Ken and I use things until they break. We don't believe in waste. We've tried to live materially simple lives. We have always lived within his salary and have never had credit card debt. The only debt we have ever had in the past was a mortgage on our homes. We try to pay everything else in cash since we know that debt makes us a slave to it.
We were given a used dryer from my parents when we moved into our own home and it died just a few years ago. It was over 30 years old. Unfortunately, they don't make things that last anymore. That dryer was made with no plastic parts, unlike most things today. We bought the washer and dryer we have now on Craigslist since old things work better and longer than new ones. When we got them, we could tell they had rarely been used but they have both worked great for years now without any trouble.
Outside in front of our home sits a 1984 diesel Mercedes. We don't drive it much since neither of us drive much any ways. Ken uses it to park at the airports on trips and our children will use it when they need it.
Our refrigerator just broke last year and it was over 20 years old. When we went to buy a new one, they told us they are only made to last 10 years now. This was disappointing. You would think as time went by things would be getting better and longer lasting than cheaper. {If you know of any manufacturer who makes things to last a long time, please let me know!} We do have two Miele vacuum cleaners that have lasted for as long as we have owned this home! They are GREAT vacuum cleaners; highly recommended.
When we bought this home we have been living in for almost 20 years, I wanted floors and countertops that would last a long, long time. I chose wood flooring for most of it since it is my absolute favorite and lasts a long time. Besides, carpeting is very toxic and made from all man-made chemicals. The lady who sold it to us told us we would need to get it refinished every five years or so. We have never had to refinish it yet and it looks great! Our countertops are Corian which does crack if hot things are put onto it {unfortunately, I found out the hard way} but it was way cheaper than granite or something similar. Since the flooring was expensive, I didn't want to spend more money on the counters.
Most of our furniture was hand-me-downs from my parents or bought on Craigslist. I don't mind things to stay the same. I have no desire for a showcase home; I want mostly comfort, uncluttered and neatness! We bought an organic mattress many years ago but it was too hard so we went to Costco and got a memory foam topper. It has been great and we have never needed to buy another one since! I bought all of our living room furniture {two couches, a coffee table, two end table and two lamps} from Craigslist for $600.
We have never gotten a new car until our old cars bite the dust. During President Obama's car deal, we got $5,000 for an old Mercedes that wasn't working anymore. In order to get the money, the car had to be able drive on its own to the dealer. Steven was barely able to drive the car the short two miles to the dealer. Thankfully, it was close since the car kept shutting down on him and was about ready to quit! We sold our old station wagon to a man who loves these kind of cars. It needed a new transmission and was always giving us trouble. As the man drove away in it, the car was clunking away yet he waved to us with a big smile on his face!
When we do have to replace something that has broken, we try to buy a top quality item without all the bells and whistles since these are just more things that can break. We try hard not to waste money on things so we can use our money for saving, giving to our church along with missionaries and helping others when they are in need.
Let your conversation {lifestyle} be without covetousness;
and be content with such things as ye have:
for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Hebrews 13:5
Logging you in...
Anonymous · 493 weeks ago
Lindsay Harold · 493 weeks ago
On top of that, back in the day, people had lots of children and there were lots of new couples getting married and setting up their own households and there was a lot of demand for appliances. These days, as birthrates have declined significantly, there are fewer young couples starting out. If the only demand for appliances was from young couples and they lasted 30 years still, the manufacturers would have a harder time selling enough. So they design them to last only a few years and need to be replaced several times over a person's lifetime to keep the demand up.
They also justify this short lifespan by claiming they need to be replaced anyway, to incorporate new technology that makes them more energy efficient or water efficient or whatever, and there is some truth to that. But it doesn't justify buying new appliances every 7-10 years.
The one slight plus is that appliances these days are made with cheaper parts and are thus less expensive than if they were made to last. But overall, it would be cheaper to pay more for one that lasts twice as long or more.
Andrea · 493 weeks ago
I wash clothes daily for a family of 9 children at home, including cloth diapers, and clothing for six children six and under. My washer is old, sometimes takes too long, as well as the dryer. We have money saved to purchase a new one when this one dies, because it will eventually, but why spend it on a new one when it's still working?
My husband has had the washer repaired twice and maintains the dryer so it's life is well used. He is a firm believer in maintenence and caring for our things. Nothing bothers us more than the idea that if you have a lot of children, everything you have is dirty, worn out and abused. Not so!
Our 12 passenger 2008 van is paid for, and we are saving for a 15 passenger in the new model, simply because we don't have enough room if we have anymore children!
God is good! When we show good stewardship, and care for what He has blessed us with, we are rewarded with godly priorities, and blessings of provisions.
Great post!
Shelah · 493 weeks ago
Rachel · 493 weeks ago
Anyhow, my dear husband has taken apart our washer twice and repaired it with parts he has been able to order for $10.00 or less, and this was a washer/dryer set we bought used 6 years ago for $150.00. He is so good to put in the time to study diagrams and order parts. He has also done this for our Rainbow vacuum, purchased right after we married 16 years ago, and countless other tools/vehicles/items. It inspires me to pull out my mending supplies, research do-it-yourself cooking and thrifty green cleaning. Thank you for this post. Simply writing out this response has caused me to again be grateful for my hardworking hubby and his abilities to learn and repair and His faithfulness in doing so.
