Minimalism lifestyle -- or how to save a fist full of money

[ken nubo]

I love the new "minimalist lifestyle".

Why? Because minimalist lifestyle implies that I can live cheaply.

MINIMALISM AND COMPUTERS

I don't collect things like printed photographs, CDs, DVDs or books. Every multi-media nowadays can be digitalized -- and should be into a nice external USB hard drive.

Also I bought a laptop in 2017 and don't plan on buying another laptop until 2017 -- how come? Because I'M CHEAP!

For example, right now I'm typing this on notepad. Because I don't use bloated softwares, or play video games or anything processing intensive, I don't need to buy a new computer every 2 or 5 years.

I don't download music or movies -- I just stream them. That's how I roll.

On my desktop there are no icons, or flashy programs that tells the weather. I just have a simple text wallpaper, hehe.

MINIMALISM AND CLOTHES

I admit it -- I only have 2 outfit. My daily wear, and my suit, which I hardly wear. 1 outfit! When I go out, I have to wear it because I got no other option.

I spent around $250 on the outfit and it looks super cool ($150 leather jacket, $60 shoe, etc etc) that's why I only need 1, because we all know one superfly outfit will out perform 5 mediocre ones.

My girlfriend calls out on my "1 outfit" but I'm like "Be quiet and make me a sandwich, lady".

MINIMALISM AND MONEY

I don't budget, because budget implies overspending -- which I don't do. I just follow the 80/20 rule when it comes to avoiding big purchases, which are:

1) A mortgage
2) Marriage
3) Having kids
4) Student Loan
5) Credit card debt

Since I don't have any of the above, I probably saved myself at LEAST half a million dollars in the long run.

Here are also some other major points when it comes to saving money:

1) Don't eat out, go to the bar or club
2) Buy namebrand if you have to, but have less outfit
3) Don't buy music, watch cable TV, or DVDs
4) Try your best to quit smoking, drinking or gambling

MINIMALISM AND FITNESS

Ah, exercising. I love it!

I chuckle at people who, in their quest to be more fit/lose weight, start buying fitness DVDs, a new spandex pant, fancy gym equipments, expensive gym membership, ad infinitum. They just spend, spend spend ...

I call it the "Buying stuff to start things" syndrome.

You can be fit as you want -- and you don't need to buy anything. All you need to do is run and do body exercises. Of course, I'm not talking out of my butt. Here is the irrefutable proof:

YouTube - Fitness From the streets Part 2

Enough said

The ultimate Minimalist is living in a car, but that's a topic for another day

[martinogg]

ken,

living thrifty is definately a great thing, and the need to consider spending is becoming more apparent with the times we live in.
i read an article about spending as little as possible. it was actually written in the 70s but a lot of it is still useable today. sorry i have no link, but the important points were:

get rid of your car. this would stop the expenditure on a car, help reduce congestion and also lessen your dependancy on other expenses (i.e. going to the cinema, buying too much food at the supermarket, etc)
live as close to work as possible (saves your commute time and again the car)
find a cheap restaurant and eat there instead of cooking. save on cooking time and expense of using a kitchen and maintaining it

thanks for your insights! very helpful

[Agota]

And what is your reason to live this way?

I mean, are you saving for something, or are you decreasing living costs so you wouldn't have to work so much so you'd have time for your own projects, or is it spending less for the sake of spending less?

And do you actually save money? I mean, if you don't spend money on going out, or on clothes, or on having kids ( ) , where does the money you didn't spend goes?

I just remembered example about saving in one book, when people like to say "oh, I saved loads of money on that sale", but then author asks them "Oh, that's great! Do you still have money you saved?" they get confused, because saving for them is only about spending less, not actually putting money into savings account.

I'm asking because I'm simply interested, and I remember yesterday I was thinking is it worthy to focus on saving every cent and cutting all fun out of your life, or is it wiser to save those 10 percents of your salary, and focus on increasing your income?

..for me it doesn't seem worthy to go overboard with saving and spend your life eating ramen noodles, keeping in mind that only thing we have is present moment, and nobody knows whether we'll be alive on the same time tomorrow.

Don't get me wrong, I think that putting money in your savings account regularly is a great thing, and it gives you very pleasant feeling of control over your finances and stability in the long run. As I said, I just think it's not worthy to go overboard.

[funchy]

Originally Posted by ken nubo

My girlfriend calls out on my "1 outfit" but I'm like "Be quiet and make me a sandwich, lady"....

