Giving it all up for a simpler life

Eric Coffman wrote: a kickass limestone cliff...wanna see pics :)

Sure!

I also want a pic of the hamster wheel PC you're using too. :-) Any regrets? How long do you plan on living there?

And I just want to know why I am so angry at you simple fools! Oh yea, probably because I am not on a permanent road trip like I was in my glorious youth. Now, the real questions is: I wonder how I will feel about my decisions in 20 years? And, should that be a factor? Will this shit still spin in 20? The moral to the lesson: fuccKKKK!!!!!!!

Life is a bet fellas, double down, double down.

Time is wasted on the old and money is wasted on the youth.

or is it

Time is wasted on the youth and money is wasted on the old.

I forget, but I would bet that is the question.

Now, back to getting old.

BackCountry wrote:I guess what I was really after is advice from someone that has given it all up for a simpler life, and any unintended fallout. I'm decently successful, work 40-50hrs/week, live in a mid-size city with ol' lady & child, own property, invest in my future, etc., but would like to cash out and settle in a small town before I get too old.

For you it's as easy as cutting expenses and downsizing. Sell your property and buy a nice trailer in the woods. What's your current job?

Let's see;
mortgage-no
kids-no
electric-no
car payments -no
pets-no

cell phone-yes
satellite internet-yes
propane-some
car insurance-yes
home insurance-yes

and the biggie , health insurance- BIG yes

john strand wrote:Let's see; mortgage-no kids-no electric-no car payments -no pets-no cell phone-yes satellite internet-yes propane-some car insurance-yes home insurance-yes and the biggie , health insurance- BIG yes

So . . . would you call that simple?

If it hasn't been mentioned yet and may very well already have, read "The Man Who Quit Money"

for me not having a "smart phone" that you stare at 24/7,texting people for 20 minutes to say something that would take 3 minutes if you actually called them is a good start. not to mention the money those stupid things cost.

I have a friend who decided to live that simple and good life: by that I mean he quit his job and now spends almost all of his time traveling around North America in a tricked out van, with his climbing partner wife, visiting all the various wonderful climbing areas that our continent has to offer.

How does he finance this lifestyle? With some good planning and a lot of hard work and discipline, he first built up a nest egg by putting his time in with corporate America. He managed to save enough to retire early with just enough of an investment income to support a modest lifestyle (gas, food, insurance, and a small home in the Front Range). Thanks to a successful career, my friend has the option of taking a (temporary) consulting gig if he needs a bit of additional income, e.g. to finance an occasional climbing expedition abroad.

What I find interesting is how many of his climbing friends express their envy and wish they could live like that -- but few (none?) are willing to make the sacrifices that are needed to make it happen...

Do what makes you happy. If making money, being secure, heat, and a pension make you happy do that. If campfires, dirt, dogs, sacrifice, beauty, and adventure make you happy do that. If a combo makes you happy do that.
I live in a small mountain town, climb a few times a week, make $12 an hour and ski almost every day. That makes me happy and thats what Im doing.

Its called Retirement.... save your $$$$$$$$$$$$

I know a old famous climber who retired when he was 46.... saved his $$

Another friend, 52 ... retired last year, from FIREDEPT.

Another... 56 retired last year, sold his business.

Me.... I climbed for 10 years when I was young.

Now paying dues, but I have a PHD in crack climbing to show for it.

You can have nothing and still have complications in your life.

Rocky Mtn Ted the world is just as real over here as it is back in the U.S. or didn't you understand my post--with the work that is done here for simple things back in the U.S.

As for not being able to hack it back home---I may not have been as financially successful as I would have liked but who is--you?

I chose to move because I wanted to meet my wife's family and I was always jealous of the climbers/campers I met who had been someplace remote and cool. I killed two birds with one stone and now live in a tropical paradise (that does have it's drawbacks). I'm growing some of my own food and starting a small business here in between my climbing.

Climbing has been the #1 priority for my life for quite awhile now--that has pros and cons believe me.

As for you continue to slave away your youthful years in exchange for that golden retirement paradise that may never come. I have had more adventures if I stopped now than you'll ever have cubicle boy.

I like the different perspectives from some of these posts, gained some insight. I'm going to graduate college next fall, and I have been debating this question all semester. Follow my heart and pursue a simple life in climbing or get a job and join the "real" world...

Definitely going to do the first for a while, at least, but then I asked myself if I was going to be happy and fulfilled not contributing to society or something above myself, and I'm not so sure that a climbing life allows me to do that.

For those of you who chose a simpler life, what are you doing to make a positive impact on the world/society (serious question)? Or if you chose to completely withdraw, are you happy with that and why did you choose this path?

alixandra lee wrote: For those of you who chose a simpler life, what are you doing to make a positive impact on the world/society (serious question)?

For those who didn't choose a simpler life, what are you doing to make a positive impact on the world?

The Jan Conn writeup in the recent Black Hills Faces magazine (Fall 2012) examines exactly these questions. blackhillsfaces.com/

Great write up. Seems that Jan and Herb were the epitome of dropping out of society, having endless fun, exploring throughout their long lives, and becoming legends while doing it.

It's pretty easy to make a positive impact on the world, just be nice to people who deserve it.

Red Tagger wrote:It's pretty easy to make a positive impact on the world, just be nice to people who deserve it.

Yeah, I mean, that's what I was using to justify switching over, but for me, that's something a person should be doing all the time no matter what lifestyle you choose to live so I personally don't think that treating people with respect and kindness is something that can be seen as making a positive impact on the world because it's already one of my core values in life.

To me, making a positive impact, is finding engineering solutions that can benefit developing countries abroad (i.e. clean water filtration systems) or creating a non-profit with a focus of your choice, or being a professor and inspiring people to pursue a higher education, nurse, etc.

I guess your "impact" is subjective.

Alixandra - That is a great question.

I spent 3 years after college living "simply" and without much responsibility. During that time I had a ton of adventures and got to see a lot of the world. I also taught English in Cambodia and worked with adjudicated youth in a "hoods in the woods" program. Both of those things made me feel like I was giving back, but they also allowed me the freedom to go on huge adventures.

You will have plenty of time to become a productive member of society. There is nothing wrong with taking a couple of years to go big. I believe that I am now a better member of society, might be a better father one day, and am a better friend and husband because I took those couple of years to do my own thing. I will never, ever regret those three years of my life. They mean a lot to me.

TOTALLY possible.

Did it for 10 years.

It's all about priorities and YOUR view of "quality of life".

If all you really care about is climbing and travelling...than you will do absolutely fine.

If you want anything else out of life (family, security, comfort, success....MONEY!), then this "simple life" you speak of is an Illusion.

I had an awesome decade. BUT, I am paying for it hardcore right now.
Most things in life are NOT simple. And the most important ones take a HELL OF ALOT of work.

The Hawaiians may be on to something.

How to live simply: don't buy shit.