provide live entertainment. If you live in a
larger city, seek out the smaller, independent theaters.
86
Visit Your Public Library
Nearly every city and town has a public library. In this ear of the
Internet, the library seems a bit antiquated. Don't be folder. Many
libraries offer free Internet access for those who don't own a computer.
More are adding free Wi-Fi for laptop users. It's worth getting a Ubrary
card just for the numerous newspaper and magazine subscriptions they
carry. A lot of them let you borrow and rent DVDs for little or no cost.
Nothing beats a free, weekly DVD rental. Even the paid rentals are only
as couple of bucks for a few days. It's the best deal in town.
I'm a book junkie. I love buying books but there are just so many
that it would be financially impossible for me to buy them all let alone
store them somewhere. My local library gives me access to thousands of
books for free. I've been able to read hundreds of books that I wanted to
buy at some point but never did for financial or space reasons. You could
be reading this book right now from the library!
Take your kids to the Ubrary as soon as you can and get them a
library card. You won't regret it. Let them explore all the old books that
haven't seen the Ught of day for years. A computer can't find everything
and Google hasn't scanned the entire world's information yet. Your local
library will surprise you with the sheer amount of resources available to
you at little or no cost.
You can also help your local library through donations. I always
donate old books, VHS tapes, DVDs, CDs, and audio books to the Ubrary
as a way of saying thank you, plus I get a nice tax deduction.
87
Part 3 : Simplify Your Work Life
The third step is to simplify your work life. We spend the majority of our
time at work, in the office. Like your home, it can he a big source of clutter.
Use these tips to declutter your office and watch your productivity soar.
Purge the Office
You can repeat many of the home office purge techniques at your
work office. However, the work office can be far more cluttered than the
home. This is where most people spend the majority of their day and
things pile up really quickly. You notice this when you walk by your
colleagues' desk and see six Starbucks coffee cups next to the monitor.
One holds pens, the other papercUps, and one holds the remains of 2-
week old coffee. The desk is Uttered with papers, sticky notes, pictures,
and food. The wall is plastered with Dilbert cartoons, 5-year old memos,
ancient phone lists, family pictures, and magazine cutouts. Now, is that
your desk too? If so, get to work.
Go through every drawer in your office and chuck everything you
don't need. People accumulate plenty of junk in their desk drawers
because it's an easy place to discard an item without throwing it away. If
you have bookshelves, donate old books. Chuck old training and policy
manuals.
You should strive for a clutter-free work environment. This
doesn't mean boring. You wall can be decorated with some nice art, a
calendar, and perhaps a white board if necessary. I have a white board in
my office and find it helps me keep track of projects and stimulates new
ideas. Your desk should be clean as possible. This allows you to focus on
the work at hand. Distractions should be kept to a minimum. Papers
should be disposed of or filed away. Don't let memos, magazines, and
other papers accumulate in your inbox. Act on it, trash it or file it.
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Cut the overtime. Work 40 hours or less.
Our culture of work is killing us. Success in the workplace is
determined more by the number of hours you put in than the actual
output of work. This is especially true in high-tech startups and
investment banking. The man putting in 60 hours a week is seen as the
better worker than his colleague who puts in 40 hours but produces the
same quality and quantity of work. If your company determines
promotions and raises based on the time you put in rather than the
quality of your work, it's time to work for a different company.
Look over your schedule and see where you can cut back. You
may have signed on to too many projects or assignments. Maybe you are
in too many meetings. As a test, pick one meeting that you don't think
you need to be in and skip it. If no one questions your absence, skip the
next one. If after the second week nobody notices you're not there,
scratch it off your schedule entirely. Perhaps email the meeting
organizer and let them know you are too busy to attend this meeting, but
please email the meeting notes so you can stay abreast of the project.
Do this for the rest of your schedule. Streamline your meetings.
Replace face-to-face meetings with conference calls. This is a technique
I've grown to love. 80% of the meetings I have are conference calls. I use
my Blackberry to dial-in. This means I can be just about anywhere
during the meeting. Many times, I'll take the meeting a home, especially
if it's a morning meeting. I don't have to rush to be at the office for a
meeting. I can be outside on my patio with breakfast and coffee and
never miss a beat.
It makes little sense to work more than 40 hours if you're a
salaried employee. In essence, you're working for free every hour you
work after 40. Even hourly employees put in free time when they check
90
emails and voicemail on the weekend. Don't do it. Your work will be
there on Monday. Enjoy the weekend. It's your time! It's okay to work
overtime on rare occasions to meet a deadUne or take care of an
emergency. It's not okay if you're working 60-80 hours every week, even
if you love your job.
If you've come to rely on overtime for extra income, you're
spending too much money. However, if you've adopted some of the tips
in this book, you've cut back on discretionary spending and can readily
afford to live off your normal salary.
By restricting yourself to 40 hours, you can focus on the work
that really matters. The quaUty of your work will improve and your
colleagues will be amazed at how much you've accompUshed. Hopefully,
your boss will appreciate it too.
Don't take work home
Leave your work at the office when it's time to come home.
You've worked your 40 hours, now it's your time. Now, I just said above
that I like to take conference calls at home. Am I contradicting myself?
No. My conference calls are taken during work hours; I'm just not in the
office. What I mean is leave your work at work! Don't bring home your
laptop. Don't bring home reports or work articles to read. Turn off your
Blackberry when you get home. Remember, this is your time. It's time for
you, your family, your hobbies, or doing nothing at all. Work will be
there in the morning.
Don't work weekends either. Think of Saturday and Sunday as a
mini-vacation. Revitahze yourself, have fun, take your mind off work. Get
out and enjoy yourself [see the section on Entertainment above).
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If you're used to working after hours, it may take some time
getting used to not working. If you've streamlined your schedule as
shown above, you'll have nothing to work on during the weekend. All of
your work will be completed at the end of the week. If not, well, it can
wait until Monday.
