How Many People Are Living in Their Cars? Simple Living in 2016

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It's been a long, long time since I chose to live a simple life -- I started this blog as a part of that process, back in January 2006.  It's amazing to realize this blog is almost 11 years old.

Your life is your life.  You only get one.  YOLO, right?  With your free will, you make choices that have consequences.  Not choosing is still making a choice.

So I chose to live a voluntary simplicity lifestyle.  What that means, to me at least, is all over this blog.

Choosing a Simple Lifestyle

I'm proud I had the courage to choose the path less traveled way back when. As a lawyer, choosing to live a life of simplicity back in the mid-2000's was not understood by lots of folk.  To many, I was nuts.

I don't know how much that's changed or how much I've just stopped worrying about the approval of others.

The Economy Around Me

For awhile, I'd post here about economic things that concerned me.  Over there in the sidebar, you can see categories for "2008 Economic Crisis," and "2011 Economic Crisis," for instance.

Then I stopped blogging about it.  Truth be told, I got busy with other things and just didn't post very much.

But this fall, I decided maybe I should blog again.  Blog some.  Blog more often.  And so I began, even though participating in National Novel Writing Month sideswiped some of that blogging schedule in the past few weeks.

Which is why I'm publishing this post today.

What the Heck?  

All this meandering to get to here.  My point.

What the heck is going on here?  I know Preppers.  Heck, there are some of my Fancy Friends who think I'm a Prepper.  They worry because I don't know the trends and don't like credit cards.

Then the Preppers worry that I'm not doing what I need to do in order to survive the impending economic explosion.  I'm not working each week on implementing a Survival Plan.  I don't know how to can food.

But back when I began on this road, I don't think there were that many folk living in their cars.  And I mean cars or vans, not RVs or Travel Trailers.  That's the subject of another post for a different day.

I have used YouTube quite a bit this past couple of months to research my NaNoWriMo thriller, and in the midst of all that video surfing, I have discovered a great many YouTubers chronicling their lives as they live in their vehicles.

Go look at the search results yourself in YouTube for "living in car." 

It's amazing.  I'm seeing young women, brave and happy and apparently well-adjusted, choosing to live in their sedans or small SUVs because they've decided it's a great idea.  

Some are doing this to pay off student loan debt ASAP.  Others have their own reasons.

Living in Your Car as a Simple Living Lifestyle Choice

This choice, just like any version of simple living, isn't a One Size Fits All.  Each story is unique, as is how each person approaches simplicity -- or minimalism, the term that's arisen since I started this blog.

Thing is: when I began looking around online, it's not all fun and games.  There are people living in their cars because they have no option.  They're more the homeless stereotype of the "van down by the river" and they aren't so happy or excited.

So, it's something I'm thinking about right now.  Times are changing.

How bad is our economy really? I don't know.  I'm thinking about this.  Back in May 2010 I wrote a post after reading a London Times article on the 'Great Depression of 2010."  I am thinking about that frog in the pot right now.

One thing I do know.  When I started simplifying, it was far from a trend to have folk living in their cars like they do today.

The continuum on simplicity existed but van-dwelling wasn't really on the charts back then.  It is now.  That is telling me something, I think.

See, "Living Out of a Van Is The New American Dream," written by David Jagneaux and published in Vice on February 5, 2016.

Here's a YouTuber video example for you:

Will all this pondering cause me to make changes in my lifestyle?  Will I go more prepper now?  Will I decide to get a vehicle that if necessary, I can live in comfortably?

What about expatriating?  It's these kinds of thoughts that lead me to prayer and the Bible and get me in the kitchen cooking up some sort of dish filled with melted cheese.

Ufollow - Cool New Site and I'm Honored to have Everyday Simplicity Included as a "Leading Blog" in their Chosen Reading Library

UFollow is a cool, new site that is getting favorable reviews as a free service that helps folk surfing the web to cull through content and locate articles based upon a single topic or a single author.

