Simplifying

For years now, I have yearned to simplify my life. Time was, it actually was pretty simple. The height of simplicity in my adult life was probably when I was living aboard ship.

Now, though, I need to find a self-driven way of simplifying. There are three areas I think I can conciously work on in the immediate future: Money, Time, and Consumption.

Regarding money, I have been trying to give careful thought to what I spend it on. I need to save for my upcoming move, and I have debts I want to pay off. Indeed, debt is looming so large I am really starting to think paying it off would be more fulfilling to me than going to graduate school (which will just run up more debt).

Tied into money, of course, is consumption. But it's not just how much I spend on things, it's what things I choose to spend my money on. Do I buy canned beans, or dry? Both can sit on a shelf, but one has a lot more energy and packaging gone into it, in addition to being more expensive. I've tried to whittle away at little things, especially in my diet. I don't drink sodas, just water. I don't buy a bottle of water every time I'm thirsty, I refill the one I already have.

I'm making a commitment this semester to pack my lunch rather than eat out. And to rely on planning rather than convenience foods, and get back to more whole foods.

I'm also trying to reduce the packaging on things I buy. I try to remember to take my canvas shopping bags (and if I don't, I get paper so I can recycle it). I need to buy loose produce, instead of wrapped-in-shiny-plastic produce. This can be aggravating when I'd like to buy organic, because they tend to overpackage the organics.

I start school tomorrow, so new semester, chance for forming new habits. I put a full tank of gas in the car for DH. I'm going to try not to use more gas in the next few months than I just paid for! I've been driving more places lately because my bike has a flat tire and we don't have the tools at home to get the rear wheel off--it's kind of rusty and won't respond to my attempts with a wrench, and our socket set is AWOL.

Things I've given up the past few years:

Meat
Soda pop

Things I'm fasting on for the rest of this year:

Cold breakfast cereal (yes, i usually buy healthy kinds, but it's expensive!)
Fast food
Any non-organic boxed meal (no more Kraft mac and cheese; At least Annie's or TJ's brand has less junk in it, and it's still only a buck for a box).
Things that come out of vending machines

We'll start with that.