Managing Email
So you've whittled your email accounts down to two, one for
work and one for personal. Good. But you're still getting flooded with
messages. You inbox gets bigger and bigger. You don't have the time to
go through each one and if you did, it would take all day.
Every time a new message pops up, we feel compelled to read it
and respond. Email is a massive disruptor. It breaks your focus and
decreases your productivity. The culture of email almost requires a near
immediate response. In the office environment, almost everything is
done through email. It's an efficient means of mass distribution. Anyone
can fire off an email to anyone in the company and expect a response.
Meetings are scheduled, rescheduled, cancelled, moved, and rescheduled
again through email. Or you're expected to respond to a subject in an
email only to notice that you have to read a five-page thread just to get
the information needed to write a coherent response. It's totally out of
control and it's causing a great deal of stress amongst workers. And I
haven't even begun dealing with spam.
An August 2007 article in This is London showed that people
check their email far more often than they say they do. It has led to
"email stress." The article states, "Trying to keep up with a stream of
incoming mail interrupts normal work and leaves staff tired, frustrated
and unproductive, [the research) concluded. ..Employees also feel under
92
pressure to check and respond quickly to emails, with some checking
their inbox up to 40 times an hour.''^^ I've been there before and it's a
difficult habit to break.
So, you're trapped in a deluge of email. What can you do to stem
the flow? There are numerous ways to control the flow of email. Below
are several tips I've used to ease my email woes.
1. Turn off notifications. Most email programs have multiple ways
to notify you of an incoming message; whether it's an icon on
your dock or toolbar, or a pop-up window with the subject
header, or even a little sound. Turn them all off. This will curb
your Pavlovian response to any new email message.
2. Check your email 3-4 times a day. Yes, 3-4 times a day, not an
hour or 30 minutes or 15 minutes. For a typical 9-6 day, check
once at 10am, another right after lunch, and one more at 5pm.
This allows you to focus on your work and only check email at
specific times. This also trains your colleagues to know when to
expect an email response.
3. Try to keep your inbox empty or nearly empty. Don't let your
inbox pile up with messages. Respond to messages quickly, then
delete the message. If you need to keep it, move it to an offline
folder. Many times, you'll be cc'd on a message that really doesn't
pertain to you. You can quickly glance at the message or delete it
entirely.
4. Let colleagues know that email is not your primary means of
communication. The good old fashioned telephone is still the
best way to get things done. A quick phone call can resolve a lot
[This is London, 2007]
93
of problems. I use instant messaging with my colleagues. It's
much more efficient than email.
5. Don't pubUsh your email address. Only give it to trusted people.
Unfortunately, this isn't always an option. Almost all corporate
employee directories include an email address.
6. Keep your emails short. State your point succinctly and send it
off. Brevity is gold in email. I have a colleague who loves to email
lenghty dissertations that almost no one reads. It takes him five
lengthy paragraphs to say something that could have been said
in five sentences. Don't fall into this trap.
7. Don't respond with a "Thanks" or "Okay", especially to a
distribution list. It's generally not necessary. If you think a thank
you is warranted, make a phone call or thank them in person.
Unfortunately, in many, many companies, email is the primary
form of communication. A good number of my clients literally keep
every single email they've ever received and sent. Their offline storage
folders are gigabytes in size. Saving email is usually a means of covering
your ass. And with the rash of corporate Utigation, each email can be
considered evidence. That is why many companies are spending
miUions of dollars on electronic discovery. Technicians spend hours
sifting through email archives searching for specific keywords related
to a legal discovery process. If an email is deleted, that could mean legal
trouble for the company.
Don't MULTITASK, single-task
You're talking on the phone with a colleague and answering your
email at the same time while instant messaging with your husband and
94
reading the news on the web. That's efficiency, isn't it? No, it's not. It just
creates more stress and the quahty of your work dechnes. You probably
forgot what you were talking about on the phone. You barely understood
what you were reading on the web; and you can remember what you just
emailed to your boss. Yet you did it all at the same time. Wow, what a
great multi-tasker you are!
The bombardment of instant information and instant availability
naturally leads us to multitask. Plus, our culture of work encourages
multitasking. There's always so much to do and we have to fill every
second of our time with work. At the end of the day we haven't
accomplished a damn thing. Multitasking makes you more prone to
error.
Don't multitask, single-task. As difficult as it will be to pull
yourself away from doing two things at once, it will be one of the best
things you can do. If you're talking on the phone, focus on the
conversation. It's perfectly okay to jot down notes related to the phone
call. Don't answer email or check other things. If you're working on a
project, focus on that project. Let your calls go to voicemail and turn off
your email and instant messaging programs. The key is to turn off all
distractions and focus on the single task at hand. That means closing
your office door or hanging a sign outside your cubicle stating that you
are not to be disturbed. The quality of your work will increase
significantly.
It is okay to work on a single task for a little while then move on
to something else, and then return to the original task. Sometimes a
break is needed lest boredom or fatigue sets in. Get up, stretch, and take
a short walk. Maybe you get a burst of inspiration for another task and
you jump to it. I've done this many times. I'm working on a single task
95"
and get a great idea for another task. I either write it down or jump write
to the second task. I'll come back to the first task but I won't do them at
the same time. I get short bursts of creativity that I have to act on before
it fades away.
Live close to work
Millions of people sit in the cars for hours each day as they
commute to the office. I was among those miUions. For years I toiled
away on the freeways of Los Angeles inching my way to the office. At
any given time, I was commuting anywhere between 45-90 minutes each
way. It was mind-numbing. I was putting excessive wear and tear on my
car and wasting precious time that was better spent at home. I had had
enough. I moved to within walking distance of my job. I have never
commuted since. Even though I've changed jobs several times, it has
been within the same city. I now get daily exercise by walking; I get
home at a decent hour; and my car thanks me for it.
