I thought I would write something different today:
In July the BBC reported that managers work an extra day per week in unpaid overtime. You can read the report here. In actual fact I think an awful lot of people do this, not just managers.
A long time ago when I worked full time, I also used to work extra ‘unpaid’ hours and frequently brought work home to do….how different my life is now.
My life is now simple, as my job is a homemaker that also grows organic vegetables. I’m sure I work a lot more hours than the standard thirty seven hour week, but it is work that I enjoy and it brings a lot of satisfaction to my life.
I like my house to be a home. .. a place that my family love to come home to. I like to make sure my house is clean and comfortable and my family have clothes that are washed and ironed ready for them to wear and healthy meals cooked from scratch, with my home grown organic vegetables.
This may seem very old fashioned, but I love it and feel very privileged to live this way and this is how myself and Mr Thrift planned it.
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The Only Drawback….
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There is one drawback of living this way… I now appear very boring to the average person and I don’t really have anything in common with people around me anymore, as we are a family that lives on just one wage and money is always tight.
I don’t know what the latest ‘must have’ gadget is and we don’t own the latest fashionable flash car and I certainly don’t know the name of any clothes designers. We don’t travel on expensive holidays abroad, or go on luxury cruises either…..we just live simply.
This is another reason why I write my blog, so I can connect with like-minded people who also enjoy growing vegetables, cooking from scratch and using old fashioned cleaning methods.
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Many times I have been told that I am very lucky as I don’t have any stress in my life….but this is simply not true. We do have our own ‘stresses’ but we try not to add to them by ‘keeping up with the Jones’. I work very hard during the day and the advantages of living this way far outweighs the disadvantages.
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Over the last few years, I have listened to many people telling me how busy their lives are and how stressed they are at work. I sometimes think people actually feel somehow more important when they tell you how late they stay at work or how they are running around at the weekends trying to catch up with everything.
I actually don’t think this shows that these people are important, I think this shows that they are either unorganised or just not in control of their lives and I always think to myself it is such a shame, as we only have one life and we need to live it in the best way possible.
One thing I know for sure, these people won’t be standing at the ‘pearly gates’ wishing they had ‘worked more hours’ …but by that time it will be too late to change.
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Thank you for reading my blog today.
I will be back next Friday at my usual time
not just greenfingers 
But you are an expert … and those around you learn from you … and you are inspiring. There isn’t much money in this house, either, and although we won’t ever be self-sufficient like you, we have, like you, learned the value of things you can’t pay for – like family and health and just looking after each other. You’ve gone so much further than that. I don’t see any downsides – only upsides because of what you give to those around you by your example.
Oh thank you Julie, your comment is lovely. We are not completely self sufficient but we do as much as we can (living in a town) towards it. You are so right, looking after each other is so important.
Hi, thanks so much for a great blog this week. I too love the ‘back to the earth’ life style. Although there is a war out there against the slugs and the squirrels who want to eat the fresh produce, we share enough of the food and fresh air to make it all worthwhile. De-stressing from the ‘rat-race’ of the city and the scramble of the train and underground, digging up the potatoes and picking the runner beans is such a joy both to pick and to know that you’re eating fresh produce.
We have planted a ‘hedge’ of gooseberries to help the earth from eroding. Looking forward to some fruit next year. This year we had an abundance of free blackberries from the hedgerow, so we now have many bottles full, ready for the winter months.
bw Gavin
That sounds lovely Gavin and what a great great idea, a gooseberry hedge. I once saw a school that made a hedge of all different edible fruits (raspberries, blackcurrants etc.) and they called it the ‘Incredible Edible Hedge’ and it has stuck in my memory as it was such a good idea.
I think you’d probably have a lot to talk about with me! I ‘m sure a lot of my friends at the school gates (I’m an older Mum now)think what a boring life I must lead not having a job .I consider being there ,cooking shopping & gardening a full time job in itself ,not to mention walking to school & back twice a day (that is coming up for 4 miles.) We chose to lead a simple life at the moment ,we camp for holidays ,don’t go abroad,cook simply ,grow things.I dont have my own car’ My older ones have grow up but as a single parent of 3 children I got used to making the money go as far as it could. So many people are on the work treadmill to have expensive holidays,new cars designer clothes .I would rather live cheaply & besides my husband wants me here at weekends with our son.Some couples seem to be like ships that pass in the night juggling child care etc. We are not rich by any means so if we can do it !
