When Older is Better (and Cheaper)

[Buck]

A great philosophy that I learned from my grandparents long ago. This
philosophy is one of the main reasons I live so well on so little money
today. 8)

"With another birthday looming, I guess I qualify for the "remember the good ole' days" camp. It seems like things were simpler then and money stretched further. I'm sure my parents faced some of the same challenges, but today's society seems to be on a push for always buying the latest gadgets, newest thing and rushing to replace last year's model.

I am not against technology. However, I believe that many things that are considered "old" are definitely better than their shiny counterparts. Here are some examples of when tried and true triumphs over "latest and greatest." You decide if older is better."

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/09/09mar02f.cfm

[jonvee]

We call it the "bright shiney object syndrome". People who always have to buy the shiney bright "new" thing instead of living with the one they've got.

It never occurs to them that if they don't buy what ever strikes their fancy they will have much more money in the end.

I still love the furniture I bought at auctions or the thrifts stores 20 years ago. And, if you buy quality timeless pieces they never go out of style.

Good website BTW. I enjoyed reading it.

[madmac]

Nice link Buck and getting older ain't so bad.

[crafty2002]

But couldn't we get older, learn from the mistakes we make, and keep the young body we once had?

I'd give anything for a 57 Chevy 1/2 ton pick up with the 265 V-8, a 56 Ford one ton flat bed truck with the 292 V-8 truck engine, a 63 Falcon Sprint with a 260 V-8, and a 69 Mach I Mustang with the 351 W.
The later just for getting where I need to get to in a hurry.
The Chevy pickup truck would haul 4 - 55 gallon barrels of water, two lenghts of well caseing and all the rest of the tools plus 3 people. It got light on the front tires but hey, that's over a ton the half ton was toting.. :)
The one ton Ford flat bed, she hauled 3 tons of sand may times. She moaned and groaned but never stopped. I seen some hills she came down to sub low to get over top of, but she got over top of them.
The Falcon was a fast go to the store car, yet still got great Gas mileage and the Mach I never got caught by the cops. ;D
Daddy still had the same ugly green telephone when he passed away that we had when I was growing up.
I still have the refrigerartor that we had when I was a kid, and use it for a freezer. It has 1 thru 7 on the dial and not opening it all the time, it holds a steady 25 degrees setting on 5 and a half.
And I still have some electrical tools daddy had years ago that just needs a little oil every now and then.
The Japs beat us selling us junk and we were stupid enough to allow it to happen. And I am talking about myself also.
You had to pay two times as much for american made but the american made lasted many times what the throw aways did.
It is going to be hard to fill in the hole we all dug, if posible.
We might be the next third world country to pop up.
That thought hurts my feelings.
Dennis

[swampyankee]

people have been trying to "keep up with the jonses" for years and years and years. They don't just realize how to be happy with what they have. ???

[Suzy]

the way the economy is going a lot of folks may be learning quickly that buying quality items and hanging on to them is the best way to go....

and as for getting older, my mama always tried to explain that even when she was in her 80's she said she didn't "feel" that old....now that I'm 56 I'm beginning to understand....I still have the same thoughts, dreams, and more that I did at age 27....wow...

[CanNerd]

I'm collecting Social Security and still have a mind that has not aged beyond my 20's, other than knowledge, and I wonder if it because our "soul" is who we are and it does not age the way our physical body does. All kinds of interesting things come to mind.

[Lobo]

The older I have gotten the more I realize I do not need that 'bright shiney object'. My parents and I fought over them and now I realize they were right.

"The more you know the less you need."

Lobo

[Naughty_Pines]

I may be "older" but, I ain't cheaper !

[tomato204]

"people have been keeping up with the Jones'es"....
I say we get some torches and pitchforks and go after them Jones'es, lol. ;)

[gump]

The things you own, end up owning you ;)

[harvester]

same holds true with over complicating the simple things.

[Southerngirl]

Very true~ 6 months ago we talked of buying me a newer vehicle but now we are holding onto the one I have and just cleaning it up and doing more repairs to it. Minor repairs for now. I have another vehicle without a transmission that will cost $1500 to replace it, but it's still cheaper in the long run than the high monthly payments of a newer model one.
Same as clothes, I've always been this way with clothes, wear what you have until they fall off, lol, then mend them up again! :)
I do have 2 nice pair of clothing left for when we go to town, but that's it. The kids aren't getting the "newest" toys that come out anymore either, hubby has taken a decline in buying things he really doesn't need. So we are learning as we go and enjoying every bit of it. Less "stuff" means less stress in this house!
Southerngirl

[Boris859]

I know wha ya mean Buck,I am 37 and live very meager,but thats the way I want it, have a couple gizmo's I guess,the computer and satellite tv and a digital camera,and thats about it,I DO NOT have a cell phone,ipod,fancy clothes,a brand new house,I have only ever bought 1 car with under 100,000 miles,I try to remodel with used stuff,do all my own repairs,I don't like stress and you can't take it with ya anyway,oh,I also don't have a credit card,and thats a huge blessing,the simple is the way to live if you ask me. ;)

[Buck]

I know wha ya mean Buck,I am 37 and *live very meager,but thats the way I want it, have a couple gizmo's I guess,the computer and satellite tv and a digital camera,and thats about it,I DO NOT have a cell phone,ipod,fancy clothes,a brand new house,I have only ever bought *1 car with under 100,000 miles,I try to remodel with used stuff,do all my own repairs,I don't like stress and you can't take it with ya anyway,oh,I also don't have a credit card,and thats a huge blessing,the simple is the way to live if you ask me. *;)

Wonderful!! You've discovered the simple, but powerful, concept of "Enough"
which is the antitheses of "consumerism". The concept of "Enough" also is
the gateway to much inner personal peace.

