Comments on: Consumerism In France And America (Part One) http://almostfrugal.com/2008/05/05/consumerism-in-france-and-america-part-one/ Learning about frugality Thu, 18 Aug 2011 11:32:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Meg from FruWikihttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/05/05/consumerism-in-france-and-america-part-one/#comment-5337 Meg from FruWiki Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:24:43 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/2008/05/05/consumerism-in-france-and-america-part-one/#comment-5337 I grew up in a large farmhouse and thought that I'd want an equally large home one day. Nowadays, though, I'm happy with the house we have which is 1800 sq. ft. It's not tiny, but well below average, especially considering we don't have a garage or even a shed -- and we've had as many as three roommates living with us at a given time, though it's all ours at the moment. And instead of filling it up with stuff, over the past couple years we've worked quite hard to get rid of things. And you know what, my mom might call our place "Spartan", but we love it! We're still getting rid of stuff, in fact, and have no intentions of packing it full of stuff we don't need -- i.e. more things to break, more things to clean, more things to move... just more trouble we don't need. .-= Meg from FruWiki´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.fruwiki.com/index.php?title=Special:Log/delete&diff=0&oldid=prev" rel="nofollow">Special:Log/delete</a> =-. I grew up in a large farmhouse and thought that I’d want an equally large home one day. Nowadays, though, I’m happy with the house we have which is 1800 sq. ft. It’s not tiny, but well below average, especially considering we don’t have a garage or even a shed — and we’ve had as many as three roommates living with us at a given time, though it’s all ours at the moment.

And instead of filling it up with stuff, over the past couple years we’ve worked quite hard to get rid of things. And you know what, my mom might call our place “Spartan”, but we love it! We’re still getting rid of stuff, in fact, and have no intentions of packing it full of stuff we don’t need — i.e. more things to break, more things to clean, more things to move… just more trouble we don’t need.
.-= Meg from FruWiki´s last blog ..Special:Log/delete =-.

]]> By: thrrrnbushhttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/05/05/consumerism-in-france-and-america-part-one/#comment-257 thrrrnbush Mon, 05 May 2008 20:35:00 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/2008/05/05/consumerism-in-france-and-america-part-one/#comment-257 I live in a big house with a room for each child. I always envy small houses with less stuff. This was an improvement over our overstuffed little apartment. When we bought this house all of our stuff fit here. Now we have more stuff and it doesn't fit anymore. It's time consuming cleaning a larger house and stuff we don't use accumulates lots of dust. I'd much rather reclaim my time than maintain most of this stuff. I'm not a monk or anything, I like some some of my stuff, but if we downsized by 75% I'd be a happier person in the end. My grandmother never forgave my grandfather for buying her a nice big two-story house. She was happier with seven kids crammed into a smaller house where she never lugged a vacuum up and down stairs. Bigger isn't always better. But there's always a late night infomercial promising me that if I buy their product life will be better and my house will practically clean itself. I live in a big house with a room for each child. I always envy small houses with less stuff. This was an improvement over our overstuffed little apartment. When we bought this house all of our stuff fit here. Now we have more stuff and it doesn't fit anymore. It's time consuming cleaning a larger house and stuff we don't use accumulates lots of dust. I'd much rather reclaim my time than maintain most of this stuff. I'm not a monk or anything, I like some some of my stuff, but if we downsized by 75% I'd be a happier person in the end. My grandmother never forgave my grandfather for buying her a nice big two-story house. She was happier with seven kids crammed into a smaller house where she never lugged a vacuum up and down stairs. Bigger isn't always better. But there's always a late night infomercial promising me that if I buy their product life will be better and my house will practically clean itself.

]]> By: Notes From The Frugahttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/05/05/consumerism-in-france-and-america-part-one/#comment-254 Notes From The Fruga Mon, 05 May 2008 15:48:00 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/2008/05/05/consumerism-in-france-and-america-part-one/#comment-254 What an interesting post. I live in England and for some years I've felt it was going more "American" in it's drive for stuff (I've lived on both sides of the Atlantic), but I see a big change in the UK towards downshifting, giving up stuff, reducing work hours (men and women) to be home with children etc. It's a good change!I really enjoy your blog! What an interesting post. I live in England and for some years I've felt it was going more "American" in it's drive for stuff (I've lived on both sides of the Atlantic), but I see a big change in the UK towards downshifting, giving up stuff, reducing work hours (men and women) to be home with children etc. It's a good change!I really enjoy your blog!

]]> By: Nicolehttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/05/05/consumerism-in-france-and-america-part-one/#comment-253 Nicole Mon, 05 May 2008 14:44:00 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/2008/05/05/consumerism-in-france-and-america-part-one/#comment-253 Sounds like France is moving towards American work values (ie working too much to have more stuff)... it's a tough balance between nice things and a nice lifestyle. Sounds like France is moving towards American work values (ie working too much to have more stuff)… it's a tough balance between nice things and a nice lifestyle.

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