Many people turn to minimalism in order to simplify their lives,
save more money and break bad habits. And if you’re familiar with the conversations we have
here, in this community, then you know that I value helping you achieve those very things.
So today we’re talking about minimalism and money.
And how minimalism is not just a tool to help you declutter stuff and things,
but rather how minimalist principles, secrets even, can help you save money.
If that sounds interesting then let's dive right in.
Secret #1: I am not defined by what I own, wear, eat, live in, or drive.
The reality for many people, whether we admit to it or not,
is that we often spend money unnecessarily on building an image. Maybe it’s clothes,
shoes, gadgets, houses we can’t afford, or even food. Regardless of what it is,
buying things in order to maintain a quote-unquote "image" can be extremely expensive.
Especially if we’re only doing it to exude a certain lifestyle or image that we want to
be associated with. Let’s take clothes for example because I can just about guarantee
that you’ll be able to relate to this.
You see in the years leading up to my minimalist journey and before I truly had
a solid hold on my personal finances. I wasted a ton of money on clothes, shoes, and the like
all in an effort to maintain an image. I was progressively allowing myself to be
defined by what I had and wore, not by who I was as a person.
Later realizing that it’s not about fancy clothes or popular name brands,
it’s about feeling good about yourself and choosing clothing that reflects your personality.
So if you were to explore my closet today, you wouldn’t find a lot. Definitely nowhere
near the amount I use to own. What you will find, however,
is a carefully curated collection of items that represent me in some way.
And because of this, not only am I procuring my own image. One that’s not easily influenced
by others. But I’m also saving a ton of money because my time and resources are
going towards things that matter more to me than spending money I don’t have,
on things I don’t need, to try and impress people that aren’t going to care.
Secret #2: Contentment can never be bought.
Question for you. What was the last major thing you bought? And did that purchase
bring you any sort of lasting happiness and satisfaction? Comment your response below.
See one of the toughest truths I had to face on my
journey was the simple fact that more things will not bring you contentment.
Now you might be thinking well, duh Ron. How did you not know that?
Fair point. Touché.
Well in my defense, I did know that, but like many others, I didn’t necessarily prioritize that
truth. Meaning although I knew that contentment was not sitting on the shelves of my favorite
outlet stores, the act of not searching for it was still so difficult to live out.
Leave a comment below if you can relate.
You see, the more money I spent,
the more I realized that I was only making it harder for myself to obtain true contentment.
Think of it like running on a treadmill, and contentment is dangling in front of you.
Now common sense would tell you to stop running,
get off the treadmill and take hold of that contentment.
But what do we do instead? What did I do instead?
Well, I ran faster, I bought more, I spent more, thinking that I'd eventually
reach contentment because it felt so close yet was actually miles away.
I want you to remember something. Contentment is only found in those things that matter most deeply
to us: family, friends, community, passion, gratitude, faith, and adventure.
Things that aren’t things at all and definitely aren’t found sitting
on the shelves of your favorite retail store or in your online shopping cart.
Secret #3: I live and spend by my values.
Something that I recite frequently throughout my content, is that your core values, your personal
values are pivotal to the structural integrity of your life’s foundation. And when you know
what you value, you’ll know what’s important to you. And when you know what’s important,
you’ll know exactly how to spend your time and where to spend your money.
I read something recently, that said minimalism helps you live
intentionally, thus you should spend money intentionally and not accidentally.
And if that is not the most truthful thing you’ve heard today,
then we’re just going to have to agree to disagree because I was hype when I read this.
Not just because it sounds poetic, but the truth it holds is so spot on.
You see when you l prioritize your values, you’ll rarely do anything
without knowing why you’re doing it. And this includes spending money.
Remember, nothing is done accidentally,
only intentionally. And when you learn to move this way in life, consistently, every day.
You will without a doubt live a meaningful life and save a ton of money.
Secret #4: I buy what I need and admire what I don’t.
Now I don’t want you to overanalyze this statement and say that Ron told me that I’m not allowed to
have or want things, other than needs if I want to save money. That’s not what I saying, exactly.
You can buy what you want as long as you’re spending intentionally and not accidentally.
This means you have to have a plan and be an active participant in managing your money.
You see, unintentional spending leads to unintentional accumulation. Which is usually
due to impulsive purchasing—buying things we don’t need and then justifying it with some
sort of excuse. And then we wonder why we have a house full of stuff but never fill fulfilled.
Remember this. If you want to save more money, then you have to spend
more intentionally. Buy what you need and admire what you don’t.
Secret #5: Debt and freedom can never cohabitate.
I think you would agree that a major part of minimalism, is having more freedom in life.
Freedom to live the life you want and do the things you enjoy without the added
weight of clutter, past baggage, poor relationships, and financial hardship.
You see, many of us have allowed ourselves to become trapped in a
cycle of bills and payments. And maybe personally
you’re finding it hard to save because you have so much going out every month.
Now, remember I said debt
and freedom can never cohabitate. So if you’re choosing to pursue freedom,
which I assume you are. Then the most direct path towards reaching that is getting out of debt.
Because when you don’t have debt; when you don’t owe anybody anything; when you’re not
making payments every month. You’ll have more money. Which leads to saving more,
investing more, and spending intentionally so your future self can live that freedom you’re seeking.
If you found value in this conversation comment
below and let me know which part resonated the most with you.
Keep growing, keep learning and always stay true to you.
I’ll see you in the next one.
Peace!