Minimalism

Minimalism is all about living with less. This includes less financial burdens such as debt and unnecessary expenses. But is it really as easy as just getting rid of your stuff?

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 better—leaving you debt free and with extra time to work on personal relationships.

• Be free from financial worry
• Get rid of clutter that doesn’t 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…

Almost everyone owns something (or a bunch of things) they don’t 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.

You would think it would be easy to get rid of something you hadn’t 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 it’s hard to imagine giving those things up. At the same time, when it comes time to move, I’m certain I’ll wish I could fill up just my car with my belongings instead of renting a moving van.

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 you’re really into the idea of living as a minimalist, but don’t 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 cost a month. The same goes for air conditioning in the summer.

One of the reasons budgeting is so difficult these days is because we have so many extra bills that other generations didn’t really have to think about.

Internet (and all those streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc.) didn’t 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 didn’t pay for internet, paid less for your phone, didn’t have to buy a car and pay car insurance, etc. That, of course, assumes you could continue with your daily life without those things—which many of us could, no matter how difficult it may seem.