[Boris859]

Wonderful!! You've discovered the simple, but powerful, concept of "Enough"
which is the antitheses of "consumerism". The concept of "Enough" also is
the gateway to much inner personal peace. *
I agree,in these times of instant contact,cell phone,IM on the pc,pagers and such, believe my simple way of life is my inner peace,all to often we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and forget to smell the flowers,or just watch the birds,or the deer in the field,the world is full of consumerism,gotta have this,gotta have that,latest gizmo's and such,quite frankly I have never been that sort,and will never be. ;)

[remington]

I agree. My philosophy is to never own more than you can carry at a dead sprint or in this case...throw in the truck and get out of dodge.

[reedb66]

Heres my 2 cents,I am now43 and still think of all the things I want to do and places to go like I was 20.Then Im doing something and realize how much harder it is to do today versus 2 years ago ( not fair) :'(And I am not way out of shape or any thing like that, just older.Wouldnt it be great to have the knowledge you have now ,back when you were 18, just think what you could do (world domination) ;D or at least planting your onions right side up!!!As for cell phones I never needed one till an employer said I had to have the one they supplied so they could reach me anytime(which they did even on vacation).Now I wouldnt be without one .We now have 6 one for each kid and mom and dad but the difference is all are tracphones which means no money no minutes which tends to keep you only using it for important things .Took the kids a while to learn this but they figured out dad isnt buying all their minutes. :-[This has worked well for us,as for old stuff being better absolutely ;D ;D ;D

Reed

[GoldenCityMuse]

Yes, I like tracfones for that very reason. Sure makes you careful about talking and gabbing. I still have to get some of my friends & family to not talk on & on.

[patience]

There are lots of old hand tools at our place. I joined the Midwest Tool Collectors Assn. just so I could go to their swap meets and buy old chisels, planes, and other things. The more common ones of 1950 and before were cheaper than new, and far better quality.

Likewise the 1920 era Singer treadle sewing machine, lots of shovels, picks, hoes, and garden tools. I just restored a couple burr mills, each about 80 years old, for 10% of new cost, that work better than most new ones (an exception are the new ones by C.S. Bell co., but they are pricey).

Many things we want are hard to find new today, like a hand crank corn sheller, and expensive too. Lehman's has one for around $100, I think, but I got one at an auction for $20. This one mounts on the side of a wood box, and is only about a foot across. We have another free-standing kind that is much more productive, and lets a 5 gallon bucket fit under it. I had one of those years ago, and hated to let it go. So, I found another, and am restoring it. These are unavailable new AFAIK.

We are aiming at a rural lifestyle of the 1930's era, and the stuff to make that work is mostly not made now. If it is, the quality is not there, or it is unaffordable. Like the wringer washer we bought our daughter for $90 at a flea market. It is one of the last ones made by Maytag in the 1970's, and like new. Amish friends of ours use some of those that are over 60 years old, and they use them hard.

My machine shop is full of old equipment bought for a pittance, restored where necessary, and very accurate. It dates from the early 1900's up to about 1960. All of it will run with a flat belt and can be powered by anything that will turn a shaft, including a horse on a treadmill. Every day I make press fit parts with .0002" tolerance on a lathe made in 1923. It is big, wears a 12" chuck, will handle a piece 4 feet long, and weighs about a ton and a half. I paid $140 for it.

[CastIronCook2]

Patience, I hear ya. My old Singer is my heart's delight, but I'm ready to give my new Brother away.

If you're ever in southern Oregon, check out the historic, working flour mill in Eagle Point. It's powered by a water turbine that makes 25 hp. What a joy to watch in operation!

[CastIronCook2]

Patience, you might be interested in this site that treats with the subject of old engines and machinery. In fact, just yesterday Hubbest sold an old engine on the site.

http://www.smokstak.com

[patience]

CastIronCook2,

Nice site! Wife and I had lots of fun at www.wrvaa.org/ (http://www.wrvaa.org/) (= White River Valley Antique Association) show last summer. Steam powered sawmill going, soap and candle making, steam powered wood shop and machine shop running, and a live stagecoach robbery!

They have about 5 acres of flea market where we found a handle for my broadaxe, a couple 20" diameter grindstones, and sundry other things. I have restored 3 crosscut saws, and have horse logging equipment stashed for our kids who have 32 acres of mostly forest. Have a new set of team harness made by local Amish harnessmaker, and collars from 17" to 22" for them. They have adeal with a couple neighbors to use the neighbor's horses in exchange for pasturing them, so the community splits the cost.

