The NEW Forum
Loads of imput and Info !
Kent Cricket
My summer job!
Photo Galleries
Pictures from Down the Lane and more widespread !
Chicken Keeping
Keeping hens in your garden. Loads of pages on housing and up-keep etc.
Downshifting
A personal view on downshifting and how I've coped (and haven't)
About cutting costs and the money you don't spend post downshifting
Vegetables & more to make your garden work for you
Fortnightly Diary
Fortnightly memories going back to 2001
Earning a Living
Ways of earning enough to pay the bills through various ventures.Some you can start pre-downshift!
Ex-Battery hens & Battery Farming
An insight to this terrible farming & how to keep them
An Introduction
Natures Free Gifts
A look at nature close to you and the food etc., you can get from it
Growing up in the 50's
Being young in the 1950's
Health & Wellbeing
Guest writers Health & Wellbeing
Interests & Hobbies
Looking at the Niche
Downshifting = earning extra cash = self reliance = frugality = green awareness = contentment
For many, the word 'downshifting' means; giving up the day job, buying a country cottage and living of the land with hard work and no money thrown in.
For some, that may be the case, but what this website is about is basically 'finding a better way of life' by reducing the pressures, seeing more of the family, finding enjoyment through new ventures and still paying the bills relatively on time!
For me this has meant more self-reliance in so far as producing a lot of my own food, keeping chickens and building things rather than buying them.
There are some things I've done well in and others which have been a complete disaster! With the latter, it's not so much how you got there, but having enough wits about you to sort it out and it is through that 'theory' that I have various sources of income and not too attached to any one 'life goal'
My only life goal is to spend the last one-third(ish) doing things which will make the whole thing worth while.
A personal experience of seeking a simpler, more frugal and self reliant life after downshifting in 2000
Although I'm earning perhaps half of the amount I was some seven years ago, I still do the thing's I want to do and more importantly, when I want to.
In the summer's I am lucky (even privileged) enough to have the role as Dressing Room Attendant for Kent County Cricket Club where I look after the Players and have the pleasure of getting to know almost every Cricketer there is to know.
The rest of my time is spent in many guises; I do decorating, gardening and anything which will assist i the bills being paid. This has included Pet Sitting, Stream Clearing, Boot Fairs, TV Extra work, Window Cleaning, Sign-writing, House Cleaning and much more.
My present winter time situation is made up of a 'basic foundation income' with general work in the Cricket Academy, Kitchen Portering. The rest is a mixture of the other things above!
But, it has not been easy and there have been many occasions where finances have been drastic. You can think you're doing alright, then unforeseen matters arise and find yourself thinking that every time the door bells go it's a Debt Collector!
My quest has also led to other things; my lifestyle and experience has been documented in an ITV production, a South Korean TV company have been here for a weekend and I have recently finished a three year long 'Learning Lifes' project with the University of Brighton.
So all of this leads to a pretty colourful life. I don't miss anything of my previous career which finished as a Manager on the railway where I had over 100 people to look after with a budget stretching well over the million pound mark.
I live a life which I would not describe as completely frugal and full of sacrifice. I live a life of self-reliance. I am now my own destiny and with all the kindness I've had from people, it is getting better and better.
Beside numerous 'one off' links to books on various pages, I have a Books Section in which there are pages featuring the best selling books (through Down the Lane) on most website categories
(Links to Amazon.co.uk)
Click Here
Don't expect many answers, just some idea's and experiences!
THANK YOU
WebOne UK for hosting this website and providing me with much technical expertise!
(vist his great Allotment site Here)
THE BLOG
Topics interlect to dribble
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In Chicken Keeping
Rats & Chickens
A fact of nature
Chicken Keeping Hazards
Some things to be aware of
Chicken Keeping FAQ's
Often asked
The Four Seasons
A quick run through
Growing up in the 50's and 60's
Almost all articles now loaded
(20 pages)
Local Pages; Ashford in Kent (9 pages)
In Health & Wellbeing
New Dentures!!
My experiences of December this year (4 pages)
Benefits of Depression?
A new angle on depression
In Cricket
9 new pages about Kent CCC
In The Garden Farm
4 new pages including
'Learning from the Past'
Earning a Living
Small Animal Houses
Turn your DIY skills to money
House & Pet Sitting
Sometimes almost a holiday!
Film & TV Extra work
One experience I've had (my 15 minutes!)
THE BLOG
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