Thom Hartmann: Can Minimalists Put an End to ''Swipe & Spend''

[thomhartmann]

Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus, co-authors "Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life" join Thom Hartmann.

The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann on RT TV & FSTV "live" 9pm and 11pm check www.thomhartmann.com/tv for local listings

[Flaxbee]

1. Here's their website

http://www.theminimalists.com/

Some interesting essays on the site, and there are a few other 'minimalist' sites that are good:

http://zenhabits.net/
http://www.lifeedited.com/
http://www.missminimalist.com/
http://rowdykittens.com/
http://www.theminimalistmom.com/


Not all of these sites are about drastically reducing your possessions (which probably isn't a bad idea) or moving into a teeny-tiny house, but about really thinking about how you consume and why, and how you might be happy without buying tons of stuff that advertisers tell you you need in order to be fulfilled.

[wxgeek7]

3. another good minimalist promoting site

http://www.newdream.org/

[Speck Tater]

2. I did the "packing party" thing last time I moved.

I unpacked only what I actually needed or wanted, as I needed it. A year later I took everything that hadn't been unpacked yet to Goodwill. In the final analysis I only ever unpacked about 10% of my stuff. The rest turned out to be useless.

For a number of years my living room contained a TV and DVD, a folding camp chair, a bean bag chair, and my elliptical machine. People complain about cupboard space in the kitchen, my kitchen cupboards were mostly empty. I hauled a ton of useless kitchen gadgets to Goodwill. Over the years I've added a bookcase and a small table to the living room, but it's still very Spartan, and I love it that way.

I live below the poverty line, but since I own my house outright and have enough land to grow a lot of fruit and veggies I'm able to live like a king with "below poverty" income.

[Ednahilda]

4. I like your comment

about being able to live like a king with a below-poverty income. With care and some forethought, it's quite possible. Because of the nature of my husband's job, we've had a couple of really good years interspersed with plenty of really bad ones, but we've always managed well enough. I have frequently described our lifestyle as "living high on a very small hog."

[drynberg]

5. THANKS FOR SHARING THIS INTERVIEW

These two young men are asking the right questions, at least I believe they're the right questions. When we approach the end of our time on earth, how many are going to review their inventory of "stuff"?