We are are self employed in our own small business (pottery and painting) and also take on a variety of other odd jobs year round. We grow food with others in a community garden and work in community orchards in return for produce. We barter for food and almost everything else we need. We can, dehrydrate and freeze food for the winter months. The rest of what we need to sustain our minimal rustic lifestyle we purchase at second hand and charity shops.

If anyone could give a class on the topic of frugal living that would be us …lol In fact, we are hard pressed not to say rude things online to people who are whining about their economic situation while they continue to live unsustainable urban lifestyles.
.-= timethief´s last blog ..♥♫ The Waters of the Mountain – New Age – Relaxation music ♥♫ =-.

As for the money, I think this article will shed a little more light on how I see this topic.

As for the relationships – similarly to money, in fact – I made so many “mistakes” that I can easily become an authority on how to screw your life starting from here. Fortunately, I learned how to not screw your life, but that doesn’t save me from doing some big boo-boo’s.

In your first reply to Zeenat you wrote:
“I had in the initial draft a segment about how to apply this to relationships but at some point the article took a WAY of ITS own.”
I’d like to read a post from you about applying this to relationships. Anyway it was a good decision to let the article take a WAY of YOUR own

What you write mostly reflects my current thinking.

One thing which I am not yet sure about is the money thing. Money is worth a sh** as a value by itself. Currently I think that it is a good thing to make or save money if I know what it is really good for, what I am going to spend it on and what that has to do with my true values as a human being.

Making money seems like a powerful activity for improving self discipline, for learning lots and lots of different things, for dealing with all sorts of people and, therefore, for personal development. Financial struggle seems to be the usual starting point for people who have high standards and know they can do better and who feel that it is their responsibility to participate in making this world a better place. Starting with you own desires and you personal needs, especially including the financial aspect, is a good thing.

As long as one doesn’t regard money – in an unconcious and religious way – I totally agree. In my opinion money is not necessarily required to make your fortune. There are many different paths leading to our hearts. Used as a tool, money is not the devil either.

And, imho, making money must include sharing.

Most of the time, the whole experience doesn’t worth

Which makes me learn a hell of a lot of discipline, as the amplitude gets higher and higher

Thanks for this Dragos.