Kind regards, Carrie
Yes I agree, we could probably chat for hours lol. From comments you have left on my blog I can tell we are very similar in our ways and it is so lovely to know that there are people out there that live the same way.
Thank you that’s a lovely thought. I found a poem yesterday when I was looking through a book .
It goes ( something like )…….Count no man poor who has the stars above, the peace and quietude of evening hours , In their hearts the rarest gift of love. And in their garden -flowers.
For me it sums up the fact that we (husband & I)like to look at the stars through a telescope ,have peaceful evenings together, have a loving home and love tending flowers in the garden. Till next week, Carrie xx
What a lovely poem and it sums up our way of living too
I had an epiphany a few years ago and gave up a well-paid, high pressure job. I now combine freelance editing and teaching plus some knitting and crochet to earn a living with gardening, cooking, knitting and crochet for pleasure and need. There has NEVER been a morning when I have woken up and thought ‘I wish I was back in my old job’. It’s about choices. I suspect I would have had a breakdown if I had stayed, but I got out before that happened because I could see it looming. In my mind, people who grow organic vegetables and cook from scratch (today I have made dog biscuits, sticky toffee cupcakes and venison pie) are much more important than bankers, marketing executives and airline pilots.Keep up the essential and valuable work!
Hi and thank you for leaving a comment on my blog. Well I think you are wonderful making a decision to leave your job, it must have been very hard and scary to do this but if you hadn’t then you wouldn’t be where you are now.
By the way i’ll pop the kettle on and have a good read of your blog (I love finding new blogs to read)
I wish I could give up my paid work but as a single parent I’ve done the next best thing and gone part time. And it has certainly made a difference to the quality of mine and my daughter’s life 🙂
It is true that a lot of people have been led to believe that materialism is the way forward but more and more of my colleagues are going part time too.
I consider myself very lucky to have given up work and not everyone can do this. I think it is wonderful that you are able to work just part-time when you are a single parent….you really are an inspiration as you have realised the importance of being there for your children while providing a home, food etc. To do this you must balance your finances well and know that material things are not important and when you save hard for things you need then you appreciate them more…..a great lesson to teach your children. Well done you!
Thank you in turn…. I also think I am lucky in that I have a job which pays well enough for me to work part time!
Unfortunately, there are families (of whatever description) who really don’t have the same choices we do. Of course, they could benefit from homecooking etc too and they might still aspire to new cars, foreign hols as well. But the fact remains that my economising is on a different level from theirs!
Dear Mrs Thrift . don’t despair there are others out here who have similar interests.I’m a grandma now with the kniggles that go with old age. But I still bake all my own bread and cook from scratch with food I grow in my garden. I do worry that we have bred as a nation a whole generation devoid of life skills. They can’t cook, grow, make or sew. Very vulnerable in times of difficulty. Food banks are a sign of peoples vulnerability really not being able to strech their limited resources.I think its morally important to live frugally even when we have enough. Then we have more to support others who really are in difficulties such as the middle east. I don’t really have your computer skills but one day I’ll try to send you a photo of my garden and the blouse I’ve just made. My hands are too painful to crochet any more but if I’m patient I can do other things. Yes the garlic and sets are in. The brassica got a dreadful blow the other day and rust killed all my garlic and broad beans last year so no its not utopia but I like a self sufficient life. Love to you and all your family -and make sure they are mutiskilled as well! Green Lily
Hi Doreen Brown and thank you so much for your comment. Wow, you are an inspiration too! You are so right when you say ‘we have bred a whole generation devoid of life skills’ , it is such a shame. Maybe one day people will realise how important these skills are.
