10 Ways to switch to a minimalist lifestyle to make the most of money
Today’s post is contributed by Amy Nickson, a passionate writer on finance. Amy is a professional blogger whom has started her own blog and also works as a contributor for the Oak View Law Group. Please share your opinions by commenting below.
10 Ways to switch to a minimalist lifestyle to make the most of money
Living a minimalist lifestyle has many benefits; it offers more free time, more money in the bank account, and a meaningful way to live the life. Once you adopt a minimalist lifestyle, it will change the way you live your life. Such a lifestyle can change the idea of spending a day, finding happiness, and fulfilling a dream.
However, adopting a minimalist lifestyle is not easy; it is a total transformation of lifestyle.
Most of us have materialistic mindset; therefore, living a minimalist lifestyle can be difficult at the beginning.
However, nothing is impossible; you can try to adopt the simple living mantra to understand the differences between living life with a lot of stuff and living with less.
Keeping in mind that most of you are a beginner when it comes to living a minimalist lifestyle, I am sharing some easy ways to help you to adopt it.
Minimalism is simplifying everything in your life
“Simplifying everything in life” – What does it mean? Well, it means you need to simplify your entire lifestyle including the diet, stuff, debt, health, home, and time.
Sounds scary! Here are 8 easy tips, which can simplify your lifestyle without taking a lot of stress.
1. Write down your minimalism goals
Since living as a minimalist is not easy; you have to be focused on it consistently. Thus, it is important to write down the motive of living a simple life. If debt problem is the main reason you want to simplify your lifestyle, then note it down. Similarly, you can write down other problems that are the reasons behind adopting the minimalist lifestyle, it can be getting no free time for family, feeling stressed out after work, failing to save money, wasting food, and craving for stuff.
If you think it is too difficult to keep going with the minimalist lifestyle, write down the goals. It will motivate you to follow your changed lifestyle.
2. Donate the extra things
Living with unnecessary things often overwhelm us, especially things that are extra. You should find out the extra things and keep them out of your sight. If you don’t need them for at least a month, then you should donate them to people who need them more than you. Once you start living with less stuff, your life will become blissful and less burdened.
Related: Sell stuff on Craigslist or eBay.
3. Carry less things while traveling
Travelling is for refreshment, not for becoming a fashionista. People often take stress regarding the packing for their trip. If they are going for a 4-day trip, they usually pack for 8 days, which is wrong. Pack for 2 day for a 4-day trip. Wash clothes, dry them and wear the same clothes while on a trip. Instead of concentrating on dress up, enjoy the trip wholeheartedly. Carrying less baggage can allow you to move more freely and feel relaxed.
4. Declutter your home
A clean home is blissful. A home full of clutter makes you stressed, irritated, and busy all the time. Thus, you should try to make your home clutter-free, as much as possible. Though the task is not easy, yet you can give it a try. Make your home clutter-free, step by step. Start with your living room, kitchen counter top, bed room, dining space, etc. One day, you will find a neat and clean home with stuff that is necessary.
5. Simplify your style
If you are not a fashion blogger, who needs a lot of stuff to come with fashion tips, then you must try to simplify your everyday style. Don’t go mad with watches, shoes, dresses, bags, jewelry, accessories, etc. Honestly, you know how much is too much. So, show your commitment to other more challenging things in your life instead of wasting money and time on getting dressed up.
6. Go back to the basic
We all are now tech savvy and think all the gadgets are making our life simple. Yes, some are useful, but some are just making your life complicated. How?
The phone is not a necessity; you need to call someone in an emergency. But, now you have a smartphone with sufficient data. You are doing nothing but surfing the phone all the day. A basic phone is enough to contact someone. I agree that smartphone makes our life easier like easy banking, paying money by offering easy banking digital wallet, easy booking, etc. But, it also makes us engaged all the day and you don’t have time to talk to the person who is sitting just beside you.
It is way better to use such gadgets when in need. Enjoy some time with your dear ones to feel alive.
7. Cut down the cable cord
Now cable operators charge about $100 a month for 500 different channels. Out of all the channels, you watch only 7-10. I don’t know why do people pay so much money for things they don’t need at all. Simply pay for channels that you watch mostly and cut down the expenses for those unseen channels.
8. Simplify your meals
Having food is necessary, but thinking what you should eat at breakfast, lunch, and dinner for every day is not necessary. Set the meals for the whole week and rotate it. You will able to eat all the meals that are necessary to intake without wasting time at the grocery store.
