AUTHOR: Linda Grady on 10/10/2024 FIRST: Ben Rodriguez on 10/10/2024 | RECENT: DrLefty on 10/12/2024
Comments
I love Dan’s post and the comments so far. Here’s my strategy. I live in a small one story cottage, perfect for aging in place and with enough room for my grandson. There’s a tool shed in my backyard and a very small garage that had been made into an art studio by the previous owner. I learned how to downsize with our first home purchase, an estate sale where buying the contents was a condition of the sale. A few things were useful, but most of the stuff had to be gotten rid of. Church flea markets where you rent a table helped me get rid of a lot. Then I developed my yard sale expertise: Price very low because your goal isn’t to make money, it’s to avoid paying someone to haul the stuff away. What you don’t sell goes into the trash, not back into your house. My attic has only our suitcases and the empty bins for the next move. My finished basement has one small storage closet. My newly re-converted back into a garage will just fit my Kia Optima. I haven’t tried it yet because it currently stores some junk to be hauled away. Paying a hauler? I’ve decided to patronize local businesses rather than always looking for the cheapest option. A junk hauler stopped by my June yard sale and donated an item that I was able to sell for $20. He’s getting my business! 😊. Happy downsizing. And don’t forget to donate! I do that too, especially still-wearable clothes.
Yes, Andrew (and everyone), traveling while young shouldn’t be limited to those from well-off families but it takes an open mind on the part of the parents to let their children travel with non-family members, plus dedicated teachers or coaches to organize the fundraising. But it’s true that such trips, whether they are for sightseeing, attending classes or engaging in some kind of helping project, are life changing for the kids, usually teenagers.
I hope that eating family style eventually becomes the norm in American restaurants. It’s more fun and if a dish you’ve ordered isn’t what you expected, you can just skip it. From the economic standpoint, I think there would be less waste. Most restaurants serve individual portions that are way too large. So you bring it home, but how many times do you want to eat the same thing? Order a modest number of dishes for your group and eat most or all of it in the restaurant.
A few years before I met Doug we both went on high school group tours to the countries of the languages we were studying, he to Austria and me to France. A year after we married, we spent a week in France with me using my French to get us around, and a week in Austria with Doug using his German. I think those high school trips really influenced how we raised our three children, two of whom married people from different cultures than our Northern European. I know two families who didn’t have the financial resources to send their kids on such trips but scholarships and fundraising made it happen. It made a huge impact on both of these young people. Traveling to other countries while you’re young and impressionable is a good thing! And a worthwhile thing to contribute to if you’re in the position to do so.
Thanks, David and Mark. This summer included a weeklong “staycation” spent with my three adult children and three of the five grands. While they covered groceries, I treated for several restaurant meals and a day at a local theme park with the youngest. When the charges for the theme park arrived (admission, food, shopping), I was pretty surprised at the full tab because I hadn’t kept track. But I saw that everything was legit, so I shrugged and was glad for a day well spent. It’s a start, right? 😊
Thanks for your article and tip about how to be less obsessed with spending while on vacation. I won’t share personal anecdotes about how excessive frugality has sometimes diminished the pleasure of being on vacation. But keeping track (I still record my spending and have my first journal from 1968) is a hard habit to break. However, you’ve inspired me to give your method a shot! Thanks again, Mark.
Comments
I love Dan’s post and the comments so far. Here’s my strategy. I live in a small one story cottage, perfect for aging in place and with enough room for my grandson. There’s a tool shed in my backyard and a very small garage that had been made into an art studio by the previous owner. I learned how to downsize with our first home purchase, an estate sale where buying the contents was a condition of the sale. A few things were useful, but most of the stuff had to be gotten rid of. Church flea markets where you rent a table helped me get rid of a lot. Then I developed my yard sale expertise: Price very low because your goal isn’t to make money, it’s to avoid paying someone to haul the stuff away. What you don’t sell goes into the trash, not back into your house. My attic has only our suitcases and the empty bins for the next move. My finished basement has one small storage closet. My newly re-converted back into a garage will just fit my Kia Optima. I haven’t tried it yet because it currently stores some junk to be hauled away. Paying a hauler? I’ve decided to patronize local businesses rather than always looking for the cheapest option. A junk hauler stopped by my June yard sale and donated an item that I was able to sell for $20. He’s getting my business! 😊. Happy downsizing. And don’t forget to donate! I do that too, especially still-wearable clothes.
Post: Make the Attic Great Again
Link to comment from September 2, 2026
😂
Post: Make the Attic Great Again
Link to comment from September 2, 2026
Yes, Andrew (and everyone), traveling while young shouldn’t be limited to those from well-off families but it takes an open mind on the part of the parents to let their children travel with non-family members, plus dedicated teachers or coaches to organize the fundraising. But it’s true that such trips, whether they are for sightseeing, attending classes or engaging in some kind of helping project, are life changing for the kids, usually teenagers.
Post: A Place At The Table
Link to comment from August 28, 2026
😊
Post: A Place At The Table
Link to comment from August 28, 2026
I hope that eating family style eventually becomes the norm in American restaurants. It’s more fun and if a dish you’ve ordered isn’t what you expected, you can just skip it. From the economic standpoint, I think there would be less waste. Most restaurants serve individual portions that are way too large. So you bring it home, but how many times do you want to eat the same thing? Order a modest number of dishes for your group and eat most or all of it in the restaurant.
Post: A Place At The Table
Link to comment from August 28, 2026
A few years before I met Doug we both went on high school group tours to the countries of the languages we were studying, he to Austria and me to France. A year after we married, we spent a week in France with me using my French to get us around, and a week in Austria with Doug using his German. I think those high school trips really influenced how we raised our three children, two of whom married people from different cultures than our Northern European. I know two families who didn’t have the financial resources to send their kids on such trips but scholarships and fundraising made it happen. It made a huge impact on both of these young people. Traveling to other countries while you’re young and impressionable is a good thing! And a worthwhile thing to contribute to if you’re in the position to do so.
Post: A Place At The Table
Link to comment from August 28, 2026
I think you did the right things, Mark. What amazing adventures to have experienced in the moment and now to share with the younger generations.
Post: A Place At The Table
Link to comment from August 28, 2026
Thanks, David and Mark. This summer included a weeklong “staycation” spent with my three adult children and three of the five grands. While they covered groceries, I treated for several restaurant meals and a day at a local theme park with the youngest. When the charges for the theme park arrived (admission, food, shopping), I was pretty surprised at the full tab because I hadn’t kept track. But I saw that everything was legit, so I shrugged and was glad for a day well spent. It’s a start, right? 😊
Post: The Intentional Spendthrift
Link to comment from August 23, 2026
Thanks for your article and tip about how to be less obsessed with spending while on vacation. I won’t share personal anecdotes about how excessive frugality has sometimes diminished the pleasure of being on vacation. But keeping track (I still record my spending and have my first journal from 1968) is a hard habit to break. However, you’ve inspired me to give your method a shot! Thanks again, Mark.
Post: The Intentional Spendthrift
Link to comment from August 22, 2026
I wonder if your money will eventually go to an unclaimed funds account? And if so, where as these are in states as far as I know.
Post: TreasuryDirect changing login procedure to mandate ID.me later in 2026
Link to comment from August 20, 2026