Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Markus Almond of Brooklyn to Mars.
I paid off my last credit card today. I didn’t feel relieved or excited when I serendipitously eliminated my credit card debt. Nor did I flirt with the idea of buying useless things with my freshly available credit. ‘It is what it is,’ I thought as I clicked ‘confirm payment’ and watched the stressful balance disappear to a big black zero.
When I started jettisoning my belongings last year, I didn’t do it for financial reasons. I was in the process of moving into a new apartment. I was tired of lugging around so much stuff. I was tired of unpacking, cleaning, organizing and shopping. I started getting rid of things. I found Joshua’s book Simplify and came across excellent websites like Becoming Minimalist and The Minimalists.
From these inspiring people, I not only learned how to declutter, digitalize and simplify, I also learned how to focus on art, savor healthy relationships and embrace meaningful experiences. There are enormous benefits to living a simple life – financial independence is one of them. But I was unaware of these benefits when I began dragging expensive furniture, clothing and stereo equipment down two flights of stairs to the curb last winter. I just knew that I wanted it gone.
I discovered that once I got rid of stuff, I had very little desire to buy more. Financial independence was a happily welcomed side effect. It was the result of my newly formed skepticism towards material consumption. I now cringe at advertisements and avoid shopping malls. Since my outlook has changed, I’ve watched my debts slowly vanish.
Today I’m sitting in Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City, NY. I’m surrounded by willow trees, wild flowers, and the occasional little kid bumping along the boardwalk on a scooter. There are water taxis and fishing boats coasting in the East River and above them is every building on the east side of Manhattan. When the sun starts to set, the greens and browns of the cityscape will gradually fade into a billion dollar light show – a universe of tiny windows flickering on and off as workers leave, lovers come home and janitors shuffle from floor to floor turning lights on and off as they enter and leave.
It’s all beautiful and I haven’t spent a dime today.
If you look closely, you can see little flashes popping on the observation deck of the Empire State Building – tourists too caught up in forgetful excitement to disable their flashes. I hope we can all experience that overwhelming wonder and excitement. I hope we all forget to disable our flashes. Life provides many gifts. Most of them are free.
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For more words by Markus Almond, visit brooklyntomars.com.
Image: Markus Almond
Cheryl says
I just loved this one! I read your column daily but this is one spoke to me. I can’t wait to be debt free and enjoy this lifestyle.
A King's Life says
About 3 years ago, we sold our possessions and moved our little family to Costa Rica, to live simpler. We moved with 12 bags. The curious thing that you picked up on is that we also DON’T have that affinity to buy more stuff. When we left, we moved to Bali with only 4 bags. Simplifying our life made more room for the indulgences we now call “Life”, like savoring an afternoon gelato in the shade of palm trees or being able to move more easily. We more free than we ever were!
Maurine says
I am regular visitor, how are you everybody? This article posted at this web site
is really nice.
Wendy G says
Great content, and beautifully written.
If you cringe at advertising and consumerism, given your location maybe you can check out Reverend Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping. The fun side of anti-consumerism!
Thanks for posting this.
Lynne says
Getting debt out of the way is my next step. Congratulations on being debt free.
moving compaNY New York says
I appreciate, cause I discovered exactly what I used to be having a look for.
You’ve ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
Annie says
Great post! I’m a new reader of Becoming Minimalist and have been working my way through previous posts. I finally reached my breaking point earlier this year and began the journey to simplicity in all aspects of my life. I was inspired and motivated by both financial and emotional reasons. By the end of this year I will have erased my credit card debt and be firmly on a path towards building my savings, a lack of which was stressing me to the point of tears sometimes. Emotionally, I was being consumed by the desire to spend, spend, spend and then getting frustrated when I had no place to put all my stuff, not to mention having to keep it all clean and tidy instead of being free to do what I truly want to do. Thank you for posting this and helping one more person find the support they need to buck the consumerist system!
Mark Adam Douglass (@MADouglass) says
Hello Annie.
My journey into simplicity has also been motivated by emotions and finances.
I got myself out of credit card debt this year, and have almost reversed my financial position. That is, I’m almost as far ahead as I was behind. Very exciting.
Good luck with your journey.
Annie says
Thanks Mark, and congratulations on reaching those goals. It was a tough fight for me, and the holidays make it even harder, but I managed to stay within my budget so that it wouldn’t add to my credit woes. It’s really helpful to know I’m not the only person doing this and to get some good ideas from others who understand the struggle.
Best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season and a Simply Joyful New Year!
Nicole says
Congratulations on paying off your credit card and simplifying your life! It is always great to read about people changing their lives in such positive ways. I am in the process of starting a new business and am finding the credit card all too tempting and the all the new things a business needs a little bit overwhelming. However I am lucky to have discovered minimalism a couple of years ago and will try to apply the same principles to my work as I do to my home and family.
Lauren says
I am in the process of accomplishing as much of downsizing as I can – having a large furniture reuse sale; paying off last two credit cards; trading expensive gas guzzling car to smarter hybrid; changing from a high paying stressful job even. I can’t wait. Going to live at the beach and enjoy a taste of life for a change !!!!! I have so little time I can’t wear those designer duds anyway!!!
Daniel Aipa says
Sounds like a good plan to be Lauren – especially living by the beach. I found getting rid of superfluous things is very liberating for me. Sometimes the hardest thing is to let go, but when you do, you feel a weight come off of you.
Aloha and best of luck!
Th green Minimalist ( Paris) says
This is so true. I started to minimize few years ago and today,we are living a life free of to much stuff, free of debt, free of stress with tons of free time.
You can see my blog if you are interested :)
http://thegreenminimalist.blogspot.com/
Thank you Jashua for making a big difference in our lives.
Paris