UFollow is free,"indexing more than 100,000 bloggers and columnists from over 4,500 leading blogs, magazines, and newspapers on the web."  Sign up and uFollow sends you a stream of  content organized by your chosen sources, favorite authors, etc.

It's looking to be a popular site.  For example, HackStacks found uFollow to be helpful, describing uFollow back in August 2011 as one of the best sites on the web for organizing and providing content to the reader according to the readers' likes.

I discovered uFollow when I noticed folk were coming to visit Everyday Simplicity via UFollow.  When I went to uFollow to investigate, I was delighted to find that Everyday Simplicity is a publication listed among such notables as The New York Times, Huffington Post, and the Christian Science Monitor, and that my name is listed as one of the top authors, in the area of "simplicity."

I'm second, first place going to Merlin Mann of 43 Folders and third place to Darren Murph of Engadget. That's some nice company.  Of course, ranking will change as uFollow grows -- but it's a nice thing to think about today. 

I'm honored to be included by the folk at uFollow and I'm happy to think that this means that living a simple life is something that more people are interested in investigating, even if they aren't ready to make a big lifestyle change.

Thought I'd share this with you, Dear Reader (and Fellow Simplifier).

Four New Blog Finds That I Really Like, Think You Will, Too

You'd think I never get anything done, what with walking the dogs; doing my own writing; helping others with their writing; reading and going to the book store and the library and Amazon.com for more books; meeting up with friends for tacos or coffee; piddling my way to a clean house; or debating whether or not I'm right (I am) that the mole on The Closer is Chief Pope.

I surf the web, too.  And today I thought I would share with you some blogs that I think are wonderful and unique and powerful in what they have to share with us, each in their own individual way: 

Long Hollow -- a pretty blog with substance by fellow Texan Barbara Shallue. (Thanks to Barbara's sister for the heads up on this great find!)  Nice pix, honest and forthright in her words, and she's a reader, too. 


The Pioneer Woman -- kinda famous now, Ree Drumond's blog on her transition to life on a Montana cattle ranch.  The food photos are so wonderful, always make me want to go cook something.  And for some reason, reading the stuff here always reminds me of my mother's family and all their tall tales: Mama's cousins Mary Beth and Nummies, along with Spider and Pie (Pie was known for her, well, pies ... can't remember how Spider got that nickname). 

The Daily Coyote -- Shreve Stockton posts daily photos of the coyote she adopted as a baby, sharing much more than that on her blog about living in rural Wyoming.  She has been disciplined about these daily posts for a long time now.  Charlie the coyote makes me smile, and my pups like this blog a lot because it always warms my heart, reminds me how beloved my dogs are, and makes me go to the Treat Jar for them.  It's like clockwork.  And they talk about Pavlov's dog ....

Adventures in Writing on the Road -- Natasha Fondren sold her stuff and bought a jeep and an RV and headed out into a new life; she's got a bigger RV now, but she's still living very simply and she shares how she's doing and where she's going on her blog. 

She's doing what lots of people just dream about.  Like me.  Did you ever read Travels With Charlie by John Steinbeck? 

William J. Dawson's The Quest for a Simple Life is a Free Read

Right now, you can get a free copy of William J. Dawson's The Quest for a Simple Life as an e-book over at Amazon.com -- I took advantage of this freebie, and I enjoyed his story.  It's also available online for free to read on your screen at Project Gutenberg. 

This isn't a new book.

William J. Dawson wrote this book long ago; it was originally published in 1907, and some of the language as well as his attitudes may seem well, ... dated.  (Feminists, take note.)

However, it's a small book and an interesting read, the language alone is entrancing (sometimes, Dawson can be a real hoot) -- and it's a nice thing to think about:  back in London, over a hundred years ago, human beings were pondering how to make life simpler. 

Well, I guess people like Thoreau were too, come to think about it. 

Okay, this isn't Walden but it's a good read nevertheless.  I liked it, thought I'd share it with you, Dear Reader.

