By Kevin Kosterman
Illustrations by Tim Carroll
“Simplify, simplify, simplify!”
Yes, transcendental philosopher Henry David Thoreau actually put an exclamation point after his advice. Never one to shop till he dropped, Thoreau seemed hopelessly old-fashioned in recent decades, as Americans engaged in a credit-fueled buying binge unmatched in human history, with even thrifty Milwaukeeans along for the heady ride. But the economic meltdown, and the lost jobs and wage cuts, have brought everything to a screaming halt. Suddenly everyone is scrambling to save money, stretch their dollar and, yes, simplify their lives.
The good news is you probably have a lot more to fall back on than old Henry ever did. Indeed, the average household has more potential assets to maximize and far more ways to cut costs than you might imagine. The key to surviving in these trying times is putting those assets to work for you while cutting back wherever you can. A simplified life awaits you.
