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Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I'm trying to live a minimalist lifestyle and figured the next thing to go would be the microwave and or the tv. Do we really NEED all these appliances and electronic devices? I am wondering if anyone has ever ditched their microwave or tv and what was it like?
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
It would be inconvenient for me to live without a microwave. I must admit. But I can certainly live without TV! I don't even own a TV right now.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
Between tv and looking at stuff for hours on the Internet every day I'm sure most people waste several hours per day. I feel people would be alot more productive and their quality of life would be better if they didn't have these pointless distractions taking up so much of their existence.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
It is possible to ditch the microwave. Our household has been microwave free for many years now. Our food tastes better (in our opinion) without it. It's a mild PITA but one can adjust.
I have to run but I edit the post to add some more details later.
ETA:
I few things I miss about the microwave:
1. The microwave is great at boiling water quickly. It's also OK at steaming vegetables and seafood (but both taste like ass from a microwave).
2. The microwave is great at defrosting frozen meat quickly (but it partially cooks it too, which affects the texture of the meat, IMO).
3. The microwave is convenient at reheating leftovers. Although convenient, I really don't care for the way the microwave zaps leftovers. I'd rather use the stove or an oven, tbh, even if it's slower.
Full disclosure: we did end up buying this gadget:
http://www.brevilleusa.com/the-compa...rt-oven-r.html
Breville Compact Smart Oven
It's the middle of the 3 sizes. About $179, so it's not cheap. The larger ones have a convection fan, which is useful if you want to ditch your full-size gas or electric oven. It's basically a "high end toaster oven." It sort of straddles the gulf between a full size oven and a cheap toaster oven (from a drug store). We either heat up leftovers in the toaster oven, the stove, or in our full size oven. We use the small Breville toaster oven in the summer since it heats up the kitchen a lot *less* than our regular oven.
So maybe this doesn't actually get you to your minimalist lifestyle if you need to replace the microwave with yet another gadget. I got rid of the microwave because I no longer wanted a microwave. We do most of our cooking on 1. The stove rangetop 2. crockpot 3. full size oven 4. Breville toaster oven 5. outside gas grill 6. smoker.
But if push came to shove I could get by with just the stove/oven and not look back and still cook healthy. I think that is minimalist and possible.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I have never been one to live out of a microwave, but when you speak of a truly minimalist life, a microwave does come in handy for leftovers of certain things, and it certainly uses less energy than heating a whole electric oven up to heat up yesterdays lasagna.
While true cord cutting is still being fought by the giants, moneywise get a roku and a tv antenna[the best HD picture is free over the air] and you can watch a ton of stuff for free.
As far as watching less tv and surfing the internet less, the truth is you need to find other things to do. From age 20 to 25 I had no TV at all, cause I didn't want one. Got a lot of reading done. To this day I can rot on the couch watching bad movies for months, but if I have something to do I would not watch it at all.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
Yep, I grew up without either. Radio and books were the only thing we had to entertain ourselves..and playing outside of course. I find I don't even use my microwave now because I read it zaps and destroys so many nutrients..it takes more time but I just do the stove top
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I lived without a TV for several years. I have one now because 1) it was a gift, 2) I'm enjoying getting back to my video games, and 3) I'm a horrible computer/TV multitasker who routinely does both at the same time so I wanted 2 screens lol But ultimately, having only a computer and no TV worked just fine. I haven't had "live" TV/cable for about 8 years.
I know a lot of people who avoid microwaves for the most part just because of the "health" reasons. But when I didn't have a microwave for a few months after moving, I was really perturbed. It's a pain in the ass to heat leftovers any other way, and I tend to cook in batch. But I guess, if you really want to ditch it, the point that could be taken away from that story is that I did obviously get along without one for several months, and I do know people who avoid it like the plague.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I've ditched both ( I didn't have a TV for 8-9 years, but 4 of it I admittedly watched things via laptop ).
I regretted the microwave more than the TV for POPCORN !
I also rented from a room mate who was one of those " no microwave for health " people ... and there might be some truth to it , but leftovers are a PAIN without !
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I have a TV for a computer monitor, but I've never paid for cable because I never saw a need for it. I have hulu and Netflix.
But fuck my microwave. Pitched it 2 weeks ago. I like heating up my left overs on the stove or oven.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I lived without either for the last two years. I used Netflix/iTunes instead of a TV (I also read a ton instead of watching stuff, too) and I didn't really need a microwave since I don't cook much. I think the only time I missed the microwave was when I had leftovers or some kind of liquor store convenience food that couldn't go in an oven.
The only reason I have either one now is because they belong to my boyfriend, not me. I don't think they're necessary at all.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
Our microwave could disappear today and it wouldn't have a serious impact. We really only use it to re-heat leftovers and that can be done on the stove top or in the oven.
Losing TV would be felt more. I have 3 kids and there are certain shows that they love, though we generally limit how much tv they are allowed to watch. My wife also has her favorite shows. The DVR function also gets a lot of use in my house for saving shows and skipping commercials.
Now if I was single I would cut the cord in a second. I generally only watch football on tv and could watch those games at sports bars and still spend less per year than what the television service runs me (and get food and booze in addition to the games), but I'd face an uprising if I tried that now.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I have not had to ditch a TV myself because I have never owned one so I don't know what the losses are.
