Comments on: The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Audiobook Edition

By: Debbie Levy

Debbie Levy — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:54:19 +0000

Read your post about dry beans in Trent the Simple. I grew up on dry beans, I watched my mom make beans every week. You forgot to tell people to pick through the beans for rocks. Putting them in a collander to rinse would not work to get the rocks out of the beans. You could easily chomp down on a rock and get a broken tooth and any money you saved by using dry beans would be long gone to the dentist for a new crown. Look on any package of beans and it will tell you to pick out the rocks and other debris. :)

By: Christina Perez

Christina Perez — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:42:06 +0000

Regarding the article on negativity and it’s suggestion that watching the news was not a help to develop a positive outlook: I have always felt it WAS important to know of disasters both near and far as it presents the fact that many people are in fact WAY worse off than you. It develops gratefulness for what you do have. I have always used it as a way to teach my children
our responsiblity to share our good fortune with others who are hurting at the time. For example the coverage of the Haiti crisis caused us to pack and send 3 Hope for Haiti buckets to Haiti
through our church. We sponsor orphans in Africa and Honduras. When there was a tornado in our town, we went out and help people with clean up.
If you use the news to look for ways to impact the world you feel empowered, not negative. To ignore the suffering of others so you don’t feel bad about it is to miss the oppertunity to reach out with hope to others and just hide your head in the sand.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:16:08 +0000

re the Unclutterer article, you state: “In the end, it’s still all about what other people think for an awful lot of people. Success comes from within, not from without.”

This seems completely at odds with the article; a direct quote:

“From a simple living perspective, I have mixed feelings about this report. I’m encouraged that the personal consumption increases seem to be on things that bring people together — communication, food, and caring for the people you love (child care, education, health care).”

How did you conclude that people are increasing their spending on things that influence “what other people think?”

Also from the article: “During this recession, it’s not that consumers have stopped buying, it’s that they have stopped buying large, conspicuous, luxury goods, and have instead bought smaller, less flashy items.”

I can’t figure out how you came up with the summary you provided.