If you own your own home and your job is in a different city,
naturally it will be difficult, if not impossible to move closer. Thankfully,
there are other solutions such as telecommuting [see below]. But, if you
rent, then it's easier to move.
Telecommute
Advances in technology have made it much easier to work from
home or anywhere else with an Internet connection. The advent of
Virtual Private Networks [VPNs) has allowed corporate employees to
work an3Avhere over the Internet and securely access their files and
email. Cell phones let you take calls nearly anywhere.
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More people work from home than ever before. Telecommuting
increases employee productivity and reduces traffic congestion. For
companies that want to increase their "green" credibility, telecommuting
is a poUcy that should be high on their Ust.
Unfortunately, telecommuting is still a hard sell for many
companies. Old-school bosses don't like giving up the constant
monitoring and control of their staff. Many people like the social element
of the office. Working from home doesn't mean eliminating the office for
good. Many telecommuters go into the office at least once a week, either
for meetings or to visit with colleagues or the boss.
Meetings should be a thing of the past, but they're not. We are
stuck in endless meetings that accomplish nothing. Fortunately, there is
a wonderful thing called teleconferencing. I can dial an 800 number and
a PIN and hold a meeting with anyone, anywhere in the world. Thanks to
teleconferencing, roughly 90% of my meetings are held this way. With
my Blackberry, I can be anywhere and still attend the meeting. For me, it
beats sitting in a stuffy office, or worse yet, a cubicle.
If at all possible, try to telecommute. See if your company has a
telecommuting poUcy. If so, bring it up with your boss. See if you can
telecommute one day a week as a trial, then work your way up to 2-3
days a week.
If you do get to telecommute, remember the section above about
not working more than 40 hours. Even though you're not in the office,
you still only work office hours. Working from home can make it too
easy to work well beyond your 40 hours. Be careful not to let this
happen.
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Take Lunch
Lunch is the great break in the day. It's not only the time to refuel
your body, but it's a time to sociaUze with friends and colleagues. Even if
you brownbag your lunch, get away from your desk and eat a good
lunch. Take the full time allotted to you to eat. If you work close enough
to home, take your lunch there.
A working lunch is not lunch, it's work. Your lunch hour is your
time, not the company's. It's why you're in the office 9 hours instead of 8.
Many times, people will have lunch meetings or lunch with clients. If this
is a normal routine for you, schedule your own lunch time during the
day. The point is to get out of the office for one hour or whatever time
you have. Treat lunch as a much-needed, mid-day mental break.
Take A Nap
The afternoon siesta, a common occurrence in many parts of the
world, is still looked upon with disdain in Western countries, especially
the U.S. Yet, it is one of the best things you can do to rejuvenate your
mind and body.
A 20-minute power nap can do wonders; far more than an
afternoon latte or other sugary concoctions. Just think, in the time it
takes you to walk or drive over to Starbucks, order your coffee and
return to the office, you could have taken a refreshing, brief nap. If
you're in an office, shut the door and take a snooze. Don't worry, no one
is looking. Forward your office phone to voice mail and set your cell
phone to silent mode. Be sure to set an alarm. You don't want to conk out
for a couple of hours. All you need is 20-30 minutes of restful sleep and
you'll wake up refreshed and ready to go.
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If you work in a cubicle or open work environment, you'll need
to find a more private and quiet area. You car is a good place, if you park
in a covered garage. If you work close enough to home, you can dash
home and nap in the comfort of your own bed.
Napping on the job is still seen as gross insubordination in many
companies. It's the "we pay you to work, not sleep" attitude. Little do
they know that a 20 minute nap will help make you more productive,
rather than gulping down yet another mocha latte. Fortunately, some
forward-thinking companies are welcoming the benefits of a power nap
and are providing special rooms in their offices for employees to nap,
meditate, or spend some quiet time. There is even a company in New
York City's Empire State building called MetroNaps^s that offers 20-
minutes naps for $14 in an ergonomically designed pod.
Naturally, there are times when a nap during work hours is
simply not feasible. And there are many professions where it just simply
can't be done. What I've done is take a quick 30-minute nap when I get
home; usually just after 5pm and right before dinner. It's a great way for
me to rejuvenate myself if I have to run errands or work on a writing
project in the evening. Plus the short nap doesn't interrupt my normal
sleeping habits.
Take A VACATION
Workers in the United States really like to work apparently.
Why? We don't take vacations. We lead the world in unused vacation
days. According to Expedia's 2007 International Vacation Deprivation
Survey, workers in the United States earn an average of 14 vacation days
' http://www.metronaps.com
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and only take 11. Roughly 35% of Americans don't use all their vacation
time during the year ^o We toil away, trying to get ahead; or trying to
stay afloat. A colleague of mine had accumulated so many vacation days,
he maxed out and was forced to take days off lest he lose his vacation
days. Even if we do take a vacation, we're never out of touch with the
office. We bring Blackberries and laptops to check email and take calls.
23% of us check email and voicemail when on vacation.^i That's not a
vacation; that's working from abroad. What's worse is 19% of us cancel
or postpone a vacation due to work.42
Take your vacation, all of it. You don't have to take the full two
weeks in one shot. You can spread it out any way you want, just take it.
You can't expect to work at full capacity day in and day out without a
break. Your physical and mental health will decUne. A workahoUc is just
as bad as an alcohoUc.
You don't even have to plan an elaborate vacation in a far-off
destination. Take your vacation close to home or even stay home. Don't
plan anything for your vacation. Do everything on the spur of the
moment. Dash off on a road trip up the coast. Stay in bed all day and
watch old movies. Go shopping on a Monday when no one's at the mall.
