Community Guidelines – Engagement Positive
Welcome to Loving Life And Living On Less — a space where heartful living and resourceful nourishment find each other at the same table. Here, we craft more than meals — we grow connection, we stir reflections, and we season each day with creativity, compassion, and careful simplicity.
This community is for anyone who believes that culinary magic can happen even when the pantry is sparse and the budget lean. It is also for those who’ve learned, perhaps through frugal journeys or humble ingredients, that fewer resources can often mean more inventiveness — and more joy. These guidelines are our collective recipe for safe, meaningful, and kind engagement.
Founded by Nolissa Orvandora in Portland, Oregon, Loving Life And Living On Less brings fresh voices and gentle guidance around budget-friendly food basics, low-cost culinary exploration, frugal fusion cuisine, and meal prep hacks. We invite every reader, commenter, and contributor to honor this mission and nourish this space with the same care we give to our plates and pantries.
Our Shared Values
Our community is rooted in more than recipe tips or clever hacks — it’s built on shared values that inform every post, reply, and moment of interaction:
- Empathy: We come from different backgrounds — financial, cultural, emotional. We honor what each person brings to the table.
- Resourcefulness: Less doesn’t mean lesser. We celebrate creativity born from simplicity.
- Integrity: Share honestly. If a tip is from someone else, say so. Truth builds trust.
- Kindness: Encourage openly, critique gently. A kind voice echoes far longer than a harsh one.
- Accessibility: We embrace inclusive joy in food and life — across every diet, lifestyle, and story.
These values are our ingredients for engagement. They don’t define the limits of conversation — they define its heart.
How We Interact
Engaging in our community is not just about sharing — it’s about offering. When you offer a recipe, a frugal find, or a story of transformation, share it with warmth. When you respond, do so with intention. Here’s what we mean:
- Read with empathy. Imagine the cook behind the comment.
- Reply to inspire, not to correct. Humble advice beats sharp critique.
- Use your voice thoughtfully — words can foster courage or silent retreat.
- Credit original creators when referencing ideas, tips, or images.
- Ask open questions. Listening builds the real flavor of community.
Even disagreement has a place here, if offered gently and joyfully. Think of it like seasoning — just enough, in the right tone, improves the dish.
Respectful Participation
We ask that every visitor, commenter, contributor, or collaborator adhere to the heart of this guideline: be respectful. Specifically:
We welcome:
- Stories of lived experience — from food banks to farmers’ markets
- Creative tips for living richly with less
- Curious questions and practical advice
- Meaningful engagement with our Fresh Insights or Helpful Reads
We do not accept:
- Harassment, hate speech, or targeted critiques
- Spam or irrelevant self-promotion
- Disrespect towards community members based on their lifestyle or experience
- Dismissive attitudes about financial struggles
Respect doesn’t cost a thing — and its return on investment is immeasurable.
Moderation and Safety
Like every good kitchen, this space must be kept clean, clear, and welcoming. Our moderation policies aim not to restrict, but to protect — to nurture a warm, balanced environment that uplifts every voice.
Posts or comments that fail to honor community safety will be gently removed. This includes anything that is aggressive, misleading, or unsafe (such as food advice that violates health guidelines). Repeat offenses may lead to restriction from participation. If you see content that worries you, report it to us via Connect With Our Support Team or email us directly at [email protected].
Moderation is less about limits, and more about care — tending to weeds so growth can happen freely.
Attribution and Sharing
If you love something here and want to share it — that’s why we’re here! But just like a hand-me-down recipe, we ask that you give credit where it’s due. Please:
- Link back to the original article, blog, or contributor when reposting
- Use excerpts, not full posts — and never republish images without permission
- When citing ideas from our seasonal series like Fresh Insights or Low-Cost Culinary Exploration, link to the source directly
This is a shared kitchen of ideas. Respect for authorship makes sure nobody’s soup is served under someone else’s name.
Privacy and Boundaries
Your privacy is sacred. Please never post identifiable, confidential, or personal information in public spaces. This includes your own or others’ data — emails, phone numbers, addresses, or financial information.
To learn exactly how we protect your information, we invite you to read these helpful policies:
Boundaries help this community stay nurturing, not noisy. If you accidentally overstep or feel your own boundaries are being overlooked, please connect with us. Respect begins with listening.
Opportunities to Collaborate
We believe everyone has a gift to share — a layered story, a clever technique, a heartening reminder that less can still be lovely. If you’re interested in contributing or collaborating, we’d love to hear from you. You can explore:
- Inspire Future Growth — for long-term vision and guest features
- Voice for Community — to connect with others through shared values
- Reach + Advertise — for aligned promotional partnerships
Our goal is not just collaboration, but co-creation — a shared stove, a shared story, a shared meal of meaning.
About the Founder
Nolissa Orvandora created Loving Life And Living On Less with one quiet wish: that no one would ever feel ashamed of their starting point — or overlooked for what they could create along the way. Her journey lives in every word of this site. It’s reflected in stories that blend flavor and feeling, savings and self-expression, reality and resilience.
To understand her vision more deeply, please visit Meet Founder.
Reach Out to Us
We are here — present, human, and happy to help. Wondering how to navigate something on the site? Hoping to feature your favorite recipe story? Struggling with a comment thread or need technical support?
You can email us directly at [email protected] or reach us by phone at +1 503-607-8409. We’re available during regular hours:
Open Monday to Friday, 9 AM–5 PM PST
Or you’re always welcome to visit Connect With Our Support Team for common topics and ongoing guidance.
Final Thoughts
This space is more than blog posts. It’s a kind of circle — one that includes you, your voice, and your story. These guidelines don’t exist to gate the garden — they’re the gentle fences that keep it flourishing. Thank you for being here — for reading gently, replying generously, and helping this community become a daily reminder that life, even lived on less, is something truly rich when shared.
Want to explore more? Begin with our homepage, discover why we publish, or revisit the Creative Skills Zone for hands-on how-tos. We’re grateful to have you around the table.