9. Build an emergency fund
Financial problem is no doubt one of the biggest stress givers. If you don’t be good with money, it will always create problems. Most of the times, an emergency makes people financially stressful. To fight back with the emergency, people use some easy solutions like using a credit card, taking out a loan, borrowing money from 401(k) fund, etc. All these are financial blunders.
Why commit these painful financial blunders when you have an easy solution to combat with uncertain emergencies. What is the solution? The answer is keeping an emergency fund. Yes, by building an emergency fund, you can cope up with every unforeseen financial challenges without incurring additional debts. You just need to set aside a certain amount into an emergency fund. After a certain time, you will have enough money for any unforeseen emergencies. It will reduce your financial stress to a great extent.
10. Practice frugal living
Frugal living and minimalist living go hand in hand. Frugal living is all about living life in a meaningful way. Frugal living encourages to live within your means. By doing so, you can afford to live a life that you always wanted to live. Living frugally unlocks the world of financial prospects. It will help you save money, pay off debt, fund your children’s education, build a retirement fund (see Andrew’s Investments), plan for a trip, and so on.
Novice minimalists should avoid living an extreme minimalist lifestyle
Living a minimalist lifestyle has many benefits, but you shouldn’t live it in an extreme way. By living an extreme minimalist lifestyle, you will lose the focus and feel demotivated soon. So, you can read books on minimalist living to adopt a minimalist lifestyle in a proper way. The proper guide to minimalist living is important to live with less stuff while feeling delighted. Take small steps to adopt the new lifestyle with less stuff, less debt, and less worry.
Wallet Squirrel is a personal finance blog by best friends Andrew & Adam on how money works, building side-hustles, and the benefits of cleverly investing the profits. Featured on MSN Money, AOL Finance, and more!
Wallet –
Thanks for sharing this. Getting rid of excess “stuff” is freeing and something I hope that everyone is able to partake in. Get ride of the stuff taking space in your life and start making room for what matters.
-Lanny
It’s amazing how much unnecessary stuff the average person has. I consider myself a moderate minimalist and I can always find more things to get rid of. And not once have I regretted letting something go.
They DD (Lanny)!
It’s crazy how you feel more focused when you have less stuff. I currently live in my 583 sqft studio apartment and when I can visually tally everything I have. I can prioritize whats important to me. =)
Thanks for commenting!
-Andrew
Hey Cato!
That’s a really good point, I can’t think of one thing that I’ve ever regretted letting go. It seems like a big deal at the time because you’re giving away something that feels apart of your identity, but afterwards, you usually don’t even remember you ever needed it.
Thanks for commenting!
Andrew
I know the feeling of sellers remorse or whatever you want to call it, but it goes away quickly! Recently I sold my car stereo that I had for years, that was hard for a few hours, but I’m glad I did it! I also just sold an old ping pong table, I was ready to give that away though!
1. Writing down will help me become a better minimalist.
2. I donated a few small things to the thrift store last week. (feels good)
3. I pack a weeks worth for a 2 day trip for comfort – needs work
4. needs work!
5. good in this area
6. alright in this area
7. No cable!
8. Lots of work needed. I need to plan better and eat more leftovers. Need to eat out less.
9. done!
10. Always working on this area!
Ha ha ha, I like it!
I’m failing this hardcore. Living in a big city can easily lead to bad habits (and, of course, the extra expenses that are inherent). But the amount of music gear clutter I have is inexcusable; owning 5 electric guitars doesn’t give me 10 hands…
ha ha ha oh Mike H.
It’s easy to fail at these. I get living in a big city. I live downtown Denver and there are so many distractions, especially when it comes to food. Oh my goodness food.
I’ve never played a musical instrument (I’m lame I know), many of my friends have multiple guitars. Apparently, that’s a thing.
I think it’s the small steps we make to declutter our lives are what make the difference. If that’s what you want at least. It does feel good to let some things go. Good luck with the music gear. =)
Thanks for commenting,
Andrew
Pretty good advice except I’m wondering where pay for the channels you watch came from? How is that even possible? Is there some way to buy channels al a cartel? The closest I’ve come is signing up with Sling. Less $$ but still too much for a whole bunch of stuff I don’t watch! If there is a way to purchase channels a la carte I need to know!