One important benefit of minimal living is the simple reality that it costs less. As you accumulate fewer things, you spend less money. Additionally, it costs much less to store them, maintain them, repair them, clean them, and even discard them. And as your affection for physical possessions begins to fade, you’ll find far more opportunity to use your finances in other ways.
Many people believe the secret to financial freedom is earning more money. Unfortunately, when we begin to make more money without spending restraints in place, we just spend more money… this truth has proven true over and over again (maybe even in your own life). Conversely, the reverse is probably more true: the secret to financial freedom is actually spending less. It’s the simplest solution to (almost) all your money problems.
Live a life that accumulates only the essential often results in the financial freedom you’ve been searching for.
Roland Blais says
In 2007 my wife and I decided to sell it all and move to Texas. After we sold the big house and all our stuff, we moved into a 400 sq ft apartment (while I finished College) with just the bare essentials. We were amazed at how easy it was to live so small and simple. The items that we did save were boxed, and we never needed them to live. Well we have been in Texas for 9 years and have accumulated all that we sold plus more. I miss those days of simplicity and minimalism. Your web-site has re energized me to get back to the basics. Thanks P.S. your all invited to the garage sale!
Larry A says
Everyone interested in this idea should read ‘Your Money or Your Life’ published in the early 1990’s. An exercise is to calculate how much money you have earned in your life and the number of hours it took to earn that money. By doing this you can ask yourself if each purchase you make is worth that much of your life energy instead of considering only the currency cost of the item. The authors also introduce the idea of a ‘joy – to – stuff’ ratio.
Maria Pinto says
Hi Larry,
I heard about that book back when I was on a Simple Living chat line, not sure if I read it but did read some other great books by Duane Elgin, Cecile Andrews, and Elaine St. James. It was a great online community and we talked about everything from frugality to food, politics to religion. It was like a support group as well because for some simplicity is easy and others a lot of work. I think is about balance because it is not a one size fits all, it is different for everyone.
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Larry says
I enjoy being a minimalist. I’m plan my weekly shopping once or twice a week depending how long I’m living in my apartment each time (I have Autism and currently living in supported accommodation with individual apartments but come back and fourth from home.) I’m very slowly trying to cut out most junk food in my diet and only keep a few old favourites. For example I’m trying to slowly eat less cakes and cookies but keep chocolate particularly dark which I love so much more than white and milk now having gave it all up temporarily for nearly two months earlier this year (Lent).
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Simon says
Thank you for your blog. I try to use minimalism to benefit the environment, which I care for deeply. Doing little things to alleviate one’s environmental footprint makes a difference. I’ve found purchasing a $1.00 coffee tumbler from Starbucks saves foam cups from being used by me at work. Another example is using hand towels instead of paper towels. My hope is to use these little steps to build bigger ones.
Hannah says
Basically I try to only buy the things I know I will absolutely need. With this mindset I try to buy things of good quality, which may cost more but in the end will save me money because I only had to buy them once.
If anyone wants to discuss more things related to minimalism join my forum community at:
http://becomingminimalistic.net/forums/
Lukman says
I am currently studying in faculty of economics in university, and it isn’t surprising that the doctrine “having more money to spend more to get happiness” still remains.
I hardly get the unorthodox ways of thinking, in terms of spending less money. But fortunately I found more readings about living minimal and choosing/spending the essential.
I am not still graduated and don’t have a job, though. But at least I know how I would spend my money when I am, and when I have one.
Kenny says
There are two ways to be rich. Have more than you could possibly spend (wont happen!) or–be satisfied with what you have (or less).