Rachel
Taylor · 493 weeks ago
Christy · 493 weeks ago
And not going into debt for an item. ;) After all, the motto in the Depression still rings true today! "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
Cori · 493 weeks ago
Kathy · 493 weeks ago
Katie · 493 weeks ago
Lady Virtue · 493 weeks ago
Ken · 493 weeks ago
I like the buy new, or at least great quality and hold on until it breaks ideal. I tend to buy most of my computers for work refurbished by the manufacturer and they come like new, and most have work fabulously just like new.
Careful buying can lead to great savings and yet so few want to take the extra time to check out a couple sites, even with tickets and hotel and travel. VBRO and Airbnb is the way to go for travel if longer than a couple days. At the convention each year I have my sons and sometimes wives with them and we all can stay in a 3 bedroom condo for the price of one hotel room ... and we get to enjoy breakfast with the kitchen and a relaxing evening in the family room as the bonus. Sometimes scheduling the bathroom for morning showers can be a bit tricky if in a San Fran flat with just one bathroom, but the savings is huge.
Being good stewards of what God has given us, and being willing to share from his bounty are godly principles. I would much rather spend money on others than myself as I need so little to be happy. My protein shakes, salad and a few simple meals a week; it is amazing how little we really even need to eat each day to stay healthy. I do have the see the ocean and sunshine regularly and that is the extra expense in CA off to the tax man so the liberal agenda can be accomplished. That is where we waste much of our money :{.
Kare · 493 weeks ago
sheworksretail 36p · 493 weeks ago
I've noticed lately that it's becoming more and more unusual to borrow an item from a friend or neighbor or rent one for a short while. Growing up, my family had the snowblower and my neighbors had a rug steamer - we were popular after a blizzard and they were popular right before people would have parties. Now it seems like the norm for everyone to own everything, which also seems wasteful to me because things sit unused for so much of the time.
Julie · 493 weeks ago
thejoyfilledwife · 493 weeks ago
When it comes to frugality, my parents raised is to learn to wear things out or do without. We grew up having very little funds and sometimes even food was scarce. I learned to be content with what I had and to wisely save, give, and spend. I have always been thrifty by nature, but sometimes to the extreme. The Lord showed me that I can make frugality an idol, just as much as I can make wealth one. Jesus looks at the intent of our heart.
When it comes to wealth, I have learned some of my most valuable lessons from several multimillionaires we're friends with, who started out living in small quarters with cracks, leaks, roaches, and not even a mattress to sleep on. Having come from humble beginnings and learning how to be frugal and wise as they gained their fortunes, they learned the importance of never using credit and delaying gratification until they had the cash to pay for what they wanted outright. They are, by far, the most giving people I have ever met, and they have been that way from when they were poor. The same people who judge them behind their backs for their wealth are the same people that these wealthy individuals anonymously arranged to have groceries show up on their doorstep week after week, paid for 3 months worth of their rent in secret, and anonymously paid in full the medical expenses they incurred from an unexpected catastrophe.
Perhaps one of the most life-changing perspectives I gained from the most successful people I know is their mentality when it comes to purchasing items they need or want. I'll never forget a story one of them told me about a time when they decided to surprise their wife with a brand new sports car that she has always loved since she was a child. The car cost several hundred thousand dollars brand new (which they paid cash for and had WAY more than enough to purchase) and when a friend of theirs asked what kind of a deal he got on it, the husband proceeded to tell the friend that he didn't initiate any negotiations on the car and was happy to pay the full asking price for the car. The friend was dumbfounded by the response and asked why the man would pay full price, especially since he had always been known as a great negotiator. The man explained that, if he would have tried to negotiate a lower price when he had plenty of funds for the asking price, all he would have done was take money away from the commission of the hardworking man who sold him the car. "I have been blessed with much and this man goes to work every day, hoping and praying he will sell enough cars to feed his family and put a roof over his head each month. I would have gained no pleasure in taking money away from his livelihood when I can easily afford to give him the full amount and help him provide for his family."
Moments later, several people walked by, looked down at the new car sitting there with the sticker price still on the window, looked over at the husband in disgust and commented, "Do you know how many starving children in Africa you could have fed with all the money you wasted on that car?" To which the humble man gently replied, "Do you know how many hard-working Americans are able to keep their jobs and feed their own children because I bought this car?"
The lessons I learned on both sides have given me a very balanced perspective and helped me to see Jesus' heart in the matter. There are many needy families out there would could benefit from the generosity of people who have more than enough. When finances are tough for families, good deals are a huge blessing! When they have been blessed with more than enough to pay cash for something new, though, they can bless others by helping them keep their jobs and put food on the table for their families.
Lindsey · 493 weeks ago