Use Web sites to learn more about simplicity

TACTIC: Access Web sites to simplify your life.

WalkScore.com and walkinginfo.org

Live where you can walk places. You can get exercise, accomplish errands, get to work, and have fun in a car-free manner by living close to places you regularly go.

SmallHouseSociety.org or Rent.com

Live in a small space. Own or rent only what you need for living space. Save the time, expense, and energy use of maintaining, cleaning, heating, cooling, and financing a large place.

DaveRamsey.com

Spend less than you make. Create a budget and follow common-sense financial guidelines. Dave Ramsey's site has free information, a radio show, and other resources to help motivate you to keep your financial life simple.

Goodwill.org or Freecycle.org

Get rid of stuff by giving it to people who can use it. This helps reduce waste through the re-use of items and helps you get rid of stuff that still has some value but which is a hassle to sell--very useful for doing the clutter triage.

DMAChoice.org and OptOutPrescreen.com

Reduce unwanted postal mail. Sign up for the mail preference service and use OptOutPrescreen.com to stop all pre-approved credit card offers from coming to you for life.

DoNotCall.gov

Stop telemarketers from calling you for life. Register on the do-not-call list for telemarketing.

GetNetWise.org and use online security awareness and protection

Protect yourself online. The Internet's potential value to you for information and communication may be great, but be sure to keep security precautions in mind to avoid scams, problems, data loss, and other complications.

SmartBike.com and bicyclinginfo.org

Ride a bicycle. Own your bike or use SmartBikes stations to use a bicycle when you need it.

PublicTransportation.org

Use public transportation to get around. Transit can save time, money, hassle, the environment, and your health. Public transportation gets you where you want to go and saves you all the overhead costs and hassles of paying for and maintaining a vehicle dedicated solely to yourself.

Zipcar.com or CarSharing.net

Rent a car only for the time you need one. Pay only for when you need a car and be car-free otherwise. Registered users can rent a car easily by the hour or day and pick up and return the vehicles at stations throughout a metro area.

People Places

Seek out living spaces that are oriented to human beings. Since I see a simple life as being well-suited to an urban environment where public transit is available, I prepared this site to provide information about pedestrian-oriented places, enabled by transit, which are pleasant and healthy locations to live, work, shop, and play. Includes a set of links to a variety of sites about issues such as walkability and urban environments.

AnnualCreditReport.com

Check your credit report regularly. Monitor possible identity theft or credit reporting issues. You can get free, annual credit reports from major credit reporting agencies.

Affluenza a Public Broadcasting Service program from KCTS Seattle, Washington.

Let go of stuff. This is a delightful companion to a PBS television series from years ago. The Web site here is still very useful and gives specific tips for simplifying your life by acquiring less. Includes excellent viewer's guide as well as teacher's guide. Again, don't let the fact that the TV series is over (you shouldn't watch TV anyway!), but use this online information to gain some excellent tips. This is a great, non-threatening place to start for people who are just getting into the idea of voluntary simplicity.

Simple Living Network

This is an excellent index the entire field of voluntary simplicity. Well organized and comprehensive, it includes a wide range of links on all topics.

Voluntary Simplicity & Simple Living Resource Guide

This site was designed by Linda Breen Pierce, founder of The Pierce Simplicity Study. It contains a very wide range of simplicity resources.

Sustainability Store

Directory of socially and environmentally responsible products and services.

Clark Howard

Common-sense consumer empowerment.

Simple Planet

This is "a quarterly on-line publication about simple, natural living."

Reduce Waste: If Not You, Who?

This is an excellent online resource for reducing waste at home, work, school, and traveling. Provided by the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance, this Web site gives you clear, understandable, and practical ideas on buying containers and packaging, ideas for durable products, and reducing lawn and garden waste. Well-organized and well-written, this Web site is one of the few that focuses on waste reduction first as opposed to a focus on recycling only.

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