Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Brian Gardner of No Sidebar.
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Today’s world has many luxuries that are supposed to make life easier. At times they may, but other times, they make things more complicated.
Meanwhile, there are lots of people who dream of simple living. They picture spending their days sitting by a lake and enjoying nature. This dream is often interrupted by reality, but it does not have to be that way. There are things we can do to begin living a simple life.
When people hear “simplify your life“, they may think it means moving into a home in the middle of the woods and living off the land. But that is not necessarily a simpler life—and it may not be for everyone.
Instead, choose things that can keep you in the modern world, but still make life easier.
How to Live a Simple Life
- Get a basic cell phone.
It would be nice to say that a cell phone was not necessary at all, but pay phones have disappeared and if you need to call someone in an emergency, you will need a cell phone.
Instead of getting a smartphone with data and texting, opt for a basic cell phone that only makes or receives calls. There are plans that allow you to get a phone for less than $50 and offer free minutes to talk with every month.
- Cut the cable cord.
Many people are spending well in excess of $100 a month on cable television that gives them 500 different channels. Out of all those channels, most people watch 10 to 15.
Instead of having a cable bill, use over-the-air stations you receive for free. Add a streaming service and you will never miss cable. Without cable, you can go back to an old, reliable method of entertainment—talking to one another.
- Get rid of credit cards.
Credit cards are nice. They allow people to buy things they otherwise could not afford and pay for it over time. They also become a burden that drags many people down each month.
Instead of using credit cards, only buy what you can afford. Stick to that plan and the fear of not being able to pay the bills will quickly disappear.
- Declutter the home.
A search around the home will find many things that are not needed or are no longer used. Find different ways to declutter your life and get rid of the things that are no longer necessary. It is even possible to make some money selling these things that can be used to help in other areas, such as paying off credit card debt.
- Get rid of monthly expenses that are not needed.
Many people are paying for gym memberships, mobile internet service, and many other monthly services they barely use. They have often put the monthly payments on their credit card so they do not even realize how much they are spending and not using.
There are often ways to get the same things that you get from these pay services without having to pay. Gym memberships can be replaced with exercising at a local park or walking around the neighborhood. If you need internet service away from home, look for Wi-Fi hot spots. They are found at many restaurants, hotels, and coffee shops. It might take effort to do this at first, but once it becomes a habit, it is easy to do.
- Start to track your expenses.
One thing people will benefit from doing is tracking the money they spend. It is the best way to find out when you are spending money and what you are spending it on. It is possible you will find you are spending a lot of money you don’t need to. You may find that second car is an expense you may not need. You could take public transportation to work and get by without a second car and all of its headaches. When you realize that, it becomes possible to make changes.
- Track your time.
Pay attention to how much time you are spending doing things. Look for ways to cut down on time you think is being wasted on unnecessary things.
Time and money are two of the most valuable resources people have. When life gets simpler, the amount of these two things that a person has available will rise. That is the benefit of a simpler life in today’s world.
The great thing about this list is that people have choices. They can choose to do one of them, all of them, or some of them. They can start out with just one and then add some others later.
Life is about choices. Choosing simple living is something that is becoming a popular thing to do.
Simple Living FAQ
What’s the difference between minimalism and simple living?
Minimalism, most commonly, pertains to physical possessions. It means living with just the right amount of things and removing the excess. It means removing anything that distracts us from living with intentionality and freedom.
Simple living, on the other hand, is broader in scope and pertains to focus. A simple life is not filled with complications and distractions, it is a life that is lived focused on things that matter to the person. It can also have varying extremes. For some, it’s as simple as cutting their cable bills and getting rid of the TV, while others can go as far as living “off the grid.”
Minimalism and simple living have a lot in common and many aspects intersect.
What are the benefits of simple living?
Simplifying your life frees up more time, money, and mental bandwidth.
Will simple living save me money?
Lowering your expenses will save you money and put you in a better financial position, as long as those cut expenses aren’t replaced by something else.
Matt says
Just watch out for those ‘Public Wifi’ Hotspots. Your information can be exposed so much easier that way. Just an FYI. Cyber security isn’t a joke now-a-days in the zoom meeting and work from home environments.
Esli says
GOOD ADVICE. THERE MANY PEOPLE HAVE CAUSED A LOT OF PAIN TO THEMSELVES BECAUSE OF GREED AND LIVING A LIFESTYLE THEY CAN’T AFFORD. PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE DISCIPLINE AND LIVE WITHIN THEIR MEANS.
Adam Kuti says
Everything makes,am somewhere far from your world(Africa,Ghana to be precise).but this article helped me a lot.thank you.
Janna says
Before making a purchase, ask yourself “Do I need it or just want it?” This helps us to prioritize.
Getting out of debt is crucial.
Make do with less.
Separate yourself from the corrupt systems of the world.
simple way to simplify life says
simplify your life can be done like this:
– determine your priority
– declutter your mind from unnecessary desire, thinking, worries
– do your priority
basically mastering your awareness instead of limiting your life.
on side note, your priority can change depends on the happening at the moment.
Liz says
Great words of wisdom, thank you!
Donna Steinmetz says
very helpful articles
pineconed says
Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to live like a giant red wood tree. No miseries, no anxieties, no trolls, no jerks. Just you and the wind.
Sylvia Leane says
And forest fires!
Zenman says
Please keep it positive
Vic says
I have never had social media and never felt the desire to, but it seems to me that people who have social media find it hard not to be on it all the time. It is addicting and probably most of it is a waste of time. Getting rid of social media would probably make a huge difference in the lives of people who have it. Not having social media means that I’m not expected to come to events for people I’m not that close with because I wouldn’t have seen the event posted. People who are close to me will invite me to their events via phone or email. I’m not obligated to go through people’s pictures to like them just because they liked my pictures. I don’t deal with drama or social media trolls. I still keep in touch with the people I want to keep in touch with but through texting, calling, or in-person visits. I’m not completely lost in current events and I’m not caught up in the latest gossip. I have so much less cluttering my mind. And, people accept this. They don’t shun me because I don’t have social media. Even if they don’t like it, they realize that if they want me to know or go to something they have to invite or tell me about it. Alot of people are actually fascinated and can’t understand how my family doesn’t use social media, which is funny because I can’t understand why people would constantly want other people to know where they are, what they are doing, and for some reason,what they are eating! Getting rid of social media but be difficult for people who are already addicted but I encourage you to try it.
Valerie Curtis says
I thought your article was pretty good. One thing I’d like to mention is that getting rid of credit cards isn’t always a bad thing. We have always paid our balance off at the end of the month, so never incurring interest. Having a credit card, if you can use it maturely is very handy in that you have a lot of rights when purchasing items, get a discounts, and if you travel it’s sooo much better than carrying cash.
Andrew Walter says
I absolutely agree!
Rudraksha Das says
perfect
credit card is very essential for emergency
Christine says
I agree. I put every bill (insurance, cell phone, utilities, trash pick up, etc) on my card, pay in full every month, and it means one payment to track instead of many. Plus, I get cash back for free for doing so.
Sunday Babarinales says
How it works
Kim Land says
Hey Brian,
great list! One area I neglected for a long time was having a cluttered desktop and a lot of tabs open in my browser. Somehow I mainly applied minimalism to my offline life. One time I had over 40 tabs open. Then I realized I have to find a better way to handle this. And now I’m using OneNote to save articles and other important content instead of having it open for later use, which is often never.
Like your minimalist WordPress themes by the way :)