Book to Read: The 100 Thing Challenge by Dave Bruno

There are more and more books becoming available that deal with aspects of simplifying one's life, and here's one that is worth your time to read:  The 100 Thing Challenge: How I Got Rid of Almost Everything, Remade My Life, and Regained My Soul by Dave Bruno - less than ten bucks as a paperback or via Kindle, or borrow it for free, like I did, from your local library. 

Here's how the publisher describes it:

In 2008, average American family man Dave Bruno decided to unhook himself from the intravenous drip of consumerism that fueled his life by winnowing all his personal possessions down to just 100 things. Little did he realize that he would be igniting a grassroots movement—soon after Dave embarked on his journey, media around the world took notice and others started to follow his lead.


A cause for pause, The 100 Thing Challenge is a response to the culture of materialism in America, one that has filled our lives with the constant and unsatisfactory desire for "more." Dave Bruno offers compelling anecdotes and practical advice to help readers live more meaningfully, simply by casting off the unnecessary "stuff" that clutters their lives. The 100 Thing Challenge is a golden opportunity to experience the positive changes that occur as you defiantly hop off the treadmill of consumerism.

Here's Why I Recommend This Book: 

If you want to simplify, there are lots of books out there with tips and tricks to get there - but following one man's personal experience really brings the message home.  Dave Bruno takes you through his process of changing his lifestyle and in doing so, challenges you to do the same.

As someone who's been living a simple life for several years now, more power to him.  And to you.

Hoarding: a Lifestyle in Opposition to Simple Living

I admit it, I do catch the occaional episode of Hoarding: Buried Alive on TLC TV.  I couldn't tell you when it airs, but I can tell you that everytime I watch the show, it makes me get up and dust or vacuum or do a load of laundry.  Something.  Maybe part of this is because (personal revelation, dear reader!) my mother, looking back, was obviously a hoarder.  So was my first husband's mother.  Wow, there's some food for thought.

Me?  I don't hoard.  Maybe living this lifestyle of voluntary simplicity in some way is reacting to that background - that's sounding plausible.  All I know is that organizing and simplifying seems smart and wise and it's a peaceful, joyful life.

Hoarding - The Reasons for It

As a result of the show, and as I pondered this personal connection with hoarders, I did go surfing around investigating hoarding.  I learned hoarding is a compulsion, with both psychological and physical components.  I learned that lots of professionals discuss anger and anxiety as emotions felt by haorders when faced with the idea of throwing anything away.

I'm not arguing with any of that -- from my experience, this all sounds true.  However, from my experience, there's something that isn't being discussed here.  From what I know of hoarding, it's a twisted way of dealing with a major loss.  It's a grief thing.  It's got a depression component and a thread of denial runs through it, but at its core - its a strange way of fighting against loss. 

Why share this with you, Dear Reader?  Because There's Simplifying Lesson Here for Us All

In the process of simplifying your life - be it downsizing, going green, living frugally or living slowly or moving to a one-income household, or expatriating - and there are lots of varieties of simple living, some of those hoarder reactions seem familiar.

There's the stuff.  Stuff you don't want to get rid of, even if you don't need it and will never use it.  There are all those boxes of memories - the kid's school papers, your old college textbooks - that need to be culled. 

Letting go of stuff is hard.  It involves loss.  Simplifying is hard.  There's an emotional component to the process.  It's worth it, but in no way is it easy.  Simplifying your life may not be simple at all. 

God bless you, Dear Reader.

Blog to Read: Jack Quits $300K Job for Simple Living

Here's a nice blog that gives lots of details on the actual, day to day process of changing one's lifestyle to one of simple living. Over at Adventures in Voluntary Simplicity, Jack shares his personal story of quiting a $300K job as an attorney to follow a life of voluntary simplicity.

Yes, this is the guy who burned his Harvard Law diploma and put the video on YouTube. I don't see that video posted on the blog, however.

