downsizing/giving

FIRST OF ALL SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH EITHER MY CONNECTION TO BLOGGER OR WITH MY KEYBOARD ( WHICH I DOUBT) WHEN I HIT "ENTER" MY CURSOR DISSAPPEARS INSTEAD OF MAKING A NEW PARAGRAPH. ANY HELPFUL HINTS ANYONE? I gave up my cell phone at the end of January. I am not totally glad I did, but it is one more way to downsize. The first step in the expense reduction, I think, was a mini-seminar on debt reduction at church in late sept. or early oct. I remember the time frame because I had not healed enough from my back surgery to sit for long periods. We had a garage sale just after the seminar, because he encouraged it. Got rid of a bunch of junk and made $200, which was supposed to go directly to pay on the credit cards, but actually didn't. But I did take out a low interest short term loan at the credit union to pay it off, and the payments are not negotiable, they come out of my check first. No fudging. Mike Cope and Val Durington have had recent posts on their blogs about needless use of our money that we feel is so necessary, when not able to tithe or give willingly to others' needs. So I gave up my cell phone. There have already been many times I've wished I had it, but nothing disasterous has occurred. I could easily live like this. Next to go under the axe is the housekeeper. She only comes every other week to dust and vaccum and clean the sinks and showers. I can take over most of those duties again. Just can't vaccum because of my back. Hubby will ha ha. We're waiting until after SingSong to fire her, because most of Daughter-in-law's family will be coming to see her little sister in the show, and we'll have all of them over for a meal first. Now we're trying to decide whether to give up our dish TV. The year contract will be over soon, and I guess we'll cancel. Back to rabbit ears. It has alread become kind of a game. How cheaply can we eat out? How long can we go without buying new clothes? What old movies can we watch at home instead of going to the movie? I almost always carry a lunch to work now. In all of this I have discovered how much my music really means to me. I would rather sing than eat richly. I have enough food. Look at me and you can tell. But beans and cornbread at home is a nice meal. Abuellos is a nice meal, but costs 1o times what a simple meal at home would. (I am by no means a gourmet cook, so ALL meals at home are simple.) Has anyone else been trying to live a simpler life in order to be a more cheerful giver?