tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343122535318547716.post3769198592489302750..comments2024-02-25T13:25:26.434-08:00Comments on Owl's Farm: Involuntary FrugalityOwlfarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15373358232893937182noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343122535318547716.post-21301555017225521362008-10-21T21:08:00.000-07:002008-10-21T21:08:00.000-07:00Thanks for coming by the other day!I was in one of...Thanks for coming by the other day!<BR/><BR/>I was in one of those 5000+ sqft houses this weekend for a party and I have to admit that the thought of having all that space made me positively giddy. That is of course until I thought about what the electric bill would be in the summer. ugh. <BR/><BR/>I love what you've written here, but man I really think it's tough. The reality of our financial situation hit me for the first time today (denial is a remarkable thing) and I think that the hardest part of it is realizing that we're not going to be able to afford the extras, possibly not for a very long time. It's not like we live extravagantly (hardly!) but it's nice to have a dinner out now and then or to have ice cream in the freezer or to be able to drive my oldest to swim team practice that she loves so much and is thriving on five (yes FIVE) times a week. It's hard to shift back to a mentality that these things are luxuries, not to be taken for granted. I want my nightly ice cream, damn it! Of course I realize the blessings that will come from living more frugally, but frankly I want to be on the other side of the lessons already. I don't want to have to actually go through them! Let me have the gifts of having learned to live with less AND be flush with cash. : )jenzai studiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17613761181405035326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343122535318547716.post-47102288331396524502008-10-15T11:43:00.000-07:002008-10-15T11:43:00.000-07:00Thanks for the input. The smaller house trend see...Thanks for the input. The smaller house trend seems to be taking hold in older, established neighborhoods in Dallas (where up until recently there had been an absolute glut of inappropriately huge houses built on really small, .17 acre, lots and over-shadowing their much smaller neighbors. The irony here is that those houses end up destroying the character of the neighborhoods that attract people in the first place.<BR/><BR/>The 'burbs are another story. Tucker Hill is one of the rare instances in the fast-growing outer reaches of the Dallas area, because the houses do have some character. But they're still really big, and that's what folks seem to want (at least until they can't afford them any more). In the historic district where I live there are a real variety of sizes--but few over 3500 square feet total. On the other side of town, they're still building 5000 square foot monstrosities.<BR/><BR/>But I do hope you're right about the trend overall!Owlfarmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15373358232893937182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343122535318547716.post-13096883854959520452008-10-15T07:57:00.000-07:002008-10-15T07:57:00.000-07:00The trend toward smaller homes is one good result ...The trend toward smaller homes is one good result of the U.S. mortgage industry debacle and overall economic crisis. And with the "new old house" movement gaining momentum, there will be a natural merging of both trends along with one more -- sustainability -- to drive market demand for smaller, greener, traditionally-styled homes. Yes, even in Texas! (But maybe not tomorrow...)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com