Live Lean

B.Y.O.P. Bring Your Own Phone.

How to Take Advantage of the Mobile Carrier Price War.

I’m going to keep this short because I can’t stand mobile phone plans. Mobile carriers have always thrived on complexity. The arrival of smartphones and data plans over the years has only added to the bizarre mobile pricing schemes already out there.

Smartphones have become money machines for the carriers, racking up all kinds of data charges, upgrade fees, smartphone accessory sales. It’s time for things to change. I’ll be the first to say that the smartphone a useful appliance. See 21 Things my iPhone replaced.

But if you’re not careful your mobile phone bills will be higher than your utilities. If you’re single, they probably already are.

About a year ago, things did start to change. T-Mobile touched off a price war with some aggressively priced data plans. Especially for families of four which seem to be the holy grail for carriers. T-Mobile is trying to grow market share with some heavily discounted plans and even offered to buy out your old contracts. To our benefit this infuriated competitors in bringing us to some of the better values out there today. [Read more…] about B.Y.O.P. Bring Your Own Phone.

Don’t Get Robbed Blind Buying Prescription Glasses.

08/14 by The Frug 12 Comments

My journey to find the perfect $44 pair of prescription shades.

Just got back from a walk and I am really enjoying my new $44 prescription Ray-Bans. The walk was short but the journey to find inexpensive prescription glasses has been a long one.

Over years I’ve been ripped off buying prescription glasses.. I don’t wear contacts, so you would think that would save me some money. Not really. I need progressive lenses and have an astigmatism.

While my prescription is not that strong, decent lightweight progressive lenses are still pricey. In addition, since I don’t wear contacts, I need prescription sunglasses, which are another racket.

If you want a decent pair of prescription sunglasses, you need to buy them and then immediately replace the expensive tinted polarized lenses with your custom made prescription. Unfortunately, because they’re sunglasses, they often get smashed, bent, broken and sometimes lost. #firstworldproblems

I’ve got a decent track record with lost sunglasses, my wife SuperK does not. Still, I’ve lost a couple of pairs of prescription sunglasses over the years, and busted one other pair.

Here are a few of the many comical ways I’ve been ripped off purchasing glasses. [Read more…] about Don’t Get Robbed Blind Buying Prescription Glasses.

Finding Your Why. How to Create a Personal Manifesto.

08/14 by The Frug Leave a Comment

Whats your POV?

I watched a show with my son yesterday, which he loves, called Food Network Star. He enjoys cooking shows, particularly those which involve intense competition and chefs being eliminated.

One term that kept coming up over and over on the show was “POV.” “What’s your POV?” the judges would say. “Your POV is not coming through!” The judges would then proceed to tell the celebrity chef hopefuls what their Point of Views were or should be.

“You are Coastal Kitchen Gal” “You are the Butcher Babe” You are the Cowboy Chef” On the show, you could be a very talented, gregarious chef but if your POV was not coming through to the judges you’re as good as gone.

I am not a fan of reality TV but it is true that the characters that we remember in fiction, and in real life, have a well defined POV. Their mission, their view of life, attitudes, and intentions bleed through in everything they do.

I believe a great way to discover your own POV is to start with a personal manifesto.

What is a Manifesto?

“A manifesto is defined as a written statement publicly declaring your views and intentions. “

Manifestos are popular with groups, companies, charities, and political parties but for our purposes we want this to be personal. A well-defined personal manifesto can anchor your point of view and that will start to come through in everything you do. Parts of it can even inspire others.

Why should I create one?

Most people have a good handle on what they do and how they do it. What’s often missing is the why. We should start with the why. Why do you do it? Author Simon Sineck has one of the most viewed Ted Talks of all time about Starting with Why. Starting with why is important for any organization, political party, or company but it’s especially important for you, because it’s your life.

How to craft your personal manifesto.

Get inspired. Start by looking at some great examples. Don’t be afraid to use famous quotes if they inspire you. [Read more…] about Finding Your Why. How to Create a Personal Manifesto.

The Frug Diet. How an old pair of pants can have long term impact on your health.

08/14 by The Frug Leave a Comment

Okay, here it is. Are you ready? There’s nothing to click on, no free report to download, no exotic powders to buy, no veggies to blend.

Here’s the Frug Diet.

Step 1. Don’t buy new pants

That’s it. There’s also an advanced version.

Step 1. Don’t buy new pants or belts.