I have however recently visited my relatives and where there once was a microwave, there is no longer. I guess they got rid of that thing a few months ago. It was tough for me mostly because I would be out all day being busy with something and when I get back exhausted at night and I want to warm up a little food quickly before passing out, I would have to use the stovetop. It's better IMO, but not when I'm exhausted and lazy. So it was harder for me to deal without having the convenience of a microwave.
Food > TV.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
A minimalist lifestyle is about a state of mind, not how many accouterments you send curbside. Appliances are easy to shed, changing your thought process is quite another matter.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I'm surprised actually at y'all that say you don't have microwaves! Here I thought we were the weirdos to not have one... not in over a year. It was kinda annoying at first but now it's normal to be hungry and have to wait 20 mins for the oven to heat your food up sufficiently. Taught me some patience, haha.
We do have a TV but we don't have cable or anything. There's a website called WatchSeries where you can find anything you want fo' free. Laptop gets hooked up to the screen just for a bigger picture.
I agree it's not about getting rid of appliances or anything. If you enjoy having a TV, keep it. If you don't use it, sell it.
I think 'minimalist' is more about only having what you actually use and/or need... like I would think of a single person ditching their 2 bedroom for a studio, etc.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
Quote:
Originally Posted by
sarah101
A minimalist lifestyle is about a state of mind, not how many accouterments you send curbside. Appliances are easy to shed, changing your thought process is quite another matter.
I know. The microwave and tv were the first things that popped into my mind as things I used a lot but could really do without. I just want to let go of some of the "stuff". Like I plan to move here soon and I want to be able to pack quickly and not be held down by stuff. The more stuff I have (especially unnecessary, the more chaos I feel). I also want to know where everything is. I tried to edit the title but I don't know how.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
Don't currently own a microwave but will be getting one soon, only really miss warming up leftovers, been a year without it, 2014 only had laptop with Netflix and Amazon prime was ok but was working all the time anyway, now have full cable and all Hulu etc, I much prefer having the choice even though I watch more Hulu than tv.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
Wow - I use my microwave 20 times a day and my stove maybe once. I even make scrambled eggs in the microwave, no grease, never burned, flawless every time. I heat my coffee, heat my bread, warm my prepared food, on and on. I use the hell out of my TV, Netflix, Amazon, PS4.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I haven't had a TV or microwave in like 7 years. Never miss them but I didn't do it on purpose, I have nothing against either.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
You could use your oven instead of a microwave, so it may not be necessary. Personally though, I need to have a microwave lol. As for TV, I barely ever watch it. I dont see TV as necessary because you can watch TV shows on the internet or even download episodes off of iTunes. I would order cable only to have the internet, because I absolutely have to have internet, it connects me to the world! But yeah, you could ditch your microwave and TV and live okay without them.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I could get used to not having a tv, but not having a microwave would add an extra strain on cooking dinner. Recently bought a new one that has yet to been installed that is just sitting in its original box..dying to use it!
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
Quote:
Originally Posted by
miss.a.p1600
I know. The microwave and tv were the first things that popped into my mind as things I used a lot but could really do without. I just want to let go of some of the "stuff". Like I plan to move here soon and I want to be able to pack quickly and not be held down by stuff. The more stuff I have (especially unnecessary, the more chaos I feel). I also want to know where everything is. I tried to edit the title but I don't know how.
Pack away the belongings of a loved one that passed away and you'll quickly learn the value, or should I say the lack of value, of stuff. Sorry to be a downer but we get these lessons everyday if we look around.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I downsized many things. I have a microwave oven but i used it maybe 2 times in 2 years. (im not actually own it,my landlord does)But in future i will not own it! I dont watch a tv for 10 years and I will avoid it at any cost. I try not use plastic. I bought reusable bags on amazon, and for veggies too. I'm like a hippie or an old lady with my own bags. I reuse glass bottles like from kombucha or juices from italy. I make my own juice so i always pick it with me. I absolutely never buy coffee outside i own my little latte maker. I cant bring myself to pay for that nasty,cheap,moldy coffee made with chlorinated water outside when i can drink my organic coffee with rawmilk 5% fat milk just enough sweet or not sweet at all. I use glass bottle for taking water with me outside. I also dont have almost trash cuz i do compost! But i still have like recycble like plastic and amazon boxes. also i have an amazon prime i dont need to go out,saved my time and energy. some lucky states get even veggies delivered via amazon.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
Why have a computer then ?
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
I haven't had a microwave for the past two years. Moved into this house and there wasn't a built in; said I'd get one for the counter but never did. It's easy enough to reheat things on the stove, oven, or toaster oven.
Got rid of cable, but still have a giant ass tv, and a Roku with Netflix, etc. I save so much time not watching commercials and making a conscious decision about starting a new show instead of flipping channels. Saving the money is nice, but the time saved is way more valuable imo.
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Re: Minimalist Life...no microwave, no tv????
Eh, Just keep the micro and the TV ! Ha. They make like comfy. :)
We gave up cable though ... and that's easy / a huge time saver.