... avoiding big purchases, which are: Marriage

Sexist and afraid of commitment. Are those things to brag about?

Your girlfriend is only telling the truth. You have 1 outfit. You just said so. Telling her to shut up won't change that you have only 1 outfit. If it didn't bother you to have 1 outfit, why tell her to be quit and go cook you something?

Marriage doesn't cost anything, other than a few dollars for the marriage license. And taxes can drop if you file jointly, if one of you is not making much money.

Dates are absolutely out because they cost money.

Is money really more important that treating the girl right? Shouldn't there be a sense of balance between frugality and love?

2) Buy namebrand if you have to, but have less outfit

But won't the fancy outfit need special care? Drycleaning is expensive. And if you never go out anywhere, who sees it anyway? Ditch the $250 outfit and shop a your local thrift store.

The ultimate Minimalist is living in a car, but that's a topic for another day

No, the ultimate is getting rid of the car, the car insurance, the maintenance, the gas and the parking fees.

If you moved back in to your parent's basement you could be a super-minimalist, owning nothing and not even needing to work.

[Scipio]

You also save money by stealing from charities, which you said in another thread and then refused to even say sorry for.

[Tanja]

Interesting.
So, you save a lot of money, and then what?
For someone who is trying not to be controlled by money and ''things'', you actually still seem controlled by it, just in the opposite direction
Not that there's anything wrong with living without so much unnecessary ''stuff'', I know there are many things I could do without....
But if you feel you're doing it for the right reason, have fun

[Sam kovacs]

Yeah like everyone else, I'd like to now the why, of what you're doing

[ken nubo]

Originally Posted by Sam kovacs

Yeah like everyone else, I'd like to now the why, of what you're doing

Because of the Buddhistques appeal. At one point I considered moving to Japan to live in a zen temple.

[ken nubo]

Originally Posted by Scipio

You also save money by stealing from charities, which you said in another thread and then refused to even say sorry for.

Why are you trolling me

I don't care, I still love you my dear.

[Daffy Duck]

Originally Posted by ken nubo

Also I bought a laptop in 2017 and don't plan on buying another laptop until 2017 -- how come? Because I'M CHEAP

Of course you don't need to buy any new computers... You have one from 8 years in the future! What are you running -- Windows 10?

[NexusOfCompletion]

Originally Posted by ken nubo

"1 outfit" but I'm like "Be quiet and make me a sandwich, lady".

"BREAD ONLY, I'm a minimalist!"

[Andrew Brunelle]

The minimalist lifestyle is great, but be careful about extremism. You don't want to be living in a walk-in closet with room to spare.

I am a minimalist and have been for quite some time, although I find myself drifting away from that mindset more and more, but I only buy things that are of use to me. I wait 30 days before making any major purchase and if I still want it after that, it is clear I will use it. I like what you do with your computer, because I did something similar myself. I had a laptop that lasted me over 5 years because I didn't have extra files and much music on there. It was only when I started ripping some of my CDs onto my computer that the problems started and it took a year for them to manifest.

ZenHabits.net is a great website that talks often about minimalism. The guy who created and writes for the website is an absolute minimalist, although he has something like 6 kids. Go figure. But he has a lot of wisdom to share about minimalism. Check it out.

[vartann]

Originally Posted by Andrew Brunelle

The guy who created and writes for the website is an absolute minimalist, although he has something like 6 kids. Go figure.

yeah good he s not a "maximalist" otherwise he'd pay damn expensive in tuition fees

[adaira]

Originally Posted by Daffy Duck

Of course you don't need to buy any new computers... You have one from 8 years in the future! What are you running -- Windows 10?

lololololol

[escapeplan]

I think a minimalist lifestyle is great during the transistion between your old and new lifestyle. It's not an end in itself but is a useful period as you detox the elements from your past and start afresh on the new.

It's easier to make big lifestyle changes when adopting minimalism temporarily- particuarly if you wish to transistion to independence from employment. Sometimes making the changes and maintaining your existing life can be too much- not least because its financially restrictive. Minimalism gives options but is a fairly pointless goal on its own.

[SomeRandomGuy]

Originally Posted by escapeplan

Minimalism gives options but is a fairly pointless goal on its own.

I have to say that I disagree with your assessment. I believe that minimalism is a very worthy goal. Consuming less resources and relying less on materialistic goods for happiness are very important to me, and I wish more people shared my view.