Visit attractions in your city that you never got around to seeing.
The main point is to use your vacation days. Enjoy the time off.
You'll perform better when you get back. Expedia's survey stated that
39% of Americans feel better and more productive when they return
from vacation.
40 [Expedia.com - 2007 International Vacation Deprivation™ Survey Results, 2007]
41 Ibid.
42 Ibid.
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Put AN EXTRA DAY IN VACATION SCHEDULE TO RECOUP.
You finally took a much-needed vacation, if not see above and
take one. You took a week off and returned on Sunday. Now, you have to
go back to work on Monday. This is the worst thing you can do. Your
body and mind needs time to recuperate after a vacation. Even if you did
nothing but rest and relax during your vacation, you still need to
resituate yourself after your return. You don't want to rush right back
into the office.
Schedule an extra day of vacation before returning to the office.
Instead of returning home on Sunday, then back to work on Monday.
Take Monday off and go back to work on Tuesday. Spend Monday getting
back into the swing of a daily routine. Unpack, check your mail, answer
messages, run errands, and do the laundry. That way you'll have
everything finished and back to normal when you return to work.
Turn your vacation into a sabbatical
Sometimes the best way to prevent career burnout is to take a
sabbatical, if your company allows it. Take 3-6 months or longer off and
explore your passions. You can also think of it as a mini-retirement.
You must leave all remnant of your job behind while on
sabbatical. Don't even think about checking emails or voicemail. It makes
no sense to take a sabbatical and continue to check in at the office.
This can be your time to explore new worlds, learn new
languages, acquire new skills and rejuvenate the mind. You'll come back
to work a totally new person with a new and fresh outlook. Good
companies know a sabbatical can work wonders on an employee and
lead to increased productivity and fresh ideas.
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Part 4: Simplify Your Mind and Body
The fourth step is to simplify your mind and body. Your physical world may
he free of clutter butyou won't be free until you clear your mind and body
of clutter.
102
Commitments
It's one thing to purge yourself of TV, podcasts, newspapers, and
the hke, but what about your commitments to other people? I'm talking
about job-related commitments, volunteer obligations, your children's
activities, and numerous other things you do. How much of it eats into
you time? How many of them would you like to cancel? Would you feel
guilty if you did?
Simplifying means getting rid of the things that give you
displeasure so you can enjoy the things that give you pleasure. This
includes the numerous commitments you make to yourself and, mainly,
to others. Some of these commitments may come out of an obligation,
such as taking your children to soccer or choir practice. Other
commitments come out of a sense of civic duty, such as volunteering at
your church or sitting on a charity board. A commitment may be
something as simple as contributing regularly to an online forum or
group. Perhaps you have freelance or outside work commitments. Some
or all of these things can clutter your life and prevent you from being
happy.
Go through each of your commitments and determine if they
really give you happiness. Is there meaning in these commitments? If
you dropped a commitment, how would you feel? Guilty? Relieved?
Both? This will be a tough thing to do. You don't have to quit all of your
commitments, only start with a few. It may be impossible to cut your
children's activities, as much as it would relieve you mentally, and
financially. However, you should ask your children if these activities are
something they really want to do. Maybe your son doesn't want to play
soccer.
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If a commitment is giving you undue stress, drop it no matter
how guilty you may feel. I have a friend who was a board director for a
local aid center. She was stressed out by the constant bickering amongst
board members. They argued over finances, meeting minutes, voting,
and nearly everything else. I suggested she quit the board. The stress
wasn't worth it and leaving the board wouldn't cause a void in her life.
There were much better things to do than Usten to petty bickering each
week. She eventually left and is all the better for it. I read a blog
comment that said we over commit because we are pressured to please
others. This is very true and to simpUfy, you must please yourself first,
even if it means disappointing other people; people that may be very
close to you.
Refuse to start what you can't finish
It's so easy to start something. You say yes, and then get going
with enthusiasm and energy. But, after a while you start to lose
momentum. You get sidetracked or worse, you get bored. Whatever
project, hobby, task or goal you started on never gets finished. It lies
there, abandoned.
This has been a particularly difficult subject for me. I've lost track
over the years of how many times I would enthusiastically start a writing
project, or a recording project, or a blog, or some business venture only
to abandon it half-way through. I simply lose interest in it. Sometimes I
realize that it will involve a lot more work than I want to put in. But
generally, I get bored and move on to something else.
What I've strived to do recently is to say no when my
enthusiasms get too wild. I'll write down my idea or project for a later
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time. I'll think out how much time, energy and money a new project will
entail before jumping into it.
Don't temper your ideas. If you have an idea, or get a wild
inspiration, write it down. Now may not be the best time to act on it. If it
is the right time, make sure you can see it through to completion. This is
something I continue to work on.
Just Say No
What this boils down to is the ability to say no. It's one of the
most important things to learn if you really want to simplify and
increase your wealth. Focus on the commitments that give meaning to
your life. Say no to the rest. Who knows, some of these commitments
may be the ones that greatly increase your wealth.
The people you say no to may be hurt initially, but if you explain
your reason for declining, they will more than likely end up supporting
you even more. They may even wish they could say no themselves. Tell
them they can.
Example Commitments
Work: meetings, projects, lunch commitments, favors from colleagues
and bosses, trade shows, training classes, seminars.
Civic: volunteer work, charity board or officer, city council, school board.
Religious: weekly service, church board, raffle events, bible study.
Children: soccer, football, baseball, choir, band, ballet, piano, theater,
speUingbee, academic decathlon, field trips.
Freelance: paid jobs you do for others outside your primary
job/business.
105"
Hobbies: commitments based on your hobbies. Conventions, meetings,
events, etc.
Online: forums, groups, instant messaging, blogging, writing articles.
