Rudassity is Badassity

RUDE Boy came into the bedroom whilst I was in bed snoozing yesterday morning, and says “have you read Money in The Age newspaper yet?”  He was keen to let me know there were two relevant articles for Rude Record.

Here is the link to the first article by Catherine Robson Financial Planner at Affinity Private

http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/4598270/financial-freedom-through-frugality/?cs=9

Our Rudassity Philosophy is pretty much the same as Mr Money Mustache’s [MMM] Badassity Philosophy.  However we are no match for  MMM,  because Peter Adeney is a frugal-living internet sensation, according to Financial Planner Catherine Robson .  And just a quick peak at his blog, tells us RUDE Guys he is a frugal-living celebrity!

We we are not internet celebrities but we do walk our talk.  RUDE Girl retired from part-time work at 52 and RUDE Boy could have retired at 56 but is enjoying a transition to retirement program or what we call our ‘money for jam’.

We are not much into advice from celebrities of any kind, and do not need to follow MMM’s tips.  We have been doing most of these tips for decades.  However MMM’s words of ‘Badassity’ wisdom [in all it’s amazing detail] are not to be ignored, that’s if you want to retire early and rich. He, like us RUDE Guys, is definitely ‘on the money’ due to spending less than he makes.

Us RUDE Guys enjoy writing our simple blog and sharing some little stories but unlike MMM, we prefer to stay away from ‘how to’ advice on anything.  Why?  Because there is so much of it out there.  And oftentimes it is presented well and worthy of note, like MMM’s blog, for example. 

We prefer to inspire and hopefully motivate by storytelling in short blog format with a few pics and maybe a vid.  No financial gain is desired by us, because we are virtual volunteers, who are happy to share our frugal experiences, for free.

However, like MMM us RUDE Guys are on a  global mission albeit a much smaller version to Peter Adeney’s, to hopefully make people think about consumption, and the lifestyle of liberation that frugality can offer up.

It’s funny because the last sentence in this article above states, ‘One DIY haircut at a time.’  That’s what RUDE Girl had planned after getting out of bed yesterday morning, for RUDE Boy to give my hair a trim.  Cost $0.  I make no money from paid employment these days, so I am not going to spend $50 on a trim.  Simple Rudassity economics.

And if your interested here’s the link below to the second article.  It ends with this sentence as follows:

“No one thinks that a house full of children’s toys is a sign of financial success, but that’s what many of us are unwittingly choosing.”

Us RUDE Guys have been to houses where grandparents also have toys galore for when the grandchildren visit or get minded.  We have also been to TIP SHOPS  with shelves and cots full of toys.

Beat The Man!!

http://www.smh.com.au/money/saving/do-your-kids-get-too-many-presents-theres-an-app-for-that-20170414-gvl8wu.html

Simple Pleasures

Pick up any newspaper or magazine, open the TV, and you’ll be bombarded with suggestions of how to have a successful life. Some of these suggestions are deeply unhelpful to our own projects and priorities – and we should take care.

 

Alain de Botton

Us RUDE Guys still buy the weekend newspapers.  It is a simple but not so cheap pleasure at $13.  In the quote above Mr de Botton reminds us to take care with what we absorb from reading a newspaper.

We like to think we do and are mindful to read between the lines.  The following article, titled Simple Life Trumps My Bad News Feed in today’s The Age Insight on page 25, has inspired this blog post.  It’s a gem and recommended reading for all those hankering for a simpler life.  A beautiful reminder of the simple pleasures in a rural show, a Punch and Judy  puppet booth, a picnic on a rug and homegrown and/or homemade produce.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/tony-wrights-column-true-value-lies-in-simple-pleasures-20170223-gujgox.html

RUDE Girl has just finished reading Frugal Hedonism [refer book cover in image below].  Basically the book, like the above article, is reflective in this blog post’s title, Simple Pleasures.

Image:  www

I borrowed it from the local library because I do not buy books.  It was a really easy read and written with some quick witted humour thrown in.  Clive Hamilton’s forward is brilliant.

The book is not a How To instruction manual.  It is more an inspirational and compact reference guide.  I do recommend it.  However most die-hard frugals will already be well versed in its wisdoms. 

For RUDE Girl is refreshing to know that a younger generation is writing about something that I am passionate about. 

“When I look around it’s pretty obvious who are the most freest people in our communities – the ones who have escaped the prison of consumerism and money-hunger.”  Clive Hamilton / Author

Make the money hunger go away by filling up on simple pleasures. Beat The Man!!

