Simplicity to the Extreme.

[::::BASSIST::::]

I love the concepts of simplicity and minimization, but for me this goes too far.

http://vimeo.com/56135940

[seanm]

Wait until he gets older

Seriously, I think it is great that he is doing this while he can. And paying off all your debt is a *great* feeling. When we paid off the house it felt unbelievable.

[::::BASSIST::::]

His blog is quite something. He sleeps outside in a light bivy sack in temperatures dipping down to -3.6 Celcius.

Having a skill like his, piano tuner, enables him to be exceedingly independent with zero overhead.

[seanm]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

His blog is quite something. He sleeps outside in a light bivy sack in temperatures dipping down to -3.6 Celcius.

Having a skill like his, piano tuner, enables him to be exceedingly independent with zero overhead.

Ouch! I have slept outside at -10C in a tent and I used two sleeping bags and two sleeping mats to get me off the ground..

[line6man]

I find it odd that a man like him tunes pianos for a living. At least in a historical sense, are pianos not the ultimate material possession?

[seanm]

Originally Posted by line6man

I find it odd that a man like him tunes pianos for a living. At least in a historical sense, are pianos not the ultimate material possession?

He mentioned in the video that he has no problem with other people wanting possessions. He just wanted to cut back in his own life.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Besides his bicycle this is everything he owns:

I am curious how he uses his razor without a handle.

From bottom right:
- mini can of deoderant
- razor with no handle
- toothbrush and paste all inside the little blue thing
- swimming goggles
- earphones
- headlamp (includes white and red LEDs to provide backup bike lights)
- phone charger
- one change of cyclist’s socks
- warm woolly socks
- stretchy wind-proof trousers
- Thermarest Xtherm four-season inflatable mattress inside an Alpkit Hunka bivvy bag inside the mattress inflation sack (grey)
- and in the green bag: piano tuning tools!



Smart phone, wallet, bike lock key.

[Ziltoid]

I thought this thread was about the people voluntarily owning a handful of things (100?).

This is surprising, one could not do this over here (just last week we had a few days around -30oC + wind).

I guess it can beat going back to your parents' place in some aspects

[::::BASSIST::::]

"I thought this thread was about the people voluntarily owning a handful of things (100?). "

Yeah, that is a different thread. I am down to 3 pants and 7 shirts so the clothes part of it is going well. I have a looong way to go on the other stuff though.

[jugglingfreak]

Living a "simple life" is one reason I have always had vast respect for the Amish.

[bassinplace]

Very admirable. I always keep things very simple in my life. I don't think I could get to where this guy's at though. Truthfully, I may very well not be tough enough for that.

[carlos840]

I have been reading the blog for an hour and what this guy does is pretty amazing!
Really worth a read...

[matante]

It's commendable not realistic for most people. If he suddenly had to attend a funeral or a wedding, he'd have nothing to wear. If he decided to take up the guitar (or bass) or get serious about playing the piano, then what? On the surface he appears to have a ton of freedom, but not having your own pad also places a lot of restrictions on you.

If/when he meets a girl he likes he'll be getting an apartment ASAP.

They say that all of Ghandi's possessions fit in a shoe-box, and I think I've heard the same about the Dalai Lama, but I think their austerity is the natural result of their spiritual endeavors. Ditching material possessions isn't a short-cut to spiritual growth.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Well, if he had a wedding or funeral to go to he could always rent a suit. He has money, he just saves it and lives debt free. I know that I could not or would not do what he does. I am just too much of a homebody.

I read on his blog that his longterm goal is to buy and/or live on a boat.

Non-possession is actually quite liberating. I know from my own experience the less I own, the less burdened down I feel.

[matante]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

Well, if he had a wedding or funeral to go to he could always rent a suit. He has money, he just saves it and lives debt free. I know that I could not or would not do what he does. I am just too much of a homebody.

I read on his blog that his longterm goal is to buy and/or live on a boat.

Non-possession is actually quite liberating. I know from my own experience the less I own, the less burdened down I feel.

I've never heard of renting a suit. Tuxedo, yes, but a suit?

I agree with his idea, and I myself try to own as little as possible. I have a bass but no amp. Haven't had a TV in a long time. Haven't had a mobile phone for a couple of years but am giving in tomorrow.

Still, without looking at his blog I'll bet good money that he's single--no way his girlfriend is going to sleep outside in the rain.

[jasper383]

I have been following these guys lately:

http://www.theminimalists.com/

Good stuff, practical.

(full disclosure: I own 13 basses)

[::::BASSIST::::]

Originally Posted by matante

I've never heard of renting a suit. Tuxedo, yes, but a suit?

I agree with his idea, and I myself try to own as little as possible. I have a bass but no amp. Haven't had a TV in a long time. Haven't had a mobile phone for a couple of years but am giving in tomorrow.

Still, without looking at his blog I'll bet good money that he's single--no way his girlfriend is going to sleep outside in the rain.

Yeah you can rent suits. Probably have them at the tuxedo rental place.

As to the GF that is a good point. However, there are women who live in their vans and I bet what he is doing wouldnt be such a stretch for them. I remember reading about one young woman who lives on a small sail boat and her BF lives on a boat as well. They travel throughout N. America together. Pretty cool I think.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Originally Posted by jasper383

I have been following these guys lately:

http://www.theminimalists.com/

Good stuff, practical.

(full disclosure: I own 13 basses)

I read them too. Another interesting minimalist guy is Nail Dougherty (sp?) who's blog is Disrupting the Rabblement.

[LiquidMidnight]

As has been stated, when you own less, you get some sort of freedom that is otherwise unattainable. It's very Fight Clubesque. On the other hand, wealth is power, and power allows you to control your environment more. That may seem more liberating to other people.

Personally, I live pretty ascetically. I didn't have a chair in my living room for like the first year I lived in my current apartment. However, I don't think I could ever live that ascetically. I like being out of the elements way too much. The idea to cut down on a lot of nonessential expenses when first out of school is a good way to help knock down a lot of that student debt. However, a lot of people don't do that. The first thing they do once they graduate is buy a house, a new car, or rent the most expensive apartment they can find.

I do however freely admit that I don't want kids for two reasons. The first is that I've just never been into kids. The second is that I like both the financial and physical freedom that not having children entails. I've never wanted to have to take a job I hated because I had mouths to feed at home.

Agreed, though, that Richard is going to have to think in terms of where he's going to be when he gets older. However, with all of the money he's saving, I'm sure he would have a sizable nestegg to actually come back and "live on the grid."

[sandmangeck]

I personally think it's awesome.