BellaOnline Forums Family Work & Family What *Can* You Do Without?

I was recently asked how I can live without a microwave oven. I laughed and said "I don't know, I just can." I have not had a micro for many years now. When I gave my old one away, it was my intent to buy another one, but days slipped into weeks, etc. I am fine without a microwave.

I also do not have cable television. I may be one of a handful of people who still have 'rabbit ears' on their television Fortunately, I do have access to PBS.

How about you all. What can you or do you "do without?"

Vannie,

We are a microwave-free family. On purpose.

We were also a family without cable TV until November when I cracked and signed us up. We had never had cable before that (8 years of marriage) so now I feel like I'm livin' the high life..LOL

Jan

Oh Jan,

I am so happy to know that I am not alone in this microwave world. While I don't have cable, I do admit to being a NetFlix junkie, I watch 3 to 4, sometimes more, movies per week. When I am away, I do watch the cooking shows.

I mostly use my microwave to heat the cherry pit pack I use on my neck & shoulders, but I sometimes use it for thawing and melting or heating, just not much.

I do have satellite TV, but I don't have a TV in the bedroom and just won't. Seems silly to me--that's where we go to (mostly) rest.

I also can do without new cars. Mine is 7 years old. I love it because I bought it brand new and it's been paid off for some time now and still runs very well and looks okay.

Oh, and now that I work mostly from home, I can (mostly) do without business suits. I haven't bought one in 2 years, actually. Yay!

Add me to the rabbit ears club! My boyfriend keeps complaining that I don't have satellite TV, but he hasn't decided to pay for it yet (and we're here more than at his place.)

I'm still driving my first car - a Toyota PU I bought in 1993 when I got a job that required a reliable car. It's still reliable and it's payed for, what more do I need.

There is a lot of new technology that I can do without. I've found that I actually need to be careful about that because I work in IT and I start to look "unsuccessful" or backwards for not having and being familiar with the gadgets everyone else has. (It's sort of like showing up to a high power business meeting in a cheap suit.)

Julie

Hi all
We have microwave oven for nearly four years that more use by my wife and daughter for warmed the food. I still prefer to use regular oven by gas.

We have satellite dish and could see Hotbird and Nile sat as most of Iranian, it help my so much to improve my English ability, beside I like to see news via CNN, Euronews and BBC, and serials like "two men and half", "charmed", "smallvile" and specially "friends" are fantastic for me.

We have a Peugeot 405 two years old. My wife hates driving, although we had two cars for three years but she just had drive less than five times because our streets is too crowdy.
We belong to middle class family here and most of our equipments are old ones but work properly, my wife and me more like to spend our money in travel rather than buying new ones.

It is really interesing reading what some of us do not have or if we do have it, use minimally. I guess this shows that we each continue to "march to a different" and do not live a cookie cutter existence. Like you all, I am also one of those, "if it's not broken, etc." people.

babak, you are right television is a wonderful teaching tool.

I say two thumbs up for all of us.

babak,
you are in Iran? Wow, how's life? Maybe we need to go to a different post for that.

I have never had cable. I bought a small microwave with a baking option all in one unit. The only reason I have a stove is because it came with the house. It's very useful for entertaining though. I have never in life bought a TV, since my friends keep upgrading, I simply inherit their old set. Same with a CD player, which I inherited just last year. I did buy my own DVD player a while back. I have a state of the art dishwasher with a top rack only washing option. I was very proud of myself when I bought my first washer and dryer, what a luxury!
I spend a lot of money on exotic travel, and I just bought an investment property. I also make it a point to tip well when I travel, especially to other countries.

I have a friend who bought a dishwasher for his mother and picked out all the options very carefully, paid over $1,000 and then paid extra to have it installed. Was very proud of himself to be able to do this for his mother. He called her to ask if she was using it and if she liked it.

"Yes," she said, "I'm using it and I like it."
"You promise?" he asked.
"Yes, I promise."

Next time he was there, he opens the dishwasher to find that his mother has neatly stacked all her folders in there with important papers.

Well, not only do I not have pay tv, I also do not have a tv. I know I am a weirdo. It does not bother me. It is something that I lost interest in as soon as I moved out on my own. It has been a long time since I have sat down and watched the tv or gone to the movies. Although I do watch the odd thing on the net every once in a while.

Yes, we seem to be spending a lot more time online that watching TV. Much more interesting!

I wish I could do without going to work every day, but I'm still working on that. The Internet is very promising and moving in that direction. Maybe one day!