 

RUDE Girl reading The Art of Frugal Hedonism.  She wears Barbara apron made from a vintage dress, refashioned skirt from a dress and thrifted top.  Pillow type cushions made from scarves and shirts.  Moran leather lounge chair from mid 1990s

Red & Green Bruschetta

For friends, I love to make bruschetta. I grill country bread with Frantoia olive oil and make toppings, like crab, roasted squash, mushrooms, whatever’s seasonal.

~Jean-Georges Vongerichten~

For under $1.00, I enjoyed beautiful red and green bruschetta for my Christmas lunch.  Us RUDE Guys are having homemade hamburgers for dinner.  And a glass or two of bubbles.

Link below is recommended reading, if you are by yourself at Christmas time.

https://lonerwolf.com/51-things-christmas-alone/

Virtual Gift Givers

The buying of Christmas presents runs counter to our RUDE values.   And going to the mall to shop for Christmas gifts is out of the question.

The above quote reflects Rude Record‘s sentiments +++, and what we have be doing together, for over a decade.

We were buying and giving recycled gifts, and still will for the grand-kids [something small, as they get so much stuff from others].  But this year we are giving virtual gifts to the adults.

What does RUDE mean by a virtual gift? 

RUDE Boy earlier this year converted lots of old VHS footage of family to digital format.  RUDE Girl has been converting the mpg files to avi files.  Then I am uploading these files to a movie making program for editing.  There is a LOT of editing OUT that’s required! CUT CUT CUT, YUK YUK YUK.   And the best bit of the process is being able to edit IN music, titles and captions.  YAY YAY YAY

These videos, saved to a private playlist on You Tube, will be given to family this Christmas.

1.These digital gifts will keep on giving for generations to come.
2.They can not be thrown into landfill.
3.And us RUDE Guys do not have to go shopping at the mall.

Three reasons [posterity, planet and pocket] to celebrate this festive season!

Below is a short video snippet from some 1983 family footage. It shows that RUDE Boy was into reuse and re-purposing over two decades ago. And that he also had hair!

I haven’t told him yet but there is more footage of him from this era.  It’s my gift to him for Christmas – a reminder that many Christmas ago, he was but, a young laddie.

And below, it’s only fair to RUDE Boy that I include my ‘pretty in polka dot polyester’ Christmas wish from 1994.

Create virtual gifts to give and beat the shopping crowds and The Man!!

Below are  links to two blog articles, of related interest, to this blog post.

https://zenhabits.net/bah/

http://www.becomingminimalist.com/perfect-holiday/

A Blogging 3rd Anniversary

These days, you have the option of staying home, blogging in your underwear, and not having your words mangled. I think I like the direction things are headed.
~ Marc Andreessen ~

 

Three years ago RUDE Girl wrote in our blog’s ‘About’ section. It’s a bit surreal. To think that I have been writing a blog post nearly every week for three years!  And I get to stay at home in my PJs or old comfy clothes, and do it! [refer quote above]

RUDE is personally against ‘mall mentality’ and therefore we avoid shopping malls. However, us RUDE Guys still live in the real world and choose carefully when and what to shop for. And therefore, we sometimes and begrudgingly, have to go to the local mall.

We have a fun time exploring ways of having nice ‘to us’ things without shopping in big box stores. And we are also keen to maintain and develop our resilience and resourcefulness, as opposed to handing over the home economics of our household to middle men.

Below images:  RUDE Girl’s ‘new to me’ summer wedges, rescued from the free bin, at a local charity store.

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RUDE Girl’s current project ~ Knitting a bath mat with yarn made from recycled T-shirts

 

We DO BUY NEW and we consume services +++ however we are frugal when it comes to stuff and food. This is where we make our small difference to our pockets and the planet.

We know our lifestyle is not mainstream but it is certainly not as radical as buying nothing new for 12 months! We prefer to pace ourselves, and balance frugality with the need to spend up, when it’s required. We know we can spend up then because we have saved for a rainy day.

Our blog thus far, has helped us to keep focused on what is important to us. It is also our way of sharing with other like-minded souls.

Embrace Home Economics and Blog.  It builds community resilience. Beat The Man!

Gladsome Garbage

I’m very glad to have something to be passionate about. I can’t imagine a life without passion.
Sylvia Kristel

I’m always glad to see somebody rethink something rather than reproduce something I did.
Harold Prince

RUDE Girl has a very old little book that’s titled A Gladsome Life.  It was rescued by me, from landfill fate many years ago.  It’s like a little Bible of beautiful wisdoms.  The word gladsome is archaic for glad.  The word gladsome makes me smile and feel grateful.

Us RUDE Guys are suckers for practical junk.  We are always gladsome when we come across the discarded.  And when it is NOT associated with monetary exchange we are even more gladsome.

The junk we find has to fit-in with our lives in a practical way.  It has to makes us smile and feel gladsome.  It has to be fit for immediate reuse with a spruce up and/or DIY repair.

