Help me find my new favorite community site

November 26, 2006 11:03 AM

Can you suggest an online community that would help me to live better with less resources?

I've found lots of websites with a bunch of random tips on saving money, and clipping coupons. I'm looking for something less consumeristic and more interactive.

Perhaps a forum (if it is active, and not the usual abandoned php board with 30 empty folders) but ideally, something more like metafilter — a collaborative resource of tips and information about healthy, sustainable living.

Can the hive point me to another hive?

posted by kamelhoecker to society & culture (15 comments total)

wearewhatwedo.org is a 43 things-like project that encourages small actions to help the environment, oneself, and one's community. I don't participate in it but it definitely seems interactive and anti-consumeristic.
posted by nevers at 11:33 AM on November 26, 2006

Moneysavingexpert.com

Looks slightly spammy, but it's a massive resource and has a great forum full of tips on everything (100k+ members.) Martin Lewis is a popular broadcaster on finance in the UK.
posted by fire&wings at 11:42 AM on November 26, 2006

lifehacker

It is a bit whimsical and some of the projects require odd techinical skills. But it generally has interesting ideas for life.

Oh yeah, ReadyMade isn't an online resource, but a neato mag in that vein.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 11:56 AM on November 26, 2006

If you're willing to go to Usenet, try misc.consumers.frugal-living. It's very busy, and there's a motley assortment of posters ranging from plain ol' tightwads to Green homesteaders. I think it fits your criteria quite well.
posted by ROTFL at 12:04 PM on November 26, 2006

I can't tell if you're looking for sites that help save money or for sites that help you live an environmentally-friendly life. So here are two sites about the former:

FatWallet has some very active forums dealing with retail/travel bargains and credit cards.

Metafilter's jdroth has a personal finance blog called Get Rich Slowly.
posted by mullacc at 12:20 PM on November 26, 2006

Found via Mathowie's A Whole Lotta Nothing blog recently, it seems like Wesabe might be what you're looking for. Haven't tried it myself yet, however...
posted by hwickline at 1:05 PM on November 26, 2006

I second "Get Rich Slowly'. It's a great site.
posted by dropkick at 1:29 PM on November 26, 2006

Living better with fewer resources...Sorry, it was bugging me.
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 4:31 PM on November 26, 2006

The Simple Living Discussion Forums are the only place where I spend more time than I do on MeFi ... I've learned a great deal there, and more importantly, it's a constant source of moral support. Lots of traffic, and lots of intelligent, articulate people.
posted by jbickers at 4:56 PM on November 26, 2006

Lifehacker is awesome, tips and advice updated daily
posted by radsqd at 4:19 PM on November 27, 2006

Stretcher.com is great.
posted by mintchip at 5:18 PM on November 27, 2006

thanks for the suggestions everyone.

i've reviewed all of them... if it wasn't clear in my question, i'm less interested in the strictly "money saving" ones, since they seem to be based on the false premises - i.e. saving $10 buying something I don't really need. I'm more interested in seeing the bigger picture.

The blogs, A Whole Lotta Nothing and Get Rich Slowly look good. Lifehacker is amazing. Thanks for that tip.

I've actually got the ReadyMade book. It's a nice little production. Didn't know it was a website too.

The simple living discussion forums look ok. Certainly looks a bit more lively. (I'm not sure why I have this allergic reaction to those stock web forums...) The usenet group has way too much noise.

certainly that's enough to get started. i do have this particular vision of what i'm looking for... so maybe it'll show up in MefiProjects.

oh, and "fewer resources". yes, that does read better!
posted by kamelhoecker at 8:27 PM on November 27, 2006

forgot to say, Wesabe sounded like a great way to visualize and understand spending, but it seems to only track bank statements which isn't much help if you pay for lots of things with cash. (I guess credit card purchases can't be tracked either?) seems rather limited.
posted by kamelhoecker at 8:49 PM on November 27, 2006

Be careful with LifeHacker. They sometimes post software and tips that haven't been checked for spyware or accuracy. That's more true with their PC tips than mac ones.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 9:04 PM on November 28, 2006

Wesabe will soon be compatible w/ paypal, if you use that for your spending. Its point seems to be social networking around your actual spending habits and minimizing/saving (if you have a charge at one grocery store, for example, you can click for tips from other users about saving $$ at that store).
posted by lorimer at 6:49 PM on November 29, 2006