Should i be a minimalist

Minimalism is a word that carries a lot of weight these days. Ironic, considering it refers to a lifestyle that is all about living with less.

Documentaries, podcasts, and books have been made and written all about minimalism and how it can change your life for the betterleaving you debt free and with extra time to work on personal relationships.

For many minimalists, the philosophy is about getting rid of excess stuff and living life based on experiences rather than worldly possessions. You can probably see how having less stuff can also free up your life financially.

Although it may just seem like a millennial fad to most, minimalism, when practiced for the right reasons, can benefit your life significantly.

What are the benefits of being a minimalist?

The following benefitsof minimalism come from blogs dedicated to educating people about minimalism. These blogs includeThe Minimalists, Becoming Minimalist, and Miss Minimalist. They all say that becoming a minimalist can help you:

• Be free from financial worry
• Get rid of clutter that doesnt add value to your life
• Spend more on experiences rather than stuff
• Be happier and less stressed
• Go green
• Develop better relationships
• And so much more

Now, lets talk more in-depth about why [or if] you should become a minimalist, and how to go about doing so. Ill also talk about some very real problems with the minimalist philosophy.

Lets be honest, you dont need all your stuffso get rid of some of it

Almost everyone owns something [or a bunch of things] they dont really need. While minimalism takes getting rid of stuff to an extreme, if you pick a couple of major items to sell, you could make a little extra cash.

The MinimalistsJoshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemushave helped minimalism grow via their documentary, podcast, and recently their nationwide tour. They incorporate a rule in their teachingsthe 90/90 rulethat makes a lot of sense.

Look at a possession. Pick something. Anything.Have you used that item in the last 90 days?If you havent, will you use it in the next 90?If not, then its okay tolet go.

You would think it would be easy to get rid of something you hadnt used in the last 90 days, but this is harder than it seems. Sittings in my apartment, I can see a handful of things I could easily live without [namely, my large book collection], but its hard to imagine giving those things up. At the same time, when it comes time to move, Im certain Ill wish I could fill up just my car with my belongings instead of renting a moving van.

If youre more willing than most and can part with most of your possessions, chances are you could probably rake in extra cash by selling them.

You probably dont need a huge apartment/house either

If you have less stuff you can get buy on living in a smaller place. Which can be a huge cost saving factor.

Studio apartments are cheaper than one or two-bedroom apartments. And, if youre really into the idea of living as a minimalist, but dont want to rent, the tiny house market is booming.

Smaller places also cost less in utilities. Heating a large apartment in the winter can run you an extra $100 or more a month. The same goes for air conditioning in the summer.

Its easier to budget if you have fewer expenses

One of the reasons budgeting is so difficult these days is because we have so many extra bills that other generations didnt really have to think about. Internet [and all those streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc.] didnt exist when our parents were our age. This also goes for factoring in expenses such as the lease cost of an iPhone.

Just think about how much you could save if you didnt pay for internet, paid less for your phone, didnt have to buy a car and pay car insurance, etc. That, of course, assumes you could continue with your daily life without those thingswhich many of us could, no matter how difficult it may seem.

If you think minimalism is just about getting rid of your stuff, thats not entirely true. There are minimalist budget systems that rely on the less is more theory. Here are some key components of this kind of budget:

• Use just one credit card [preferably one that offers rewards, if youre credit worthy enough]. If you pay your bills this way, youll earn rewards and not have to worry about which card links up with which bill.
• Have a single checking account, and a savings account just for an emergency fund. This makes it easy to transfer money between the two if need be. You also wont have to deal with pesky fees, and youll lessen the potential for hackers if you have just one account [but be sure touse a very strong password]. In addition, youll be able to track your expenses much more easily.

Of course, this type of budgeting may only work for one type of person. This leads us to the complicated discussion of the problems within minimalism.

The problems with minimalism if you live on a low income

Minimalism has been hailed as a rich, white, single person lifestyle. Theyre the ones with the privilege of owning less. After all, if their car breaks down, they dont need a spare one for parts, they can just go buy a new one. And they dont have the task of entertaining kids with a variety of toys and, in todays day, technology.