[Leo, 2007)
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Simplify THE Mind
Laugh
This is an easy one. Nothing is as simple as a good laugh. It can
make a sick person feel healthy and Uft someone out of depression.
Laugh and laugh often.
When I need to laugh, I like to watch old Bugs Bunny and Daffy
Duck cartoons or South Park. Many times I'll watch a classic 1980s
slapstick comedy or something of a more recent vintage. If I'm down and
need a good pick-me-up, I Uke to watch classic musicals like Singing in
the Rain and My Fair Lady.
Let Go of the Past
"I don't live in the past at all; I'm always wanting
to do something new. I make a point of constantly
trying to forget and get things out of my mind." -
Brian Eno
Don't live in the past. Remember it fondly but don't let it control
the present and hinder your future. This is a problem for pack rats who
keep things as a reminder of their past. In order to move ahead, you have
to let go and dispose of physical reminders of the past. It is okay to keep
some mementos, especially if it was part of a life-changing event. If you
still keep your notebooks from 10* grade history, then it's really time to
move on.
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If your past was troublesome, don't dwell on the pain. Life is full
of failures and regret. Quit second-guessing mistakes made in the past.
What's done is done. Learn from them and forget them. Look at each day
anew. See it as another day further away from the pain of years gone by.
It's easy to blame your past on your present situation. We all do
it. It could be a bad childhood, bad marriage, failed business venture, a
debilitating illness, or any number of bad things. Stop making excuses for
things you need to do now just because events in your past didn't go as
planned. One thing to always remember is, "Your past does not equal
your future."
On a personal note, I love the 1980s. I spent my entire teenage
years growing up during the 1980s. They are still the happiest moments
of my Ufe. I constantly listen to 80s music and watch 80s movies. No, I
don't dress in 80s fashions. I don't have any hair on my head to pull that
off! I have a hard time shaking that part of my past because I'm so
endeared by it. For me, the 1990s and 2000s have been a complete blur.
I don't remember nearly any of it. But I remember, with vivid detail, the
1980s. It's natural to wax fondly of your teenage years, especially if they
were happy ones. But it is way too easy for me to fall back into my old
habits and compare things happening today with things 20 years ago.
Letting go of my past has definitely been a tough learning experience and
it can be for you if the memories run deep.
Letting go of your past can be the one thing that jumpstarts the
rest of your life. You won't have to carry around your past hke excess
baggage, or a faded badge of honor. This is your opportunity to make
each day a fresh start. Use today to build new and exciting memories.
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Be Yourself
Don't live someone else's life; live your own. The simplest thing
to do is be yourself. Unfortunately, many of us spend more time trying to
be like someone else because our lives are not what we want them to be.
We become salves to the latest fashions and fads. We idolize celebrities
and think that everyone else has it better than we do.
You were put on this earth for a reason. The only way to find that
reason is to be your self. It doesn't matter if your white, black, tall, short,
fat, skinny, or anywhere else in between. Just be yourself and simpUcity
and prosperity will follow.
Mind your own damn business
If only more people followed this very simple mantra, the world
would be a much better place. From individuals to global superpowers, it
seems everyone wants to stick their noses into everybody's business. No
one can leave each other well enough alone. We compUcate matters by
worrying about everyone else and not ourselves.
On an individual level, it could be your nosy neighbor always
checking in to see what's going on. Going up a few levels, it could be the
neo-Puritan health nannies lecturing you on the evils of smoking,
drinking, and eating red meat. On a global scale, not minding your own
business generally leads to conflict and ultimately, war.
People want to live their own lives as they see fit. No one wants
to be lectured to by someone who thinks they know better. What's worse
are those who think they know better use the power of the state to force
their views on you.
When you mind your own business, you accept people for who
they are. You can respectfully disagree with opposing views and Ufestyle
109
choices. As long as someone is not willfully violating your property
rights, then it's live and let live.
Don't LIVE IN FEAR
Fear is the great controller. Whether it's fear of dying, fear of the
unknown, or fear of snakes, fear can completely control your life if you
let it. Governments are the masters of using fear to control its citizenry.
Fears of terrorism, war, crime, disease, and imprisonment have kept
miUions of people at bay while those in power strip them of life, liberty,
and wealth.
We all have our own internal fears. We fear loss of income, loss
of a family members and loss of property. We have fears of heights,
enclosed spaces, bugs, reptiles, pubUc speaking, large crowds, and many
other phobias. I'm not particularly fond of public speaking and I'm a bit
claustrophobic. The key to living with fear is the ability to confront it.
You may not overcome a particular fear, but the ability to confront and
deal with it is a step in the right direction.
One way of overcoming fear is to ignore the fear-mongering
perpetrated by the government and its lackeys in the media. It is their
business to instill fear in the populace. It's job security for government
cronies and profits for the media. Remember the old news motto, "If it
bleeds, it leads."
We were attacked on 9/11/2001 but nothing has happened since
then. Yet everyday, the threat of terrorism is shoved down our mouths
by poUticians and the media. They say it to instill fear and keep us from
questioning the government's motives. In actuality, your chance of being
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killed by a terrorist attack in your lifetime is roughly 1 in 1300.43 And
that is if a 9/11-style attack happened once a year! You're much more
likely to die in a car accident than a terrorist attack.
The best thing to do is to go about your life and don't let these
things get to you. I don't think the residents of Boise or Duluth have to
worry about a terrorist attack from a band of MusUm fanatics. In fact, the
residents of Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Miami and other major
metropolitan cities don't have to worry about an attack any time soon,
regardless of what the government says.
