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I can appreciate your frugal lifestyle although I have seen people in Urban America certainly do likewise when behind a rock and hard place...and that without “a paycheck to go further” as you stated. Nor did they accept any assistance.
They learned thru this what was truly of value in life.

Interesting I just read of N.Koreans fighting off yet another famine there. It was reported foremost in most minds is how to obtain food for the day and everything about the day surrounds that 24/7. In order to expand the very limited rice available they are going to the wooded areas for bark and leaves to mix with the rice...some do so without rice.

I am always reminded of their plight and how very “rich” we are as a nation..still. Even the poorest among us generally have options. N.Koreans have none.

I can relate to downsizing ones lifestyle. It is really quite amazing how we can do without many of the things we see as necessary....and be actually happier. But I don’t think many can adjust to doing this once they’ve lived a comfortable monetary lifestyle. It does require a great deal of re-working ones life.

But doing that in Alaska? I freexe at 70 degrees! Don’t know how you folks handle the long hard winters there. I am certain I would not endure it well at all.

Ha, actually, I don't eat bark, live all that frugal, ect, we just spend our incomes in other directions than for everyday living costs. Maybe people in urban areas get around paying water & septic bills, taxes upon taxes, and all the increased costs of doing everything they need to do; but a friend once told me that what is important is how much you spend, not how much that you make which is taxed. Wife and I have our teaching certs, not hurting money wise, not why we have learned to cut costs. I actually think we live way better than many in urban areas.

The point I'm trying to make is people in urban areas don't realize how caught up in the system of needing more and more bucks just to live & survive in Urban America they continuously become. Somewhat hard to get out of paying local taxes when they exist. Difficult to have employment 2 miles from home in suburbia nowadays, increased cost of car payments, fuel, parking ect. Just everything seems to cost money to accomplish in urban areas; not so in rural areas.

I know here in Alaska, it does get cold. In the winter if my 1990 ford trk(that has 66K original miles on her and gets 22 mpg and only cost me 2500 bucks 10 years back) won't start due to minus 60; we ride school bus or snowmachine, or walk to school; no big deal. You can't do that in urban areas, need a new dependable vehicle to drive the 40 miles to work.

When we first moved here, I heated with oil (hot water boiler base board heat) 2000 gallons of oil/year in heating costs. Imagine spending 10K/year for heat where fuel is headed. I have 2 wood stoves in our house now, it's free and I just luv spending time in the woods cutting/hauling fire wood in by snowmachine during winter.

I could go on forever about how much one can cut their costs in a rural area anywhere across America. For me, it's all about cutting wasteful spending in everyday living expenses so one is more prepared when the hyper inflation hits; cause she's a coming. Just think about how you yourself could cut costs without affecting what you enjoy doing. When you realize how much you are wasting you'll be shocked. You'll also feel so much better when you see the savings that you can spend on other things that make you complete. No joke think about it.