I do wish I could see your photo’s, but I know what you mean about computer skills….I wouldn’t have even started this blog if it weren’t for Mr Thrift spending hours helping me at the beginning lol
I don’t usually feel the need to write on blogs; a little shallow perhaps since I get so much from so many. Yours in particular strikes many chords. A few years ago my hubbie and I found ourselves in a ‘financial predicament’ to say the least and not for the first time. Taking a few paces back and managing a tight budget were just a few of the ways we got through. I could go on forever although I won’t. I identify with you totally; I think the way you support your family is fantastic and if I were you I wouldn’t worry too much about those you have nothing in common with. I totally agree; we’ve got one life and you sound to me someone whose making sure she experiences her family life to the full! If your kids are anything like mine, they’ll learn the value of money quickly and earn it themselves and be accountable to themselves….an important lesson to learn as early as they can. Please keep up your inspirational posts; I for one enjoy reading about your varied and exciting week!
Oh HelsBels (what a fantastic name), your comment is lovely-thank you for taking the time to leave it. You are right about children and money-sometimes thay want everything and you are constantly telling them ‘no and think they will never learn but then other times they show you that they do understand money doesn’t grow on trees and you feel that you are finally getting somewhere with them.
There is somebody here who knows where you are coming from (me). I raised my children when mother’s stayed at home. I consider myself lucky that I had that opportunity without folk thinking me boring – because we were all doing it. And it wasn’t boring anyway.
I also consider myself lucky that during that time I learned to cook from scratch (there were no supermarkets anyway). I made all my own clothes, and the children’s. I learned to make jam when I was given fruit. All wonderful life skills in my opinion.
I also learned to spin the money out. I turned it into an art form!.
Yes Jean, I agree. Years ago at the beginning I spurred myself on by telling myself it was a ‘game’ with a challenge, as I thought the whole money saving thing sounded extremely boring…..little did I know I would come to love this way of life and how many rewards it would give me. When people are moaning about their work and how much pressure they are under now, I have a secret smug feeling inside as I love my life and the way we live it
You’re not boring to me at all, I always find it really interesting here. I’m a homemaker who grows organic vegetables too, and I like to have the home organised and nice for everyone to come home to, even if it’s not flash and things aren’t new. I think my priorities and yours are very similar.
I think so too CJ and I think our priorites are exactly right for us and our families. I love reading blogs and reading comments like yours as it makes me realise there are others out there that feel the same as me
I expect a lot of people wish they could stay at home, but have got so used to having ‘things’ they don’t know how to take the step. Personally, I feel my life is much richer being at home. I do have a slight advantage, I haven’t liked shopping since my mid twenties. So consequently I am not always out spending money.
If I tell you I am a grandma, you will realise me being in my mid twenties was some time ago!
You are doing what’s right for your family.
As you said, no one reaches the end of their life wishing they had worked more overtime.
Best wishes,
Angela (Devon)
Hi Angela you are right. I think people often work because they think they ‘have’ to have new material things. We do have things like a car, TV, mobiles etc, but they aren’t new or the latest versions/models. We save hard for what we have and we don’t ‘upgrade’ for the sake of it-we keep things going as long as we can lol
Oh you are so NOT boring! I agree with your philosophy completely. Time spent loving your family as you so obviously do through growing and cooking good food and keeping a happy healthy home can only be admired. My partner left the rat race too and became self employed, we will never be millionaires but have loads of happy time together. A lot of it at our allotment!
Marise 😁
Good for you Marise. Money definately doesn’t buy happiness!
I’m with you 100% and I feel very blessed and not at all dull. I don’t think you are dull either and love your ethos and reading your blog.
Thanks Fiona. The comments I have had from this post have been lovely and really show we are not alone in our ethos
We are on the same page, i dont know “whats out there” either, and i dont care to find out, i may live “in the past” as i have been told, but i am happy, it works for my family and they are happy and thats all that matters, i could live a fast track life but dont want to, you only live once as you say. You are never dull, i look forward to your posts, its nice to hear from like minded people.
Have a good week, Sue.
Thanks Sue that is very kind of you to say. You say you “dont care to find out”….good for you, I wish there were more people out there with this attitude instead of people getting swept along with the latest ‘fad’
Amen!
Lol MCH….hope I didn’t sound like I was preaching on my post
Tell it like it is girl! Wouldn’t swap this ‘boring’ life for anything!