Ha ve simple friends
When you start living a simple life, you'll start to notice things
about your friends that you didn't notice before. You'll notice which ones
are frugal and which ones spend everything they earn on stuff. I'm not
saying to dump your spendthrift friends. You'll just have to control
yourself when your friend wants you to go shopping with her because
she's bored and she just has to have a new dress. You'll know better not
to pick up something for yourself. If she questions why you don't buy
something for yourself, simply explain that you simplifying your life you
no longer buy things you don't need. Either your friend will accept your
reasoning or will shrug you off. Hopefully, you'll be able to convince your
friend to simpUfy.
Simple friends make living a simple life much easier.
[Bailey, 2006]
m
Don't try to take care of everybody
You can't lead a simple life by taking care of everyone else. If you
do, you neglect the most important person, you. Naturally, you need to
take care of your immediate family, that's a given. But if you spend too
much time taking care of other people outside of your immediate family,
then you run the risk of endangering your health and well-being. It's one
thing to help a friend out every once in a while; that's what friends are
for. But, it's another thing entirely when that friend or friends start to
rely on you to take care of things they could easily take care of
themselves. Unfortunately, this also happens with family members. You
become the go-to person for every little shit job that no one else wants to
do. You may do it out of guilt, or respect, or duty. Whatever the reason,
it's time to say no.
It may be difficult to tell this person that you are no longer going
to do these things for him/her but it must be done. Hopefully, your
friend will respect your decision. If not, then that person is probably not
a friend worth keeping. With family members, it's even more difficult
and could lead to strained relationships.
What if you are a professional caretaker? If you really enjoy what
you do, then that's great. Taking care of people brings a sense of reward
and purpose to many people. Just remember never to neglect yourself.
The worst thing you can do is continue to care for people while
complaining about it. You may say it is unfair and the people you care for
are taking advantage of you. If that's the case, it's time for another
career. Yet, despite the complaining, there are those that continue to
take care of anybody who asks. On the flip side, there are those that
constantly want to be cared for. For whatever psychological reason,
these people hunger for attention. There may be nothing physically
TT2
wrong with them, yet they seek a caregiver. I would avoid these types of
people. Eventually they will suck the life out of you.
Be willing to adapt
Living a simple life with few material possessions affords the
ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Whether the circumstances
are political, economic, social, or personal, you can adapt, change, move,
and thrive thanks to your simple lifestyle. To put it plainly, you are
mobile. The lack of physical possessions makes it much easier to move
should you want to, or forced to. Think of this way, you have the freedom
to live where you want or go where you want without having to worry
about moving all your stuff around.
Most people never think about this. You can live a happy simple
life in one location for the rest of your Ufe. Back before mass
transportation, people lived and died in one town and rarely travelled
far from their hometown. Now you can travel anywhere in the world in
less than a day's time by air.
What I'm saying is those who live a simple Ufe can take
advantage of opportunities all over the globe. The Internet, mobile
communications, and air travel makes the world a much smaller place.
You can act fast. Say you live in a country where the political situation is
getting a bit uncomfortable. Move! Leave the country! If you've followed
my suggestions, you'll have no debt, cash on hand, and few possessions.
Take the family and run. If you live in the United States, you might think
that this type of political upheaval could not occur. Maybe, maybe not.
However, you could get fed up with high taxes, excessive regulations,
and an overbearing nanny state. If that's the case, move to a friendlier
country.
113
Now, you may never move out of your house. You may be quite
content to stay there the rest of your Ufe. You're happy and Uving a
simple hfe. What could go wrong? Well, nothing could go wrong but it's
good to keep the thought in the back of your mind. If something drastic
happened tomorrow, how fast could you and your family get out? How
fast can you adapt?
Avoid people who talk too much
Talk, talk, talk. Everyone's talking about everything. Policy
wonks bloviate on CNN; investment "experts" pitch the latest stock on
CNBC; talk show hosts blabber gibberish on talk radio. It's 24/7 of talk
and it's annoying as hell. No one knows when to shut the hell up and
listen. And besides, nearly everything said on television and radio is
meaningless noise.
Then there are people around you who talk way too much.
There's the gossip queen at the office; the sports nut; the loudmouth at
the Ubrary; and the wannabe actor rehearsing his Unes at Starbucks.
Listen up people! Shut up! No one wants to listen to you. No one
cares what you have to say or how you say it. When I go to the library,
it's supposed to be quiet. When I go to Starbucks, I don't want to listen to
some wannabe actor blabbing on her cell phone about an audition.
Finding a place of quiet solitude in this day and age is getting
difficult. My local Ubrary is noisier than Barnes and Noble; and it's
usually the staff that makes all the noise!
We all need to find a quiet place. It can be your home, a quiet
coffee shop, a park or any place where talking and loud noises are kept
to an absolute minimum.
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Don 't be easil y offended
One big secret to living a simple life is to not be easily offended.
We live in a litigious and politically correct world. People go out of their
way not to offend anyone. Political correctness spans not only race,
creed, and sexual orientation. It spans across the most minute poUtical,
social, and economic issues whether it's right-wing, left-wing,
somewhere in the middle, or the extremes.
Political correctness is a weapon used by both the left and right
to persuade people that their views are the gospel. Thoughtful critiques
of right and left ideologies are considered offensive by the true believers.
For example, it is offensive to the Left to criticize the science used to
promote global warming. In fact, it is patently offensive to even think
about criticizing global warming.44 On the right, it is downright
blasphemous to criticize George Bush and the Iraq War. Sure, it's okay to
criticize the handling of the war, but you can never state that the war
was a bad idea to begin with. Look what happened to the Dixie Chicks
back in 2005 when they openly criticized George Bush during a concert.
Their records were pulled from the shelves and radio stations in the
heartland refused to play any of their songs.
Civil disagreement has been thrown out the window in favor of
outlandish attacks and vile shouting matches. It makes for better
television and radio. Ratings are all that matter and more people will
tune in to a shouting match than a civil, cordial debate.
