I began living simply due to necessity. We didn’t have a lot of money during my marriage so I made due with what I had. That skill became essential after my divorce.
Things changed once the youngest moved out. For the first time in decades, no one else was affected by the decisions I made so I felt safe experimenting financially.
Since I’d never allowed myself to live the Middle Class Lifestyle I wondered if perhaps I was misjudging it. Maybe that lifestyle was the best lifestyle to lead. I didn’t know what I didn’t know so, liberated from concerns about my kids having to suffer if I misjudged, I dived in.
My friends and family were delighted. I was finally loosening the purse strings! They deluged me with recommendations of things to try and buy and do.
It was fun but ultimately I realized that the Middle Class Lifestyle is empty. You travel from one dopamine hit to another, with little time to actually savor things. Even worse, at the end of it you discover you have a ton of stuff that, once that rush faded, you never touched again—unless you had to shift things around to locate space to store the latest purchase, that is.
I came to the conclusion that, while the Middle Class Lifestyle is great for the oligarchs who sell us crap, that, for the average person, it’s seriously detrimental. We exchange hours of our lives for money that we exchange for goods and services that do nothing save to distract us from the pointlessness of it all.
While I am thankful that now I actually know based from personal experience, I realized that I greatly preferred my simpler existence. As I experimented with the details to my return to that lifestyle of less, the cancellation of my home internet really opened my eyes. What I’d experienced previously was nothing compared to the contentment I feel now that I’ve escaped that Matrix.
There aren’t a lot of books (that aren’t repetitive) recently published on my particular lifestyle, so I traveled back to an older time and began exploring titles written before the Internet was invented. I discovered a book called Living More With Less written by Doris Janzen Longacre, a Mennonite. The book not only shares her thoughts on the subject but has a bunch of stories and tips from others in her Mennonite community about a simple lifestyle. Even better, through this book you discover how people live in other nations since the Mennonite community is quite well-traveled as they follow their faith.
I am still reading on this book. I am delighted to report that it even has instructions within it for making clothes without patterns and recipes along with other stories that really make one think. I read a bit and stop in order to contemplate on that section.
Doris also published a cookbook under the same theme. It is filled with recipes from all over. I intend to increase my limited repertoire by experimenting.
If you would like to learn more about a simpler life, a life where you use what you have instead of buying new, a life where you make your solutions instead of buying them, I highly recommend you invest in these books.
They are definitely keepers as far as I’m concerned.
9 responses to “Living More With Less”
Nice to see that you have the original edition. I just searched it out and the current “updated edition” was updated by a different person as the author died a few decades ago. The review I read warned the reader about the updated version as they found the quoted original sections came off as much better than the updated sections.
I stumbled across it when I was told about the cookbook by a friend. It looked really interesting so I ordered both and so far I’m impressed. This book is more aligned with my personal habits, sharing new things I didn’t know about, than many of the books I’ve read on the subject.
I’ve been told that I really should add the Foxfire books to my collection as well. I haven’t yet though I’ve glanced through several copies. Thinking of the simple living guide they released as being a good introduction to the series. Have you read the Foxfire series?
No and I’ve never heard about the Foxfire series before you mentioned it, and I am currently searching for a copy of the original version of Living More With Less after reading your post.
Your remark about the Middle Class lifestyle, got me thinking of “which middle class lifestyle” as there are different versions depending upon if one buys into the false gods of consumerism as a way of life. Personally my view of a healthier middle class lifestyle, is to continue to live below your means and with a purpose that makes sense. Such as aiming to eat better and healthier foods within ones means and when possible and it makes sense, buying better quality things that are more durable – so they end up cheaper in the end.
Hi John!
In my world, the Middle Class Lifestyle meant new vehicles every few years, a home that I personally consider a mansion, frequently eating out, and other things. Those in my family who did not follow those rules (spoken and unspoken) were either cheapskates or “poor” and looked down upon via whispers behind closed doors.
I’m still reading on Living More With Less and I find it fascinating. I believe you might enjoy the Foxfire series; it contains a lot of stories and Old Ways of doing things.
Thanks, I’ll look into the Foxfire series. As for the alternative middle class lifestyle that is my spin on it as something that makes more sense when it comes to better use of one’s resources. Still it comes off as overkill for someone not living a flashy lifestyle as either a cheapskate or poor. Then again I live in Pennsylvania which from the beginning has had a large Mennonite population and left a lasting cultural influence in many parts of the state.
I have a copy of the Complete Tightwad Gazette (3 volumes in one and paperback) and reread it periodically to keep myself from getting stupid. Haha!
The Tightwad Gazette is an EXCELLENT book! Good for you!
I recently read The Value of Voluntary Simplicity by Richard Gregg. He wrote it in 1936. I found it fascinating. I also follow Oakie McDoakie on Substack and he recently had an essay/podcast titled ‘How Much Money is Enough?’ It was excellent. He wrote : “Just look at the super rich- actors, moguls, tech bros. The bulk baby oil, the cat face plastic surgery, the pet rockets, the yoni eggs. Happy people don’t do weird shit like this.”
Hi Essie!
I have that book. It really gave me food for thought. And Okie has a point: why would someone make such drastic changes to their body or do some of the things they do if they were content with who they are and what they have?