We have a repair shop business, which made some parts for restoring a gristmill near us last year. Now in operation. See it at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck's_Mill

Thankfully, a local group made this happen before the mill was too far gone to save. It should last another 100 years now. :D

Lots of cast iron ware at our house, mostly saved from junk, sandblased, polished and reseasoned. That stuff never seems to quit working!

[CastIronCook2]

Lots of cast iron ware? Now you're talking my language! Breakfast to dessert, that's all we use. I even do cheesecake in it. Just keep it properly seasoned, and that stuff goes and goes and goes . . .

[gregabob]

I was thinkin' of startin' a thread about this subject, but I think I'll just post here. What level of technology are you all happy with? There will be a mix I'm sure, as we are using one of the newest examples here to communicate. But at what level are we happy to live at? From all-electric completely grid dependent, to the most primitive, I'd like to hear what you all are happy living at. Personally I feel uneasy having all of my energy supplied by utility companies, and water by a city owned and operated utility. My personal level of technology that I could live at would be 1880s. Somewhat primitive mechanical devices, some animal power, oil lamps, wood or coal heat. Water from a well lifted by a windmill. This would be to me a minimum level of technology I would be comfortable with. Improved versions of tools and equipment (such as new style canning jars and equipment) that had their start then I could use. Things like a windmill that looks like an Aermotor, but built with modern metals and lubed by modern oils. Downhole pumps made from stainless and with longer lasting packing and check balls. A cabin or small house built of locally harvested logs but well insulated so the coal stove will heat it without burning so much fuel. The best ideas of the old combined with modern materials to make something useful. Now that I think of it, this is starting to sound like what the Amish are doing. What do you all think?

[firegirl969]

Good post idea, gregabob!

DH and I converted to a small wood stove for heat in January of 2009 and gas stove with no electrical requirements in August 2009. We have multiple oil lamps and a good supply of lamp oil, solar flashlights, and just received a nice supply of rechargeagle batteries. We hope to complete a small solar power system this summer with two 125 watt panels and 6-8 new golf cart batterys and an inverter so that hopefully we can charge the computer, DH's cell phone which is required by his job (and furnished by them), power a 12 volt tv and dvd player, and recharge batteries for flashlights, etc. We hope to keep grid power for freezer and fridge and maybe air conditioning in the summer. We also will keep the water pump grid-tied unless we no longer have it. Then we will use the 8000 watt gas generator we have for that purpose and what gas we have stored. We also plan on putting a 1000 gallon tank in the air to store water in, with gravity fed plumbing into the house. We also have a hand pump on a shallow well. We are putting in a root cellar for cool storage, and we water bath and pressure can 100's of jars of fruits, veggies, meats, relishes, pickles, jams, jellies, preserves, and syrup, so we don't have to rely on refrigeration. We also have two horses and have plans to get a horse that will pull an amish buggy and will get a plow, etc for making the garden if need be. I am handicapped now, so I can't ride a horse anymore, so DH and I plan to get a buggy so that I can ride in it. We will be the talk of the town, cause he plans on driving us to town on Saturday's. I can't wait.

[sbemt456]

Greg ya just had to open this can a worms didnt ya? Well now where to start. I would be perfectly happy to live without tv, without a home phone and without A/C. I dont care for the expense of electric heat either. So for the basics, we have well water, the pump can be run on a small generator or you can take a bucket out there and draw a bucket of water. And you have never had a better tasting drink of water by the way. For summer time bathing there is always a creek with clean water in walking distance. In winter I would much prefer wood heat in some form. We are thinkin this summer of installing an outdoor wood fired furnace maybe from Central boiler. Also a ground coupled cooling unit for A/C, not that I care for A/C that much. I could live without it. Would love to have the funds to build onto the house an have a wood cook stove like my friend Bookwormom has. lol So cozy, then who would need entertainment. I would prefer to stay tied into the grid, just not be as dependent on it. As far as a mode of travel, I am perfectly happy to stay home. Guess thas why the tires have dry rotted on muh truck. lol It only git driven about 3 or 4000 miles a year and most of that is out of town to doctor or dentist appointments. I am far enough from town to have a lot of privacy an close enough to walk if need be. We still have all the old team drawn farm equipment here on the farm so going back to that would not be too hard. As I was growing up on this farm the only little tiny recurring bill we had was electricity. We didnt have a vehicle, walked where we needed to go. We didnt have a phone, didnt think we had a need for one. We have been blessed to always have a good wells here on the farm for water. We did not have indoor plumbing, and I would like to find one of the old bath tubs like I grew up using, I think I would sit it out back an use it even now. Now the outhouse is a whole different animal, especially in winter. In winter you did not drink anything late at night for fear of havin to make that dreadful trip. And you didnt want to make that trip at night in summer for fear there might be a snake somewhere on the farm. :fie:I like my coffee at night so that might present an problem. So for the time period be suited for me, I think I could live like we did in the late 1960's or early 70's. I aint talkin no more see. We as humans are very resilient animals, we adjust to our surroundings. My dad always said the more ya make the more ya spend. And if ya dont make much you learn to live with it.
Now I aint givin up muh internet.:shout:

Have a great day!

stella