What I'm trying to say is, don't let it piss you off. Let an offensive
comment sUde right off. It even helps to laugh it off. You know the
person saying the offensive comment is a moron so why should it bother
44 [Gregory, 2007]
you? What we need is a thick coat of Teflon apphed to our woefully thin-
skinned bodies and minds. That would put an end to the intellectually
moribund poUtical correctness that plagues us today.
Failure is an option
Guess what, it's okay to fail. Failure leads to success. Without
failure, you won't know what doesn't work. It can help you simpUfy a
problem or point you in the right direction. It can increase your focus.
Unfortunately, our society teaches us that failure is not an option. If you
fail, you're finished; you're a disgrace; you're a loser. It's been drilled
into us since childhood.
So go and fail; fail often. But it's important that you learn from
your failures so you won't repeat them. Each time you try again, you're
that much closer to success. The fact is, we fail at something every day.
Perhaps you didn't land a sale today. You missed a meeting. Your new
album didn't sell that well. Your movie flopped at the box office. You
ended a relationship. You failed an exam. The program you wrote caused
your cUent's computers to crash. You lost reelection for pubUc office.
These are all diverse examples of failure. People who successfully handle
failure pick themselves up and try again until they get it right. Those
who sulk in their failures and never try again are those that always
regret it later.
Stay AWAY FROM negative people
This one should be obvious. Negative people suck the life out of
you and make you feel like crap. This may not be their intention; though
subconsciously the only way they can feel better is to make other people
feel Uke crap. You're simplifying your Ufe. You're happy and at peace
Tie
with yourself. The last thing you want is some whiny, depressing,
negative person ruining your day.
There's always someone at the office who is constantly
complaining. Nothing works, their life sucks, they hate they their job and
they make sure everyone knows about it. Avoid these people like the
plague. You may feel the urge to help them with a polite word of
encouragement. Don't. Walk away and stay away. You do not want to get
dragged down to their level of angst and self-pity. Stay above the fray of
negativity.
Control your anger, or don't let people piss you off.
This is extremely difficult for me. I have a temper and though I've
been very good at controlling it in recent years, there are certain times
when it gets the best of me. Living in Los Angeles doesn't help. Rude and
incompetent drivers are the norm. Traffic jams; supermarket check-out
lines; airport lines; rude customer service; cell phones and just people
acting like assholes in general. Sometimes it makes you want to beat
them all with a baseball bat.
I've been able to conquer my anger by stepping back and taking
several deep breaths. I try to detach myself from the situation that is
causing the anger. If I have to wait for some old lady to get out her
checkbook after all her groceries have been scanned through, or wait for
the clerk to show someone how to swipe their credit card through the
machine, I look away and take a deep breath. I'll fixate my eyes
somewhere away from the moron ahead of me until that person leaves.
Boy is this difficult! Many times I'll just stare at that person with
great evil intentions. I want him to know just how stupid he is and that
the ten other people waiting behind all think he is a moron.
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Unfortunately, if I do let my temper get a hold of me, I remain in an
angry, dour mood well after leaving the store. If I decide not to get angry
and ignore the person, I'm usually just fine after I leave. It's a much
better position, mentally, to be in.
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Simplify THE Body
Bean EARLY RISER
There has been much written about the benefits of rising early.
"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."
We all know Ben Franklin's saying, but sometimes sleeping in feels so
good, until you get up.
I still struggle getting up early. I normally wake up between 7-
7:30am. Anytime earUer and I still feel too sleepy. Anytime later and I
usually get a nasty headache and I feel miserable all day. When I do get
up extra early, between 5-6am, I do find that I get more things
accomplished and when I look at the clock, it's only 10am. It's a good
feeling. And nothing really beats the calmness of dawn.
If you're a night owl and it works for you, then great. There's no
sense of becoming an early riser if burning the midnight oil makes you
more productive and happy. Even when I wake up early, I still don't go to
bed until eleven or midnight. If I try to sleep earlier, I end up tossing and
turning for a couple of hours before I fall asleep.
Slowdown
Faster, faster, faster! Life keeps speeding up and it's difficult to
keep pace. Criticism of a fast-paced lifestyle has been ongoing for over
100 years.
A fantastic book on the subject of slowing down is Carl Honore's
In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed. Reading his book
was a life-changing experience. He talks of people getting off the high-
speed treadmill and living a life considerably slower than the rest. The
great thing about the slow movement is that many of them are not
119
luddites or technophobes. In fact, they use technology to help them slow
down.
Slowing down is an extension of simpUfying. Many people give
up high-paying, stressful jobs to work part-time and stay home with the
family. They take time to cook their meals from scratch. They exercise
slowly [which can be very effective). They make love slowly. That's
reason enough to slow down! They walk instead of drive. In Italy there
are towns that are built around the slow movement.
Of course, being slow isn't the same as being lazy. These people
are more productive than their type-A counterparts yet they have a
much more fulfiUing life. So when you feel that life is moving far too fast
for you, let it. Slow down and relax.
Do Nothing
There's an insidious notion in western culture that we must
always be doing something. Our schedules are packed with activities,
work, projects, and errands. To sit and do nothing is almost sacrilegious.
Yet, doing nothing is one of the best ways to relax and clear your mind.
There is nothing wrong with sitting in your chair and day-
dreaming for a while. Watching television is not doing nothing, you're
watching television! Doing nothing literally means just that. You can sit
comfortably in your home or go out to the park or beach. Go anywhere
you can relax and not be disturbed. You can meditate if you like or just
sit there and let your mind wander. It's a great way to come up with new,
fresh ideas for whatever you're working on. It may just give you that
inspirational spark to jumpstart a goal or dream you've put off.
120
Food
"Poor planning is at fault. Most of the time when
my wife and I order a $20 pizza delivered to our
house or go to a mediocre neighborhood
restaurant and drop $30 for dinner, it's because
we have neglected shopping and have nothing at
home that is appealing for dinner, or we're too
tired and don't feel like preparing food." - Fred
Brock, Live Well on Less Than You Think.