Thanks Mrs Yub and I wouldn’t swap it either
Gadget and luxury boat trips don’t make a happy life. I m not going for that neither. Life is a question on choice of path when you can and of being true to yourself.
If does not avoid being stressed etc we all know…
Enjoy your life, simple or not, it’s great 🙂 thanks for your post
Hi Hopeje, good to hear there are so many people that agree with me
You are definitely not boring! It is nice to have an online community, but it is a shame that it is hard to find that locally. I remember I used to sit with my nanny and help podding peas or stringing berries and whilst they are pretty monotonous jobs to do alone it is lovely to do it with someone, chatting away. Many hands make light work, but also bring friendship and community.
I have always been trapped. I decided to go to Uni, so from that moment on there is a debt hanging over me. Then you are in the system and end up with a mortgage, which you can’t earn enough to pay off because there are childcare costs. It is really very hard to break free from all this. And if you do there isn’t a community there waiting to support you. It takes a while to adjust to not having colleagues around to talk to and no one to ask for help.
Paid work doesn’t have to mean a 9 to 5 job or working for someone else. I have found there can be a lot of flexibility working for yourself, especially if your goal is just to cover your needs and not to get rich. I know you are happy with your choice not to work, but I think that you have lots of simple living skills to teach and know that you would have plenty of interest if you ever decided to run a few workshops. Earning a bit of money doing what you love and sharing it with others really could be the icing on the cake. What do you think?
Hi Judy, I have quite often thought about running a few workshops to help people to learn the skills quickly that took me a long time to learn on my own…but I know it’s not the right time yet as my girls are still only 14 and 16 and I am still running them around (as we parents do).
You are so right that it does take a long time to adjust to having no ‘work mates’ around you and it can be lonely, but I think the advantages of living this way outweighs the disadvantages.
I also agree that I am very lucky to not work as a lot of people need two wages to pay for their bills and morgages. It has been hard for us to live on one wage but it has also rewarded me and my family in so many ways that I would never have thought of.
hello,
great post…….i agree with you 100%!!!!!!!!!
have a wonderful week,
love and hugs regina
Thanks Regina. I knew you would agree with me.
Hi ya, I haven’t commented for a while now. Sorry about that. In the interim I have left my full time job. and am retraining. for hopefully a job that I can do part time for more money than previously. Work smarter than harder.
I have now started a book to make notes of the prices of things so I buy and hopefully I am going to be able to shave some pennies off every item.
If anyone reads this comment and they have their own business, I would urge you to get a card for the local cash and carry. I have just been able to buy 5kg chicken breasts for £19. When I looked in the supermarket Chicken was £6 for 500g £12 a kilo against my £4. I realise this isn’t free range etc. But at the moment every penny counts to me until I find a new job.
I am slowly settling into not being employed. it hasn’t gone smoothly, mostly because of my thoughts on not having a job.
Wow Sol, you have made a big decision and thrown yourself into it….well done, it must have been a hard decision for you to make in the first place and I’m sure there has been times already when you have thought you haven’t done the right thing….but keep going you are doing great! It does take time to get used to not working but I found that I am busier now than I ever was at work and the rewards of your new life will soon come.
Beatifully written – as always.
I agree 100%.
Please continue blogging.
Thank you Catherine, very kind of you to say. How are you keeping?
As per the comments above – I agree with you completely. Importance is placed on the wrong things these days – and you blog is one of the best I have recently come across. As a wannabee thriftier, I am working towards the idea by trying to be less wasteful, & my allotment is the one place on earth that I feel truly at ease – & it gives me a chance to wonder on whether I will ever get it to a state that I will be happy with – but in the meantime I love that it is a continuous work in progress.
Keep Bloggin Mrs Thrift – we love it 🙂
& in the meantime I will keep working towards the prospect of giving up (at least some of the) working hours to allow me to spedn some more time getting the allotment sorted. 🙂
What a lovely thing to say Sue and thank you for continuing to read my blog. As gardeners I don’t think we will ever be 100% happy with our allotments lol, it will always be an ongoing labour of love.