2774: [Part 1] 9 Simple Ways for Frugal People To Embrace a More Minimalist Lifestyle by Robyn of A Dime Saved

[00:00:00] Have you ever noticed how a calm mind can really set the stage for a good night's sleep? That's the idea behind our new podcast, Good Sleep. Greg, our host from Optimal Relationships Daily, is here to help ease you into a peaceful night's

[00:00:14] rest with some positive affirmations. And these affirmations aren't just comforting, they can help ease anxiety and nurture positive thoughts, setting you up for true good sleep. So press play on Good Sleep tonight, because a good tomorrow starts with a good night's sleep.

[00:00:32] Just search for Good Sleep in your podcast app and be sure to pick the one from Optimal Living Daily. This is Optimal Finance Daily, episode 2774. 9 Simple Ways for Frugal People to Embrace a More Minimalist Lifestyle. Part 1 by Robin of adimesave.com.

[00:00:53] And I'm your host and personal finance enthusiast, Diana Merriam. This is the show where I read to you from some of the best personal finance blogs on the planet. And today is a bit of a longer post, so I'm splitting it up into two,

[00:01:07] reading the first part today and the second half tomorrow. So with that, let's dive right into part 1 and start optimizing your life. 9 Simple Ways for Frugal People to Embrace a More Minimalist Lifestyle. Part 1 by Robin of adimesave.com. It's no secret that we have a lot of stuff.

[00:01:31] Clutter can not only take over your house, but it can also take up your brain. If your home is cluttered and you have trouble getting organized, then it's time to clean house, both figuratively and literally, and try minimalist living. Here are some tips to get you started.

[00:01:48] What is a minimalist lifestyle? A minimalistic lifestyle goes beyond cleaning your living room and taking a trip to Goodwill to drop off a box of stuff. Minimalism can be applied to every aspect of your life, to clear all the excess. Many start this journey to clean their house,

[00:02:06] save money, and clear their mind. There's a reason the word lifestyle is associated with this. Consumerism is when we're encouraged to buy more and more stuff to fulfill the current trends, or even prove that we can afford to have a bunch of stuff.

[00:02:21] But while social media might be promoting the latest products and distractions, the concept of minimalism encourages simplicity and quality. Being minimalist means continuing to be more intentional about what you buy and use, allowing the main focus to be personal happiness and fulfillment. Is becoming a minimalist worth it?

[00:02:42] The short answer to this question is yes. There are two main reasons we see people start their minimalist journey. One, to get rid of all the junk they have. And two, to save money. There's a clear connection between a clean house and a clean mind.

[00:02:58] Anxiety about money or the inability to relax in our own homes can be helped with minimalism. Less clutter opens us up to focus on other things. Less time spent cleaning means we can actually put that time into the other things we want to do.

[00:03:14] And saving money by buying less has an obvious positive effect on our pocketbooks. What is a minimalist mindset? As we said earlier, this is a lifestyle change. Simply taking a truckload to Goodwill one time won't last long if you haven't switched to a

[00:03:31] minimalist mindset. The first step for most is decluttering, going through their current belongings and deciding what is a need versus a want. Adopting a minimalist lifestyle also includes asking yourself, does this bring joy to my life? And does it make life easier?

[00:03:48] The next step comes when you're on your next shopping spree. A minimalist mindset means new purchases must fit into your minimalistic guidelines. Minimalism is ultimately to improve your internal feelings and mood. So the rules look slightly different to everyone, depending on what goals you have in life.

[00:04:07] Mental clutter is another thing to work on when working towards a minimalist mindset. Using a calendar, creating a schedule and utilizing minimalist habits create a clear head that allows us to focus on our passions instead of our worries.

[00:04:23] No car. Minimalism doesn't just apply to the house. We can cut costs, cut stress and improve our daily habits using minimalism. Depending on your location and the daily commute, getting rid

[00:04:36] of your car might just be the move. This is not a requirement of minimalism, so don't worry if you can't or simply don't want to scrap your wheels. If getting rid of your car seems like the move

[00:04:47] for you though, there are plenty of benefits. The first major one is the money saved on car payments, insurance, gas and repairs. Not to mention the mental benefits of walking and being outside that are gained when you forego the sedan. Kids and minimalism. The perfect need

[00:05:06] and clean houses we see on Pinterest and Instagram look lovely, but I'm sure many of us are questioning how children work in a space like that. First, let's remember that minimalism is geared towards creating less clutter and material possessions, but that doesn't mean an all-white house with

[00:05:23] nothing in it. We can apply the quality over quantity rule to our kids' toys and clear the physical clutter in rooms to allow more play space. One minimalistic idea for birthdays and holidays

[00:05:36] is the four gift rule. The four gift rule means each kid only receives four things for each celebratory milestone and usually follows the rhyme, something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. Minimalist lifestyle starter tips. If this all seems

[00:05:56] overwhelming, then start with these tips on how to start living a simpler life. Number one, shop quality not quantity. There will always be things we need or want in life. The goal of minimalism

[00:06:09] isn't to never buy anything again, it's to make better choices. That's where the idea of quality over quantity comes from. You want to buy products that will last as long as possible so you don't

[00:06:20] have to continue buying them every month. Quality items might be more expensive, but the fact that they last longer than cheaper ones means that money is saved in the future. Number two, hear that on

[00:06:33] tomorrow's episode. You just listened to part one of the post titled, Nine Simple Ways for Frugal People to Embrace a More Minimalist Lifestyle by Robin of adimesave.com and I'll be right back with my

[00:06:50] commentary. Have you been frustrated with personal finance apps that are cluttered with ads, difficult to use or rarely updated? So was Monarch. They built a new kind of personal finance app that's intuitive and powerful, ad-free and constantly improving based on customer feedback. Maybe you're

[00:07:08] saving for a down payment, a wedding, a dream vacation, your kid's college. I found that Monarch makes it so easy to help you reach your financial goals, whatever they are. I definitely wouldn't be

[00:07:19] able to allocate my finances or plan as clearly without help from Monarch. In fact, Monarch is the top rated all-in-one personal finance app. It gives you a comprehensive view of all of your accounts, investments, transactions and more. Create custom budgets, set goals and collaborate with your

[00:07:36] partner. And now get an extended 30-day free trial when you go to monarchmoney.com. After trying out Monarch for myself, I understand why it's the top rated personal finance app. And right now get an extended 30-day free trial when you go to monarchmoney.com.

[00:07:55] That's monarchmoney.com for your extended 30-day free trial. This article is making me reflect on how much I want to declutter my house. I've now lived here over six years, which is the longest I've ever been in one place.

[00:08:15] As much as it was annoying to move every year or two when I lived in New York City, the benefit to that was being forced to come to terms with all of my stuff and get rid of things.

[00:08:26] I always loved the process of settling into a new space, looking at each of my things and deciding where they'll go. It gave me the feeling of a fresh organized start, which I struggle to replicate in

[00:08:38] my house now. I felt it a little bit when my Midwestern gentleman moved in and we combined our stuff a few years ago, but it's probably time for a more thorough decluttering. For me, the biggest benefit of a clean and organized space is the mental clarity. I know

[00:08:54] what I have and where everything is, which gives me a sense that nothing is slipping through the cracks. And this applies to mental and digital clutter too. When I start to feel overwhelmed

[00:09:05] and disorganized, I know it's time to look at my systems and how I might be overextending myself. But this was just the first half of the article, so be sure to come on back tomorrow where we'll finish up this post and where your optimal life awaits.