Part of living a simple life is to eat more meals at home. Our
hectic workloads leave us too tired to cook anything so we resort to
eating out and spending far too much money. Eating at home is healthier
and cheaper.
Always try to keep enough food in the house to cook a simple
meal. After a hard day at the office, there should always be something in
the house that is easy and quick to prepare. Every meal doesn't have to
be a gourmet feast.
Pack a lunch. If you eat out for lunch everyday, cut it back to
twice a week and brownbag it the other three days. You'll save an
enormous amount of money and eat healthier. And, if you live close
enough to the office, you can always go home for lunch. Instead of
spending $10 for a steak sandwich at the deli, go home and make one
from last night's BBQ sirloin dinner.
121
Buy bulk items from Costco or Sam's Club. Rice, beans, pasta, and
canned goods last for weeks. Buy meat and produce and store them in
the freezer.
It's okay to eat out every so often. Sometimes you have a craving
for a special restaurant. Instead of eating out several times a week, make
it only once a week. Eating out will seem Uke a special event and you'll
enjoy it more. I remember back when I was growing up, eating out was
something we looked forward to. I had a nice, solid middle-class
upbringing but dining out wasn't a daily occurrence. The town I lived in
had few, if any, good restaurants. Most of our meals were home cooked.
Nothing beat Mom's homemade tortillas. We used to eat them with
butter right off the pan. No store-bought tortilla can match the flavor and
texture of homemade. My Dad always cooked, and still does, a mean BBQ
tri-tip steak. On some nights, we would go to the movies and then head
over to the local pizza parlor. My brother and I would have fun eating
pizza and playing Asteroids. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was those
simple moments I always remember.
I won't lecture you on what to eat. There are far too many diet
books for your perusal. I don't adhere to any diet. I eat what I want in
moderation. And moderation is the key. That way you can enjoy a wide
variety of food and still be healthy. Of course, you shouldn't eat anything
that would affect a medical condition.
I don't advise buying organic foods or becoming a vegetarian to
simpUfy. If that's your thing, then please continue. I think the term
"organic" has become a marketing gimmick. Slap "organic" on a head of
lettuce and charge a premium. No thanks! Some people's body types are
better suited for vegetarianism. I am a flaming carnivore. My body reacts
positively to beef, fish, and poultry. I can live on eggs.
122
Drink Water
Save money on drinks by drinking water. It's better for you and
cheaper. Soda, juices, and energy drinks are expensive, even bought in
bulk. Bottled water or delivered water is less expensive. There's always
your local tap water to drink, if it doesn't taste wretched. I drink tap
water with ice and a sprig of lemon juice.
Get A Juicer
If you love fruit juices, consider investing in a good juicer.
Nothing tastes better than freshly squeezed juice. You can buy your fruit
in bulk or at your local farmer's market. Find a juicer that is well-built
and easy to clean. You'll never go back to store-bought juice after you
start using your juicer.
Eat Breakfast
Finally, try to eat a good breakfast at home. Sure, McDonalds or a
warm bagel is good every now and then but eating a hearty breakfast of
bacon and eggs or a chewy bowl of oatmeal always puts you on the right
track. Top it off with a pot of freshly brewed coffee or tea and there may
be no better way to start your day.
Physical Fitness
Now that you've turned off the TV, what are you going to do
now? Well, how about exercise? You can't just sit there all day and do
nothing. Get out and go for a walk. This doesn't mean joining an
expensive gym and boring yourself silly with weights and treadmills. I'm
123
talking about outdoor exercise. Walking, jogging, and swimming are
great exercises.
If you love a particular sport, go play it. I love football and tennis.
Each week I go out and throw the football around and run plays. I don't
have the desire to play a full game of touch football; I just love the
exercise I get throwing the football around.
This is great for your kids. What better way to spend time with
them than at the park throwing the baseball around? You don't have to
put them in organized sports, just go out and throw the ball around.
If you live close enough to your job, walk to work a few days a
week. Take an evening stroll with your significant other. The main point
is to simply get out of the house and office and engage in physical
activity.
You can join a gym if you wish but it's not necessary and can be a
large expense over time. You can get a great workout using your own
bodyweight. Just think, you can workout nearly anywhere, anytime,
without any equipment or membership dues.
There's a large variety of workouts you can do using your
bodyweight. The stand-bys are push-ups, crunches, and squats. These
are exercises that work the majority of the major muscle groups. Even
the old jumping jack is a great cardio exercise. Elizabeth Quinn, from
About.com has a great Ust^^ of no-weight exercises that I've been using
for a short while now. They really do work and I no longer have to use
dumbbells to obtain a good workout. Some of the exercises are really
challenging for me like Mountain Climbers, Wall Sit, and Jump Lunges.
45 http://sportsmedicine.aboutcom/od/tipsandtricks/a/basictraining.htm?p=l
I am no Adonis. I'm a big guy and I like to eat. My exercise
consists mainly of walking, stretching, no-weight exercises, and
throwing the football around. It's simple and keeps me moving.
125
Conclusion
I've presented quite a bit of information on how to simplify your
life. Only you can choose what steps to take. In any effect, the act of
simpUfying your life will increase your wealth, plain and simple. If I
could pick one tip out of this entire book that is the most beneficial, it
would be to spend less than you earn. It is the simplest tip of all. You'll
never get into debt. You'll never buy what you don't need. Your
possessions will be few but cherished. You'll have money in the bank
that will only continue to accumulate. You'll have peace of mind. You'll
be able to live the life you want without the trappings of material wealth.
You will have both monetary and spiritual wealth. You'll be truly free in
an un-free world.
Go forth and simpUfy.
126
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