Even Joyce Meyer is Simplifying Her Life: She Has a New Tips Books Out

100 Ways to Simplify Your Life is Joyce Meyer's latest book release, and here's the plug from Amazon.com:

"Joyce Meyer is one busy lady. Apart from the normal demands of life, she teaches daily on TV and radio, writes books, holds conferences in dozens of cities every year and ministers around the world...and she runs JoyceMeyerMinistries. So she's had to learn how to make the most of every minute of the day! In 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life, Joyce shares the most effective secrets she's learned over the years for making the most of each minute of the day. In less than two pages per entry, Joyce gives us eminently 'doable' tips that are clearcut and ...well, SIMPLE. But they can change your whole outlook, not to mention your schedule."

Tips include (1) do one thing at a time; (2) be satisfied with what you have; and (3) keep God first. Each tip includes a reference to scripture, a quotation, and a brief teaching discussion by Joyce herself.

Who's Joyce Meyer? Here's her Wikipedia bio and here's the link to her ministry website.

My Favorite Simplicity Posts of the Week

Here are some great reads for you:

1. Simplicity for the Novice over at HappyToBeAtHome -- Joy writes a great post on what simplicity means to her and her family, and how her Christian faith is the Cornerstone of this lifestyle (mine,too).

2. Realizing How Much You Already Have published by ChoosingVoluntarySimplicity. Pretty, inspiring.

3. The Weekend Round Up over at A Satisfying Journey Towards Simplicity -- Nikki's post is a fun, smooth read, and personally, I like the image of the chickens running around ....

4. Adele over at Simplicity has a wonderful post discussing the Theology of Work which is made even more inticing because she's writing from her home in Kenya, heading over to Capetown.

5. Nikki Painter's recipe for her Easy Tuna Mac Casserole, along with her description of being sick this past week, the family going out for Taco Bell, and a friend helping out made me smile - I don't like to think that simplicity is starting to sound trendy and even snooty, and it's great to read about other people who think it's hunky dorey to "break out of the box" and go to the Bell every once in a while (for me it's cheap, and it reminds me of high school). (I'm also gonna try that casserole.)

Is Being Frugal Becoming Trendy?

According to MSNBC, the answer is "yes," ("Is Frugal The New Black?") but only because the economy is causing belts to tighten around the country.

I suppose this is good news for everyone involved in simplifying their lives, although it may mean more competition at estate sales and thrift stores for the good finds ... but I think it forgets a large segment of the Simplicity Population.

There are many of us who have chosen to simplify our lives because of the quality of life that results from this lifestyle change. It's not all about the money, and I think this may make a big difference in how happy you are with your new frugality.

For example, this morning I awoke to the sound of the 5:30 am cannon, which I'm told is the same cannon that Fort Sam soldiers used to start the day when Geronimo was still being held in their Quadrangle. A cool breeze was coming through the windows, and I could smell the honeysuckle.

It was a nice way to start a great day. Never once did I consider that I didn't have the air conditioner going, and I didn't jump up and rush to anywhere after slamming the alarm clock off.

It did, however, make me stop and thank God for how I'm living now, versus how I lived Back Then, and it's that feeling of joy, for lack of a better word, that I find is missing from the MSNBC report.

For more information:

What Is Simplifying? Should You Do It?

Declaration Of Independence From Overconsumption

What is Simplifying? Should You Do It?

Today’s news is filled with scary stories about the cratering sub-prime lending market, the dollar’s decline, and the plunging Dow. This has got a lot of people pondering ways to cut back on their spending, getting ready for a severe recession that seems more and more inevitable.

Tightening your money belt is a good thing, it’s a smart strategy. However, it’s very different from simplifying your life. Cutting back is painful; simplifying is freeing and fun. Maybe now more than ever, it’s time to think about simplicity.

Simplifying isn’t a new concept: the Shakers were propounding the benefits of living a simple life over 150 years ago. Janet Luhrs’ book, The Simple Living Guide, has had steady sales since its debut in 1998, and this April will mark the 14th anniversary of Vicki Robin’s famous speech to the United Nations, “A Declaration of Independence from Overconsumption.”

What is simplifying? It’s going against the materialistic mainstream and proactively living a life that you have consciously defined for yourself. There are many reasons for simplifying, and there are many different types of simplifiers.