[escapeplan]

@Somerandomguy,

Yes when you put it like that I can't really disagree. For those that hold those values and live by them I have nothing but admiration.

[Blanks00]

Originally Posted by ken nubo

The ultimate Minimalist is living in a car, but that's a topic for another day

I suspect someone reads tynan.net

[Daffy Duck]

Did you guys know Tynan has spent some time with Steve and Erin? Apparently Erin made a psychic believer out of him!

[ssandra]

Living a minimalism lifestyle is my worst nightmare!!!

I absolutely love spending, spending and some more spending!!

Just to know that you can walk into a store and buy everything you want!! To have gadgets wherever and whenever you want! To have a small network of laptops and a PC at home....

1 laptop for work and demo's (large screen + numpad), 1 notebook computer for on the airplane (small enough to use, with large enough battery power to last at least 10 hours), a pc at home as a private server...

Besides that an Iphone, blackberry (because of blackbarry messenger) and the new Nokia N97...

Clothes.... I don't need or want brand cloths (I wouldn't even know what they are) but to have lots and lots and lots of cloths that you can just mix and wear something different every day....

To have a great nice car (Peugeaut 207 coupe cabrio comes to mind) for when you make long drives, and a nice smaller car for in the city...

To have a house, with a nice garden, living room, reading room, tv room, dinner room, breakfast room.... bedroom, dressing room, bathroom (minimal 3 of course)....

How can anybody not want or like these things????

(ps. I can, have, and do without these things... but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't like to have them!!)

[Daffy Duck]

Saandra,

Possessions can be such a hassle to me. If I use them, fine, but if not... I'd rather give them away. I have tons of books I've read once and will never read again, so I give them away. In the past few years I have moved frequently and having to pack these things up or pay for storage is pointless. I hate carrying extra boxes!

It goes the same for mostly everything else. I don't want 20 cars, because I can only drive one at a time. So two at most is fine with me, to have one as a backup. I don't want a huge mansion, heck, even a 2BR house has more space than I use.

So yeah, it's fun to have toys and luxuries, but only up to a point. Once I cross that point, they become annoyances.

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by Daffy Duck

Saandra,

Possessions can be such a hassle to me. If I use them, fine, but if not... I'd rather give them away. I have tons of books I've read once and will never read again, so I give them away. In the past few years I have moved frequently and having to pack these things up or pay for storage is pointless. I hate carrying extra boxes!

Don't get me wrong, I love giving away stuff as well!

We recently moved to Mexico, and although we sold some of the bigger stuffs, we gave most of the things away. Yes, I could have brought them with me, but why bother..?

So, although I really enjoy having stuff (especially what my husband calls useless stuff) I am not attached to it in any way. If it is gone tomorrow, so be it... but meanwhile I enjoy having it!

[SomeRandomGuy]

Originally Posted by ssandra

Living a minimalism lifestyle is my worst nightmare!!!

I absolutely love spending, spending and some more spending!!

Just to know that you can walk into a store and buy everything you want!! To have gadgets wherever and whenever you want! To have a small network of laptops and a PC at home....

1 laptop for work and demo's (large screen + numpad), 1 notebook computer for on the airplane (small enough to use, with large enough battery power to last at least 10 hours), a pc at home as a private server...

Besides that an Iphone, blackberry (because of blackbarry messenger) and the new Nokia N97...

Clothes.... I don't need or want brand cloths (I wouldn't even know what they are) but to have lots and lots and lots of cloths that you can just mix and wear something different every day....

To have a great nice car (Peugeaut 207 coupe cabrio comes to mind) for when you make long drives, and a nice smaller car for in the city...

To have a house, with a nice garden, living room, reading room, tv room, dinner room, breakfast room.... bedroom, dressing room, bathroom (minimal 3 of course)....

How can anybody not want or like these things????

(ps. I can, have, and do without these things... but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't like to have them!!)

I use to get satisfaction from having lots of things, but that is no longer the case. For me, having lots of stuff just complicates life and gets in the way of what is really important; what leads to real happiness.

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by SomeRandomGuy

For me, having lots of stuff just complicates life and gets in the way of what is really important; what leads to real happiness.

For me, having stuff is not the road to happiness... it is just a side street I like to visit every now and than....

[stayfly]

interesting thread

I love simplicity and live a simple life but I'm not to excessive or obsessive about it and I like my current balance.

for me, my only rule is;

save/invest 70% of my income

and live off the remaining 30%