So, we're all bachelors here (or bachelor-interested people, at the least), we can be honest and open with each other, eh?
I recently needed to buy a couple pairs of boxers (yes, boxers, the secret's out). I was getting low and so I went out and got some. Upon coming home with my new clothing items, I noticed a distinct lack of clean ones available to me in my clean laundry hamper (I have a bad habit of living out my laundry hampers and not actually putting away my clothes, as a sub-tip, don't do what I do). This was when I thought, "Well, Praise the Lord! It's a doubly-good thing that I went out and got new ones today!" Which got me thinking, "I wonder how many bachelors just go out and buy new clothes to prolong doing laundry..."
Now, I'm not saying this is the best tip, it's more of a comical one, really, but I actually think that's a bit of a good idea. Here's why...
More selection
Saving money on laundry because you have to do it less often
Your clothes will last longer because you will wear the same ones less often
You keep up with the times
You can replace old clothing and maintain a good wardrobe
It's an excuse to put off doing laundry, and come on guys, none of us really like doing laundry, do we? I didn't think so...
The only drawback to this is the added expenditure of buying new clothes all the time. If you can afford this kind of a lifestyle, go for it, for those of us not as well-paid bachelors, try to take it slow and buy long-lasting clothing that you really like. I try not to buy something unless I know that I really like the way I look in it and it provides me with a comfortable clothing experience. This way I don't regret my purchases and end up with clothes that are crap.
After all, as Mark Twain once said, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society."
Oh, and if you're reading this and thinking, "I should really do my laundry," go do it!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Bachelor Tip #2: Strawberries Aren't Supposed to Grow White Fur
There are certain things in nature that aren't meant to grow fur.
Strawberries are one of those things.
As bachelors, we need to be wise about the way we buy food. I'm often tempted to buy copious amounts to try and last me as long as possible, but I've been finding that that's not the best method.
You tend to buy too much of some things and not enough of others. Fruit is something not to buy in large amounts. You're just not going to eat it all and you're going to end up with moldy strawberries, black bananas, squishy apples, etc.. Same thing with fresh bread, if you buy too much, it will get moldy before you can finish it and then you will have to throw some out, having wasted your money and food.
That being said, if something non-perishable, or long-time-perishable is at a bargain price, stock up! Better to spend a little extra now and save on that item for the next couple grocery runs!
Also, meat is not supposed to have green spots, period.
It's better to buy (and eat) smaller portions more often than larger portions less often. It may mean a little extra time spent grocery shopping, but you can take advantage of good deals more often, make sure that food doesn't go bad, don't overeat, and save yourself from having to throw out rotting food.
For more tips on keeping food from getting spoiled, and grocery shopping well, check out these articles:
Eat well my bachelor friends!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Bachelor Tip #1: Be Resourceful
The number one thing I've learned since being out on my own, living the bachelor life, is that resourcefulness is KEY! You have to be smart here people! If you don't have something you might need, you have to find some way to make due. For example, my roommate and I don't own a microwave. This makes warming up leftovers a little tricky sometimes. I recently wanted to warm up some leftover honey garlic chicken and rice, and was stumped. Then it came to me, "why don't I just stick it in a frying pan with a little bit of oil?" When you're a bachelor, you gotta try stuff, right? Can't be afraid, just gotta throw caution to the wind and dare! So I did. It turned out just fine, delicious re-friend goodness. It's either be resourceful, or starve. Sometimes we don't have the money to just go out and buy something right away, so we have to come up with creative ways of making due with what we have.
Let me tell you one of the absolute best resources for you as a bachelor. You ready?
It's people.
People are awesome. Having a roommate that you get along with and are able to share with and balance the weight of living with, is awesome. If I'm out of something, I borrow from my roommate and vice versa. It's not about I owe you this and you owe me that, it's "Hey, we're living together. We gotta have each others' backs!"
On top of roommates, close-by friends are an incredible asset! I recently was at a big community pizza making party some of my friends had. They invited about 20 or so people to come by and all bring an ingredient to have enough to make a few pizzas with, and we all made homemade pizzas and pigged out and had an AMAZING time! Instead of having to prepare a whole meal, and use up more groceries, I only needed to prepare a little spicy turkey sausage (so good) for a few pizzas, and the rest was provided by others! Very cheap, easy, and super fun.
On top of cheaper meals, community is excellent for the soul. It can be a scary and crazy experience, moving out of the house and starting life as a young adult. But that's why we have each other. Friends have been the biggest thing for me over these past four months of independence, and I can't be thankful enough for them. I chose to move into a neighbourhood where a large group of my friends lived either in walking or short bus trip distance from me. It makes it so easy to get together and hang out.
Now, I totally encourage the same kind of thing with neighbours. I'm constantly trying to reach out, little bit by little bit, to my neighbours. I live in an apartment building, so I bump into them a lot. I even know a couple by name! As time goes by, I'm meeting more and more people and finding more familiar faces. I think that neighbours are awesome, and making friends with your neighbours is something that's definitely a great resource.
Anyway, all this to say, be resourceful. Create, invent, recycle, find ideas on the internet, books, and this blog! I hope to make this blog a continually growing resource to bachelors everywhere, so check back regularly!