For some, simplifying life means reducing stress for health reasons, for others it’s a social justice or anti-consumerism issue. Simplifiers can be as straight-forward as families transforming into one-income households so their kids can have a full-time parent at home, as well as someone deciding to buy only organic or locally-grown produce. They can also be as multifaceted as environmental activists, seeking to minimize their consumption of fossil fuels by living off the grid along with those involved in The Compact, where members have committed to buy absolutely nothing new for one full year.

Ed Begley, Jr., of the cable television show “Living With Ed,” is a simplifier. So is Julia Roberts, who took time off from her career to stay at home with her young children.

If the news of an impending recession has you pondering your way of life, and wondering if perhaps there is a better way, then you may be interested in simplifying. Should you choose to do so, know that it has tremendous benefits: there is a surprising sense of freedom with each step you take, and there is suddenly more time to do the things you care about. However, it’s not for the faint-hearted: you’ll have discouraging friends and family who will not understand this change in attitude, and you’ll have moments of being overwhelmed at the undertaking.

For those who have taken steps to simplifying their lives, though, it’s been worth all their efforts. Life truly is better without the call of the mall.

If you’re interested in learning more, check out:

1. In Print

Choosing Simplicity: Real People Finding Peace and Fulfillment in a Complex World by Linda Breen Pierce. Stories of those who have downsized their lives, relates their experiences and whether or not they regret the change.

Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence by Joe R. Dominguez and Vicki Robin. Financial guide, a landmark in the Simplicity movement.

Living the Simple Life : A Guide to Scaling Down and Enjoying More by Elaine St. James. Good, practical tips (cancel the newspaper subscription, eat at home).

Voluntary Simplicity, Revised Edition: Toward a Life That is Inwardly Simple, Outwardly Rich by Duane Elgin. History of the movement, discussion of spiritual motivations behind downsizing.

The Simple Living Guide by Janet Luhrs. Must-read; describes all variety of lifestyles within the "voluntary simplicity" world.


2. Online

Everyday Simplicity (http://everydaysimplicity.blogspot.com)
The Simple Living Network (http://www.simpleliving.net/main)
Simple Living America (http://simplelivingamerica.blogspot.com)

Freecycle

Have you heard of Freecycle? Here's how Freecycle describes itself:

""The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,231 groups with 4,403,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on “Browse Groups” above the search box. Have fun!"

Freecycle involves signing up to a Yahoo Group, and receiving emails with lists of items people are searching for -- you add your wish list to the emails, too, of course.

When you see something on the list that you have and don't want, then you give it away. See something on the list that you want? Connect with the owner and get it for free ....

PCMag gives it a glowing review, although over at Yahoo's Frugal Living group, there have been some comments about posts seeking HDTVs and diamond rings. (I'm assuming that those posters are under the 'don't ask, don't get' banner.)

Personally, I haven't joined yet -- but it's on my to-do list. Sounds like a good way to recycle things, as well as meeting other folk who are interested in simplifying ....

I Support National Buy Nothing Day

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For more information: AdBusters

Site to See: Debt-Proof Living

Debt-Proof Living may be known to some of you as Cheapskate Monthly: the site has been revamped and renamed. Written by the money editor for Women's Day, the site is busting at the seams with financial tips - along with personal notes from Mary Hunt about her quest for a debt-free lifestyle.

The Hunts have simplified their lives, and their initial motivation was financial. This may not be true for everyone (my initial motivation to simplify was not based upon money, for example), but Mary Hunt has a lot of good advice and encouragement for anyone in the midst of seeking a simpler life.

It's a great site. I think you'll find things there that you will use.

The Compact - Will U Join?

The Compact started out last year as a Yahoo Group comprised of a group of folk out in San Francisco who decided not to buy anything new for one year. These ten people, coming from a variety of fields (e.g., teacher, engineer, dog handler), named their project "the Compact." They began the Yahoo chatroom with their mission statement: to live off the consumer grid for one year.

