101 Ways To Live Better: Stop Spending Money On Shit

Welcome to my 101 series, which explores 101 little things you can do to improve your day to day life, and the world, just a little bit.

Our fifteenth post is: STOP SPENDING MONEY ON SHIT

Did you know there are $30 subscriptions you can sign up for where a bot scans sites like amazon and ebay for items under a dollar with free postage and ships them to you automatically? One a day, every day, so you have the joy of opening packages?

You don’t know what these things are. You don’t need them. However, they are paid for, wrapped in packaging that will become landfill, shipped in trucks, boats and planes that require fuel and create pollution, for… what? For you to have the momentary joy that comes from opening a package? Then what? All that stuff clutters your home, or you throw it out, or you give it away.

This terrifies me. This is consumerist culture at its most extreme. Cutting out even the joy of shopping, of finding, of wanting and just cutting right to ‘having’. A momentary rush of dopamine and adrenaline.

Evolutionary psychologists tell us shopping has biological roots. Particularly if we believe the idea that men are hunters and women are gatherers. Seeking food and resources was vital to human survival, it is a behaviour that evolution has to reward, to keep the species alive. However, fruit and honey has been replaced with handbags, knick nacks, and in my case, fluffy socks.

Acquiring things we want gives us a rush, in the same way calorie dense foods give us a rush, because it is good for our long term survival. However, we have created a world where we can go to huge buildings full of things we want, more than we can possibly have, and we can get that rush whenever we want, as often as we want.

But what we can’t do is house all the crap we have brought. Our crap buying and consuming is not sustainable. It's dangerous. And despite the rush we get, it offers us no long-term benefits. What did you impulse buy in April last year? You can’t tell me. What about June when you were 17? December 5 years ago?

Research suggests you are better off spending money on experiences, not possessions. Read Mari Kondo’s ‘The Magic Art Of Tidying Up’ which will give you a new perspective on how you view the objects in your home and their value.

And if you are going to impulse buy, try and buy things that are helpful rather than harmful. Buy from local, family run businesses. Buy plants and make your neighbourhood greener. By ethically sources, biodegradable things. Stay away from chain stores, plastics and clothes made from unnatural fibres. Buy second-hand, from charity stores. Learn to cook and splurge on exotic fruits and meats (preferably ones without too much packaging) or buy for community kitchens and help cook for people who need it. Impulse buy digital books instead of physical ones, and feed an author, while saving a tree.

But remember, in the long term, you are more likely to remember the great time you had when you hired kayaks and went out on the lake with your family than you are to remember how awesome it was when you brought another dress and heels. You won’t even remember what you were wearing during your best, happiest memories (your wedding notwithstanding, but I honestly can’t remember what a single one of my friend's wedding dresses looked like, all I remember is how happy they looked).

Be happy. Stop spending money on shit. For everyone’s sake.

101 Ways To Live Better: Grow Something

Welcome to my 101 series, which explores 101 little things you can do to improve your day to day life, and the world, just a little bit.

Our first post is: GROW SOMETHING

Growing plants is one of the most natural joys we can experience as humans. We have been farming and harvesting since before we were even homo sapiens, and even if you don’t have a huge garden, there is a sense of pride in sprinkling your dinner with herbs you grew yourself. Or you might find you get a better night’s sleep with some plants purifying the air in your room at night.

Some of us find we have a black thumb though. However, that’s just because we don’t understand plants. There are three elements to growing plants.

1. Light.

2. Soil/substrate.

3. Water.

All plants need these things in some degree, though how much and what kind can vary quite a lot. We all know cacti don’t need much water and can handle a lot of light. It’s also true that if they have dense soil and poor drainage, they are prone to root rot. They just can’t handle constant damp.

Likewise, plants can be a bit picky about their light. Some will die in full sun and some will die without full sun. So, if you are picking an indoor plant, look for one that appreciates low light. Even if you plan to keep it by a window. You can set up special lights indoors to allow plants to grow as if they are in full sun. Unless the lights are solar powered though, it could be an expensive venture.

Soil is not just what holds a plant upright. It’s what feeds it. Good quality soil has a lot of nutrients that allow plants to grow. Poor quality soil doesn’t. Good quality soil is created when nutrients are decomposed, such as plant matter, dead animals, poop and other natural waste.  In hydroponic systems, that nutrient must be introduced in another way. The most natural method is fish poop.

Since worms eat rotting plants and fruit, and fish eat worms and plants eat worm poop, you can create a nice circular ecosystem with worms, plants and fish. However any systems claiming your fish will survive picking algae off the roots of the plants are actually cruel and a lie. Your fish will eventually just starve to death. Or in the case of gold fish, eat your entire plant.

You can make your own soil with vegetable scraps. Worm farms produce the best soil. However, a working compost pile is a good second place option. You can also buy good quality soil and add liquid fertilizer to your plants every few months to replace the nutrients yourself. However, the fake stuff will never give you as good results as worm poop.

Do a little bit of planning and research before getting your first plant. First decide where you’re going to keep it. Inside? Balcony? Front step? Observe how much sun it will get and choose a plant that will thrive. Choose a pot that fits both the size of the plant and the decor and feel you want. Depending on the type of plant, ensure there is adequate drainage and/or moisture retention in the soil.

Add a reminder in your digital calendar either every day or every week or every month to water your plant, depending on its needs. And do the same for fertilizer. A spider plant is a fantastic indoor plant and will produce hundreds of babies for you to give to friends. Snake plant is great for bedrooms, as it produces a lot of oxygen at night and will improve your sleep. Basil, mint, chives, parsley, oregano and strawberries are all fantastic balcony herbs and will happily provide you will food all year around, depending on your climate.

Here is an article on the best indoor plants for apartments from Houzz.com.au:

https://www.houzz.com.au/ideabooks/27299305/list/our-10-hottest-indoor-plants