The elephant in the room.

So, we've reduced grocery expenses considerably, we've cut way back on eating out, we're more conservative with our household energy use...in other words, the easy stuff.

Have you hugged your car today?

But what about that BIG energy consumer sitting in the driveway, you know, the one that accounts for our largest debt (after our mortgage)? Ah yes, the car.

We recently acquired a second car, and, as car purchases go, I think it was a pretty smart one (a 10 year old, very fuel efficient, low miles commuter car). My husband had been taking the bus to work for the past several months since his much older, less reliable car died a tragic death, and it wasn't an ideal situation for a number of reasons. Well, for my husband, at least — since I wasn't often affected by the lack of a vehicle, I was not as sold on the idea of a second car. "Why not just take the bus," I thought, "What's the big deal?"

Of course, I drive daily, even short distances that I could easily walk if I just allowed myself a little extra time. And I drive a larger "family sedan" that doesn't get the best gas mileage. We bought the car new about a year and a half ago after bad luck with our last used car. We shopped around and determined that a mid-size new car (with a great warranty) made sense for our family — and it might. Or maybe the $450 or so that we pay toward the car payment, gas, and insurance could be put to better use.

But am I willing to give up my car? Is it even practical? Toting diaper bag, stroller, and child on the bus isn't as appealing as hopping in the car. And the public transportation in our area isn't particularly convenient — I'd have to allow about twice the travel time. So, there would be sacrifices...or perhaps I should put a more positive spin on the idea and call them trade-offs. When I mentioned the notion of going back to one car, my husband said it seemed "extreme," which is kind of funny considering that for at least half of the time we've lived together we've shared one car (though much of that time was pre-child). I cannot claim to be ever-virtuous, however, as in the back of my mind I had the same thought. "Good lord, only one car!?" — talk about distorted ideals.

Here's my personal challenge for the month of April: I will drive only on Thursdays and every other Monday (I have ongoing commitments on these days that I cannot reasonably get to via bus/walking), and in the evenings, to simulate the experience of having one shared vehicle (assuming my husband would be willing to take the bus to work on those days should we decide to keep just one car). This will require some big adjustments on my part, particularly better time management, considering my tendency to cram too many things into too little time before rushing to my destination. But I want to try. I know I can make it work if I decide it's worthwhile — and I think it is. Check back at the end of April to see how I did!

The best thing since....

Two loaves of freshly baked honey wheat bread are cooling in the kitchen, filling the house with a warm, homey smell. Bread is one of the many things that I've routinely tossed into my grocery cart without thinking twice. It's convenient, relatively cheap — why would I invest the time and effort to make my own? I love to bake, especially when the end product is quickly realized (cookies, brownies, biscuits); for some reason bread always seemed too intimidating and finicky to be bothered with.

But that satisfying smell alone is worth a lot. Plus the significant cost savings (compared, at least, to the middle-of-the-road, not artisan but not

The local food critic seems to like it.

insubstantial-as-fluff bread that I usually buy). Plus it's really not that much work. Plus it tastes better, fresher, chewier. Okay, at least that's the goal. For my first batch I used the wrong flour (WW pastry), didn't let it rise long enough, and my loaves were short dense bricks. It made for good toast, and I sliced some of it very thin, brushed the slices with olive oil and sprinkled with parmesan or coarsely ground sea salt, then baked. These little crisps were good dippers for hummus. Batch number two rose a little higher, but was still stunted (tasted great, though).

Today's loaves look almost like real sandwich bread. At least I'm making progress.

Why Change?

I hate to admit it, but I am an American stereotype: I'm squarely middle class; I live in the suburbs;

At least I don't live here.

I have two cars, 2 cats, one child; my husband is a white-collar professional and I work part-time from home while caring for my daughter full-time. All of my basic needs are met. Below the surface, things are more complicated. While I've always been good at managing money and avoiding excess, we still have more expenses than we can comfortably handle (yet we feel entitled to luxuries like eating out). I know my life is privileged relative to the majority of the people living on this planet, yet I must confess to comparing my lifestyle and possessions to those of my peers and question whether I measure up. I feel like I'm conscious enough to avoid media messages to spend and acquire, smart enough to avoid catching "affluenza"....but consumption seems so normal that I still consume without full awareness.

I'm looking for a change. To quote one of my favorite books, "I am discontented. I want something I do not have. There must be more to life than having everything!"

The "something I do not have" is a contended life where I worry less about money, about the stuff I don't have (and the stuff I do), about the values I'm modeling for my children, and about my contributions (positive and negative) to the world around me.

The Experiment: I want to simplify my life by reducing expenses, reducing the clutter and unnecessary "stuff" in my life, taking pleasure in what I have rather than coveting what I don't, and feeling more connected to my community and the planet. It's an ambitious goal, so I'm just trying to take a few small steps at a time as I conduct my Simple Experiment. This blog is part "voluntary simplicity" (which I've only begun to learn about), part frugality, part home organization, part green living, plus a little parenting and cooking thrown in for good measure (because living simply does NOT mean giving up cookies).