Here are a few reasons why its harder to be a minimalist if you arent well off.

Buying food in bulk does not always cut down on the food bill

Its easy to get wrapped up into the idea that buying in bulk saves money. But unless youre buying for a big family, that isnt always the case.

It isnt just the food you dont eat that goes to waste. Spices have a limited shelf life, which means theyll start to lose their potency after a while. If you buy a container of cumin for one recipe, then only use it every few months, youll probably find yourself throwing it away before its empty. But spices typically arent sold in small packets, so how do you get around that?

With a minimalist lifestyle, you buy only the items you need, and your food is consumed rather than tossed out.

Meal delivery as a solution to food waste

In recent years, meal delivery has become a viable answer to food waste. You choose from a selection of meal options, then receive your items in a box, with temperature-controlled packaging to keep everything fresh until you can refrigerate it all. Each meal is portioned for the number of people who will be eating, with only the ingredients necessary for that evenings meal.

If you prefer a wide range of traditional meals, Home Chefhasdown-to-earth selections like pasta and rice bowls and pork chops with vegetables. The cost is slightly more affordable than competitors which makes it great for families or those on a budget. You can choose between servings for two, four, six, or eight people and meal choices are rated by difficulty.

But since so many of us have dietary restrictions, you may appreciate the fact thatHelloFreshhas more options from low-carb to vegetarian meals. You can toggle between plans for two or four people and customize your selection to vegetarian, family-friendly, or low calorie if you dont want the meat and vegetable plan. As with Home Chef, its not only a great way to minimize waste, but youll also learn cooking techniques from expert chefs. Ive also noticed that Home Chef often has special deals running Happy 8th Birthday to Home Chef -- $100 off Birthday Sale! That's $25 off your first 4 orders! Offer is valid 6/9/21 to 6/13/21 that are definitely worth checking out.

Related: 7 Ways To Lower Your Monthly Food Bill

Low income folks cant afford experiences

Minimalism is a theory based on valuing experiences rather than things. While its true that you dont necessarily need money to enjoy your interactions with others, things such as travel or going to the theater cost money that most just dont have. Experiences can cost as much, or more than the things we can accumulate.

The psychology behind owningis important to consider

Theres a reason lower income people [especially those who grew up so] hold on so tightly to their possessions.

If you never had anything growing up, owning anything now holds great value in your mind.

Minimalism is about having the right thingsaka expensive things

Quality over quantity is a popular phrase, especially in minimalism. But theres a reason Walmart and wholesale stores are so popular. Theyre what most people can afford.

Its easy to own just one piece of nice technologya laptop, for exampleif youre not constantly worried it will break and you wont have the money to repair it. I knew plenty of people in college who were technologically inclined and kept boxes of extra, worn out, laptops for their spare parts.

This also holds true for clothing. Sure, buying a pair of really nice, $300 boots could last you years, but coming up with that money upfront can be difficult for someone living paycheck to paycheck. The alternative? Keep buying $30 replacement boots every year, or couple of months.

Should you become a minimalist?A personal account

Ive been critical of minimalism in this post, but I truly believe it holds a lot of great values. You dont have to go all out and get rid of everything you own in favor of living a minimalist life. That is one of the great things about minimalismyou can pick and choose whats right for you.

Maybe you just use a minimalist budget like I described above, or maybe you get rid of those possessions that dont really make you happy and take up a hobby instead.

I wouldnt call myself a die-hard minimalist by any means, but Ive spent quite some time listening to The Minimalists podcast and have been trying to teach myself to live with less.

I started slowly, by simply asking myself each time I wanted to buy something does this bring meaning to my life. For nearly everything, the answer was no. If anything, this simple step has helped me start a substantial emergency fund in lieu of having a closet full of the same plaid flannel in different colors or books Id never read laying around my apartment.

Summary

Whether or not you become any form of minimalist is entirely up to you, but living by a few of their simple philosophies can do wonders for your finances.

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