This blog post has been inspired by a skip scavenge we did a couple of nights ago.  It made us RUDE Guys think of those gladsome garbage rescues we have made over the years.  Hence the title of this blog post.

We would like to share with our followers some little corners and places filled with rescued items that have made us gladsome.   We are sure many of you will relate to our junk vignettes of found objects [check out trash art here].  These junky pieces are organic and ever changing, and make wherever we have lived and live now,  feel like home.

Bentwood Chair and hardwood framed screen with vintage curtain fabric.

Painted handmade vintage bookcase with recycled books, vase and other curios.  Daughter Rebecca’s high school embroidery in a frame [top left].

 

A little sewing nook in the corner of a room.  Vintage Janome sewing table and Brother sewing machine.  This table also houses a vintage Pfaff  sewing machine [not viewable in photo].

Wooden overhead cabinet piece rescued from hard rubbish.  Legs attached and made into storage for a sewing room.

Handcrafted roughly sawn wood frame with bird print rescued from a skip bin.

Beat The Man by sprucing up gladsome garbage, for free or little cost!

Follow Rude Record most days on Facebook @ruderepair

Knit Knot

Image:  www

Doing what we can to repair the world was instilled in me from an early age. I will never forget my siblings and me knitting squares for blankets to be sent to the troops during World War II. This was an inspiration from my mother.

Charles Bronfman

RUDE Girl knits ~ but not really ~  hence the title of this blog post.  But I can knit knots and I am a bit of a knit wit when it comes to all things knitting related.

Some in my family could knit, and my sister even managed and owned a knitting shop in Rathdowne Street, Carlton in the late 1980s when Annyblatt yarns and patterns were all the rage!  My mother did not knit [she sewed] but she picked up my dropped stitches when I tried to knit.  My paternal grandmother apparently knitted but I never witnessed her knitting.   She was from Huddersfield, Yorkshire and worked in the knitting mills as a young girl.  

My sister Kim knitted a lovely mint green and off white dress for the birth of my daughter Rebecca.  I will always remember it.  It’s a pity that at that point in time,  I was not crafting and sewing.  I was incapable of fully appreciating the amount of love and effort that went into handcrafting the gift. But I do now, and I do remember how lovely the little frock was. 

I had a sister-in-law Diane [from my first marriage] who was an amazing knitter.  She was always knitting little jumpers for her daughter and her family.  Of course, I did appreciate all the knitted hand-me-downs that she passed my way, for my children to wear.  I wish I had shown more attention to her skill, at the time, but I was not in the crafting zone back then.

Myself, well I have knitted a couple of jumpers and scarves, in order to tick knitting off my list of things to do before I die.  In other words, no regrets on my death bed that I did not give knitting a fair go.

But here’s the up side of this blog post.  I actually get ‘all knit knotty’ when it comes to extreme knitting [refer image below].  Before it became trendy, I had already knitted RUDE Boy an acrylic yarn scarf on wooden spoon handles.  Why?  RUDE Girl was NOT going to buy wooden knitting needles when I could improvise!  He loves that scarf and wears it to work in winter. 

Knitting Spock ~ It’s only logical.  Source: Pinterest

Here is my extreme knitted bath mat with knots [refer images below].  I made the yarn from old T-shirts and knitted it up into this re-creation.  It makes me smile and I am keen to do anotherie.  I have more T-Shirts to make into yarn which is a start, however this bath mat was made on cricket stumps for knitting needles.  They were so heavy to hold!

A Knit Knot bath mat by RUDE Girl

RUDE Girl’s first attempt at extreme knitting using yarn recycled from old T-shirts

This morning I requested that RUDE Boy turn an embroidery frame, that I will never use, into a pair of knitting needles [left].  He had previously made me a smaller pair [right] from a smaller frame.  This design is far lighter.

Extreme knitting needles made by RUDE Boy from secondhand embroidery frames .  The cotton table runner was saved from landfill fate.

Beat The Man!  You will not be a  knit wit in the post-apocalyptic world, if you make your own knitting needles and yarn.

Kimono Karen

RUDE Girl was an exchange student to Japan for 12 months from 1975 until 1976.  It was a wonderful experience for a teenager, and long before it was trendy to travel to Japan.  And also long before the Japanese cultural invasion of Australia.

Tea Ceremony at the house of my first host family the Handa’s.  We had lessons once a week.  Mary Jane Hendrie [13.9.57 – 31.8.83  RIP] in the red kimono was from Sault Ste. Marie, Canada and Liz in yellow was from the US.  My daughter Rebecca has been gifted my apricot floral kimono.

