Sarah Williams
Together with the many other benefits of the minimalist lifestyle – such as a clearer mind, healthier body, better relationships, increased productivity, living more consciously, having less stress and worries, and more – there’s also the money-saving aspect.
Most people don’t consider it a huge advantage of living a simpler and happier life, but indeed it is. Because always choosing less, letting go of the many materialistic needs people usually have, together with reassessing our values and spending habits, and not looking for happiness in outer sources anymore (which can be pretty expensive), means going for the frugal living too.
So let’s see the exact ways in which we can be minimalists and save a lot of money at the same time:
A big home is just unnecessary.
One of the things that saves minimalists most money than anything else, is probably deciding to live in a quieter and more distant city/neighborhood/area and being happy with a smaller home that has just the right space.
Those who prefer to live by conventional wisdom though, who get a degree and work a job in the field their whole lives waiting to retire and finally have time, spend their money on things like a big, luxurious home. Needless to say, that takes a lot more money on a monthly basis to be taken care of, requires more time and attention, and usually goes together with expensive furniture too, and many other things that cost money but bring no real value to the table.
But the level of happiness of such people is rarely something we’d be jealous of.
Eating should be simpler.
Consumers spend a lot of money on food, consider it a privilege to eat out a few times a week, and their grocery list includes many items that our body doesn’t really need, but which sound good, are considered classy, and will make a man feel like a king on the table.
But each meal is supposed to be a simple ritual of preparing your food at home, without using too many additives. Eating only basic foods, which is exactly what our body require and what makes us happy and keeps us strong, should be the norm – that costs almost no money.
No fancy meal will really boost your mood and improve your health. Eating should be just another mindful activity that’s part of daily life, which should be kept simple yet enjoyable.
Minimalists buy less.
Our shopping habits are getting worse. People buy stuff they don’t need, have the awful habit of always getting the latest piece of technology or feel left behind otherwise, aim for having more than one car, more clothes than they can wear, etc.
When you choose the minimalist lifestyle, though, you’ll know all these are unnecessary. You’ll then take a closer look at your belongings, get rid of what’s not essential, will keep only what you’re essentially using that are practical or contributing to your productive life in some way, and just buy something new only when you need it.
No need for anything too fancy.
A minimalist knows how to live life to the fullest without needing fancy jewelries or luxury cars which cost a lot of money for maintenance, expensive technology, excessive decoration at home by famous artists ,or products of premium brands to show off.
Instead, when you are living in the present and let go of what others think as how you’re supposed to live, you can clearly define your values and know exactly what you want and need in life. And that doesn’t include material possessions.
Experiences matter more than anything else.
Another thing that will keep your budget on track which minimalists do, is always looking for the experience, instead of anything material. Meaning, in order to impress a potential partner on a date, you don’t need to take them to the best restaurant or wear your new clothes to boost your confidence.
Instead, you need to open up and talk about interesting stuff, to be consciously experiencing every minute together instead of thinking about the tasks on your to-do list for tomorrow or how your ex treated you. When you travel, you’ll always choose to experience positive vibes and real things instead of buying expensive souvenirs which only costs money.
Your kids won’t need as much as average kids do.
When you’re familiar with the principles of minimalism and simplicity, you’ll be a role model for your children on how to live with less and be happier than those who have more.
Then, your kids will be humble, won’t follow the trends and compare their lives with those of the rest, won’t constantly ask for gifts, and will learn the value of money.
Unplug.
Technology is bad for our peace of mind. Spending too much time online leads to somehow feeling bad about seeing all the great things others are posting, and wondering if we can ever lead such a lifestyle. There’s also the huge amount of unnecessary information, which gets into our head when we’re scrolling down the feed, or checking random sites.
Minimalists take a break from that. They like their mind uncluttered and prefer to keep in touch with loved ones in real life, not through devices.
So that means less pieces of technology for them, less time spent online, and even no TV as it’s what someone else is telling you to watch and isn’t a mindful way to spend your free time.
Staying active without spending money.
You will take more care of yourself and your well-being once you prefer minimalism over consumerism. And that means living an active lifestyle, but not investing any money in it. Instead, you’ll be going out for a walk daily and spending time with nature and clearing your mind.
You’ll go jogging every now and then and unleash your productivity and creativity this way. You’ll stretch often at home, and do some basic exercise while listening to music or even multitasking and getting some chores done.
So that’s how you live like a minimalist and find true happiness, freedom and peace. And spending money doesn’t need to be a big part of this.
Enjoy the simpler and frugal life!
Here’s a video on Japanese practicing a minimalist lifestyle:
Minimalism On The Rise In Japan by AJ+