Let me tell you one of the absolute best resources for you as a bachelor. You ready?
It's people.
People are awesome. Having a roommate that you get along with and are able to share with and balance the weight of living with, is awesome. If I'm out of something, I borrow from my roommate and vice versa. It's not about I owe you this and you owe me that, it's "Hey, we're living together. We gotta have each others' backs!"
On top of roommates, close-by friends are an incredible asset! I recently was at a big community pizza making party some of my friends had. They invited about 20 or so people to come by and all bring an ingredient to have enough to make a few pizzas with, and we all made homemade pizzas and pigged out and had an AMAZING time! Instead of having to prepare a whole meal, and use up more groceries, I only needed to prepare a little spicy turkey sausage (so good) for a few pizzas, and the rest was provided by others! Very cheap, easy, and super fun.
On top of cheaper meals, community is excellent for the soul. It can be a scary and crazy experience, moving out of the house and starting life as a young adult. But that's why we have each other. Friends have been the biggest thing for me over these past four months of independence, and I can't be thankful enough for them. I chose to move into a neighbourhood where a large group of my friends lived either in walking or short bus trip distance from me. It makes it so easy to get together and hang out.
Now, I totally encourage the same kind of thing with neighbours. I'm constantly trying to reach out, little bit by little bit, to my neighbours. I live in an apartment building, so I bump into them a lot. I even know a couple by name! As time goes by, I'm meeting more and more people and finding more familiar faces. I think that neighbours are awesome, and making friends with your neighbours is something that's definitely a great resource.
Anyway, all this to say, be resourceful. Create, invent, recycle, find ideas on the internet, books, and this blog! I hope to make this blog a continually growing resource to bachelors everywhere, so check back regularly!
Welcome to The Bachelor Guide
Hi, my name's Matt, and I'm a bachelor.
Bachelorhood is pretty awesome. I'm enjoying it. It's the time when you're unmarried, living on your own, probably in your twenties or thirties, and are learning to live life as an adult. You learn some pretty important lessons about life. You start the process of "domestication". Bachelorhood is a time of growth and exploration, learning what it means to be a grown-up making your own way. I've just moved out, at the age of twenty-three (wish I'd started earlier!), about four months ago and am loving it!
Let me tell you a bit about me. I'm a young guy living in Toronto, Canada. I currently work in IT support for a non-profit organization, a Christian ministry called Catch the Fire, and I volunteer at a church that I attend called Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. I'm a spiritual kind of guy, some might use the word "religious", but I like to think of myself as just an ordinary guy living a faith-based life.
I love music and movies of a wide variety and am a musician, a guitar player.
My favourite thing to do though, is to hang out and have relationship with people, building community. I love people. People are my passion. Without people, life would be really boring. I also like dogs, they're a man's best friend I hear, but people are better. Anyway...
This is The Bachelor Guide. Sorry ladies, it's not a find-you-a-boyfriend blog (though I'm not opposed to it helping with such endeavors). This is a blog by a bachelor, for bachelors. Sharing tips and tricks of bachelor life, as well as the occasional musing on this single, young adult experience, for the young unmarried man out of the house. I plan to have tips like "how to heat up food without a microwave", "how to avoid being a hermit", "how to grocery shop on a budget" and more! I'm also hoping to bring in some guest bloggers, be it current bachelors or recent bachelors, or who knows, maybe even famous bachelors. A guy can hope, right!?
Please feel free to use the comments for blog posts and enjoy the blog!
Bachelorhood is pretty awesome. I'm enjoying it. It's the time when you're unmarried, living on your own, probably in your twenties or thirties, and are learning to live life as an adult. You learn some pretty important lessons about life. You start the process of "domestication". Bachelorhood is a time of growth and exploration, learning what it means to be a grown-up making your own way. I've just moved out, at the age of twenty-three (wish I'd started earlier!), about four months ago and am loving it!
Let me tell you a bit about me. I'm a young guy living in Toronto, Canada. I currently work in IT support for a non-profit organization, a Christian ministry called Catch the Fire, and I volunteer at a church that I attend called Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. I'm a spiritual kind of guy, some might use the word "religious", but I like to think of myself as just an ordinary guy living a faith-based life.
I love music and movies of a wide variety and am a musician, a guitar player.
My favourite thing to do though, is to hang out and have relationship with people, building community. I love people. People are my passion. Without people, life would be really boring. I also like dogs, they're a man's best friend I hear, but people are better. Anyway...
This is The Bachelor Guide. Sorry ladies, it's not a find-you-a-boyfriend blog (though I'm not opposed to it helping with such endeavors). This is a blog by a bachelor, for bachelors. Sharing tips and tricks of bachelor life, as well as the occasional musing on this single, young adult experience, for the young unmarried man out of the house. I plan to have tips like "how to heat up food without a microwave", "how to avoid being a hermit", "how to grocery shop on a budget" and more! I'm also hoping to bring in some guest bloggers, be it current bachelors or recent bachelors, or who knows, maybe even famous bachelors. A guy can hope, right!?
Please feel free to use the comments for blog posts and enjoy the blog!
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