They've done it. And they're doing it again for 2007. And, in doing so, they've made Time magazine (read the article online here) as well as built the Yahoo Group into several thousand members - and inspired new Compact groups to form around the country.

The Compact has several aims, according to the Yahoo Group homepage:

1. To go beyond recycling in trying to counteract the negative global environmental and socioeconomic impacts of disposable consumer culture and to support local businesses, farms, etc. -- a step that, we hope, inherits the revolutionary impulse of the Mayflower Compact.
2. To reduce clutter and waste in our homes (as in trash Compact-er).
3. To simplify our lives (as in Calm-pact)

"We've agreed to follow two principles (see exceptions etc. on our blog).
#1 Don't buy new products of any kind (from stores, web sites, etc.)
#2 Borrow, barter, or buy used."


The chatroom has very heavy traffic, and lots of good info. Some folk are more stringent than others: today, a woman admitted she won't give up her high-speed internet, for example.

It's definitely a good idea to check the "daily digest" option should you join the group: your inbox can get over 40 Compact emails an hour otherwise. Joining is free, of course.

For more information, check out the Group itself as well as the Compact's blog overseen by one of the group's founders -- Rachel, the dog handler.

Practical Indulgences

In a recent article at blackenterprise.com, reporter Ann Brown explained how their site is expanding to include a new "Practical Indulgences" feature.

Its purpose?

"Living the good life doesn’t have to be reserved for the rich and famous. From fashion and beauty, travel, food and wine, entertainment and home décor, bargains can be had – with the right information. In our new Practical Indulgences feature we'll show you how to live like royalty without ending up in the poor house."

Their first entry into the Simple Life?

An article on Sample Sales, which occur in select cities and offer designer samples at a fraction of the usual price.

See It Free: the Movie "Super Size Me"

The award-winning documentary "SuperSize Me," is available online now for free viewing. Takes one hour, and it is definitely worth your time.

An Academy Award Nominee, the film takes you along side Morgan Spurlock as he commits to eating nothing except food from McDonald's for 30 days. One additional rule: if they ask him if he wants his meal super-sized, he must say yes. And, they do. A lot.

Watch how his health is impacted, along with his attitude, his lifestyle, his waistband. See the doctors panic, the girlfriend worry, and listen to all the additional data the film provides about fast food in our society today.

For more information about the film, visit its site: supersizeme.com. To see the movie for free, visit iklipz.com.

Site to See: The Ultimate Cheapskate

For those of you who don't watch the Today show, this will be news: a man named Jeff Yeager appears there regularly, dispensing frugal living tips under the nickname of the "Ultimate Cheapskate." He's also just landed a book deal with Broadway (to be published in Fall 2007), entitled "Laugh Your Assets Off: How to Spend Less and Enjoy Life More by America's Ultimate Cheapskate."

His website is HERE if you want to check him out.

Simple Living: the Shakers

Simple living isn't a new idea. Before the American Revolution, Shakers came to New York seeking religious freedom. They are an offshoot of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, officially calling themselves the United Society of Believers.

They reached their height of popularity at the time of the Civil War, when their numbers reached around 6000. The Shaker community declined afterwards, some historians opining that their homemade works could no longer compete in a marketplace fueled by the Industrial Revolution. There is only one original Shaker community left, which was founded in 1783; it's located in Maine and has its own website.

Shaker furniture is known for its clean, simple lines and construction, which conformed to the Shaker philosophy of cleanliness, order, and economy. "Hands to work, hearts to God," is the Shaker motto; one of their most popular songs is "Tis a Gift to Be Simple."

To view lots of reproductions of Shaker furniture designs, check out Woodworks. For more on the history of the Shakers, check Wikipedia.

Sources: DIY Network.com, SabbathdayLake, Funtrivia.com, ShakerWoodworks.

Blog to Check: Silent in the Morning

Silent in the Morning has great advice on how to keep your leather shoes up and running, as well as some food for thought on your relationship with food (pardon the pun). Nice daily quotes, lots to roam through and more added all the time.