My year in Japan as a Rotary Exchange Student 1975-1976.  My daughter Rebecca has been gifted the green formal silk kimono, that was gifted to me by the Handa family.  Bottom photo:  With Jenny Jarry [left] August 1975 at a festival in Kumagaiya

Most of what I absorbed in Japan was buried deep inside me on my return home. I went back to school and then on to various careers.  My time in Japan was rarely spoken about, not just by me but my family too, and my year away became but a distant memory. 

There were many times when I was treated like an outcast because I came back changed, into a routine that had remained much the same.   For the Rude Record significant adults, Japan did not mess with my mind, and I coped very well in a foreign country.  The young student that decided to venture out on her own at 17 years of age, has always been independent and confident.

These days, I do have the time to remember, and bring forth some of my experiences and influences, related to my second country.  I guess sharing is easier these days, with  Japanese culture more well known and embraced. And also with many Japanese calling Australia home.

It was wonderful to meet Miwako, a Japanese woman a little while back, who lives over my side of town.  And also Taco, my daughter-in-laws’ brother’s partner.  At both these meetings it was incredibly therapeutic to relive some of my time in Kita Urawa shi, Saitama ken.   And also, for the first time ever, I have made contact with a Mr McDonald, a member of Rotary, who is tracking down past exchange students from the year I was in Japan.

Refer video below:  When I spotted this casual summer kimono [yukata] at the TIP SHOP, I was aghast but also elated!  It was my lucky day.  I had found an abandoned, stained, and dirty hand stitched  yukata, and only I realised its value.  I felt a bit smug, but really very privileged to be rescuing it.  The yukata was free, as it was destined for the TIP SHOP’S rubbish bin and landfill.

Beat The Man by Turning Japanese, and daring to be different!

Tool Time

Source:  www

Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.
George Herbert 

And RUDE Boy is relating to this quote below 

I like doing things where I can get dirty, work with my hands, and use power tools. Last weekend, I did some grouting.
Nathan Fillion 

For this week’s blog post RUDE was keen to do a post about a collection of things.  Interestingly we do not see ourselves as collectors.  Maybe it is because we do not collect things as a hobby.  We collect to reuse things in a very practical way.  And monetary value rarely comes into play.  It is always about function for us.  And if practical things are beautiful to look at, well that’s a bonus.  This morning, as with most Friday mornings, I lie in bed wondering what to post about.  I was thinking about some of the stuff we have around our home.   I thought maybe our baskets, chopping boards, CDs, vinyl LP records and books.  RUDE Girl has rescued many cane baskets from landfill.  We have baskets for laundry, sewing, clothes, serviettes, ironing, shopping, display, food, storage and towels.

Photos below:  RUDE Girl’s cane basket collection

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RUDE Boy has tools that were purchased new, many years ago.However, it was time to feature those in his collection that have been rescued from TIP SHOPS.  The tools featured in this video below, are a great asset to the business of running our frugal household.

With a no shame attitude, you can Beat The Man!

Tip Shop Trashion

 

‘Our signature folly is Scavenger Style’ ~ Rude Record

RUDE Girl just has to share all these images, I have been collecting of on-trend fashion, that is readily available at Aussie TIP SHOPS, that sell recycled textiles.

You will probably not even find most of this ‘trashion’ [or scavenger style, as RUDE calls it] in charity stores, because the volunteers are told to discard worn and/or ripped garments, into the recycled textile bags, for collection and downcycling.  Well, I have never seen ripped jeans in op shops in Australia, unless things have changed.

Anyways, these celebrity looks featured below are easy to get, for next to no cost.  That’s if you dare to venture out to a recycling transfer station, and then go inside the TIP SHOP there [if, of course, it has such a TIP SHOP shed on-site].

 

M Magazine:  September 11, 2016 pg 4 ~  When Trends Attack

RUDE Girl’s $2 military punk style boots

M Magazine: Denim is Back ~ September 18, 2016 pg 4

December 17, 2013 ~ RUDE Girl was way ahead of this current trend, featured in the above image.  Jeans rescued from landfill fate were to small.  Added in a yellow piece, from another pair of jeans, which were too small and also from a TIP SHOP.

M Magazine October 2, 2016 ~ Underwear As Outerwear

M Magazine:  September 11, 2016 pg 4 ~  When Trends Attack

The designer slip, in the above image, was $1 and will look pretty as a top with jeans or a skirt this summer.

Above image:  M Magazine September 25, 2016 ~ Keeping It On The Level ~ Granny look garments are plentiful at TIP SHOPS.  The secret is knowing how to pull the style together like Reese.

Sunday Style Magazine ~ Just get a cotton shirt from a TIP SHOP,  and rip the collar off it, for this look. EASY, hey!

Beat The Man to the recycled clothes at the TIP SHOP!  Worn and torn really is the look [apparently], and it’s super affordable to achieve!