When I decided to start living lean about a year ago,one of the first things I did was go through closets and drawers and give away clothing I no longer wear.

I came across was an old belt I had in high school. I’m not kidding, my mom bought me this belt at the GAP when I was in high school. I also remember getting a sweet pair of corduroys as part of that deal. The GAP website still has the same pair of corduroys and belt available. That’s because once every decade the clothing industry recycles every fashion trend. The 80s are currently being heavily recycled — cords, Day-Glo, Ray-Ban Wayfarers etc. I’ve got this decade nailed.

Being a Frug and giving away stuff sometimes creates a conundrum. You don’t mind giving away a pair shorts that no longer fit but you really hate going out to replace them. The same goes with the old belt. Old belts tell another story. If you held onto the belt long enough, those damn holes on the belt that show your progression over the years. If you’re like me, you’ve probably worked your way through each of the holes until you get to the last few holes then you get rid of the belt. For some reason, this one hung around.

This was a message. I needed to go on a pants and belt diet.

If you’re not frugal, and buy a new belt every year, you won’t notice this progression. So, what does one do with a 30-year-old belt and a 20-year-old pair of shorts. Put them on, of course, and convince yourself that they still look fine. If they don’t look good (as was my experience) you have now discovered the Frug Diet.

If they do look good, they have officially become vintage. So now you have a choice. You can get rid of those old pants and that belt that tells the terrible tale. Or you can decide to keep them. [Read more…] about The Frug Diet. How an old pair of pants can have long term impact on your health.

Living Small. How The Tiny House Movement Found Me.

07/14 by The Frug 6 Comments

By Brad Beckstrom AKA The Frug.

Sometimes it just takes a few pioneers to get a movement started. These early adopters often do things in the extreme, they set benchmarks. For example, last week I met Dee Williams. Dee spoke at WDS in Portland Oregon about selling her three-bedroom home and building an 84 square ft. tiny house.

She spoke about her discovery of the tiny house movement. In her presentation, Dee didn’t spend a lot of time on architecture or zoning. It was really about her 10 year journey towards a leaner lifestyle. It was more about how living in a tiny home helped her spend more time in the community, get to know her neighbors, and learn how to build something. It wasn’t just a house she was building, it turned into a small business called Portland Alternative Dwellings and later a book The Big Tiny.

The Appeal of a Tiny Home

There’s something deeply appealing to me about smaller dwellings. Maybe it’s Dee’s eight dollar electric bill or zero property taxes. But, more likely, it’s just a simplified lifestyle. See the thing is, I don’t live in a tiny house. We have a rug in our family room that’s bigger than 84 square feet.

If you read this blog, you’ll know that I’m on a quest to simplify my life and get rid of excess stuff. In this quest, the Tiny House Movement found me. Simple, modern, prefabricated houses started popping up in Dwell Magazine years ago. Then I read about a project at Auburn University where students were challenged to design homes that could be built for $20,000. [Read more…] about Living Small. How The Tiny House Movement Found Me.

What do you suck at?

07/14 by The Frug Leave a Comment

The best way to find your strengths is to explore your suckyness.

I recently listened to an interview with Adam Corolla, comedian, author and host of the Adam Corolla Show. He made a very profound comment “it’s very important to figure out what you suck at.” It got a laugh, but it’s very true.

A common thread I hear with writers and comedians is that they could never work in a normal office environment. Some of the most successful of this group figured this out early on and, in fact, were so bad at certain things that these perceived shortcomings became a major part of their act. Louis CK comes to mind. He knows exactly what he sucks at and is not afraid to share it with the world.

Now that I think about it, I can’t recall one comedian who doesn’t at least dabble in a good amount of self-deprecation. People love this. I mean, who would you rather hang out with, a blowhard who speaks only of their great achievements, or someone who can literally bring you to tears laughing at their trials and tribulations. Hollywood understands this. I think everyone can identify with at least one character from Old School, Anchorman, Wedding Crashers, or Something about Mary.

Can you make a suck list?

I’m not sure if everyone can just sit down and make a Suck List. I think it’s something that you have to experience and be aware of over a long period of time. It takes a bit of deep thought. I’m picturing some sort of anti guru who has you sit and chant “I suck at math” “I suck at holidays” “I suck at remembering names.” Doing this with yourself is not that easy. I think it’s better to start with small stuff. Some things you learned early on. Stuff you suck at, but don’t really have a huge interest in.

Here are a few that I would put in that category.

[Read more…] about What do you suck at?