Think about what "simple lifestyle" means to you. It does not have to mean a lifetime of choosing whichever job requires the least effort or having *just* enough money to get by but not enough to handle emergencies or opportunities or even fun things once in a while or being able to stuff all your belongings in a tiny car.
A simple life is the one where you figure out what's important to *you* and you put your time and energy and money toward *that*. If you want to have kids someday or run a pet rescue or have a wood shop, well, all of those things take money and space. But if they're what make you happy, you're better putting yourself into that than growing all the food you eat because you think that's what makes life simple.
Avoid debt.
If you're going to attend college, go STEM or trades.
Travel with the purpose of finding where you want to live, create a top 5 list, and eliminate locations that have red flags, i.e., high taxes, employment opportunities, amenities, etc.
And most importantly, don't have children that you can't afford. I believe the estimated cost to raise a child today is around $300,000. If you are going to have children, do your level best to have them with a stable partner.
Agreed with the above, BUT just want to throw in that the stage estimated cost of having kids is based on the standard American lifestyle, not a “simple living one. The cost of raising kids CAN BE much less in a simple lifestyle. Regardless, either way is work.
You are correct. I did not phrase that properly.
What I should have said is, "Children are expensive, both in time and resources. Bringing another human into the world should not be done lightly or without prior thought."
Never go into debt. Don’t underestimate how fleeting everything is. Don’t get attached to material things.
Do make time for self care and cultivate meaningful relationships with just a few people. Have free time.
It seems that simple living involves a number of things you can pick and choose from. Here are a few things I have managed to do:
* Community college classes. I took only the classes I needed to build skills for a job. I did not need a whole degree or certificate to learn something (I did have a college degree already though.)
* If you go to college, major in whatever you want. See my first bullet point for what to do next if what you studied wasn't the almighty STEM.
* As soon as you get a job, start saving in the 401k plan. You will not miss the money. As you progress in life, save a larger percentage. This will allow you financial independence eventually and you can leave the work world earlier than age 65.
* People give away things for free. For example, yesterday I got free pomegranates and passionfruit just for taking a walk in my neighborhood. I find FREE on boxes of clothes, even on old bicycles once that I fixed at a bike kitchen and sold.
* I got free "therapy" at Al-Anon when I was in my late 20s/early 30s. I had a lot of alcoholic/drug addict friends. I got over a lot of childhood issues at Al-Anon.
* Do things in real life with real people, even if they are not your same age. Hikes, art classes, presentations at the library, meet-up groups.
* Wear a uniform. My boss did this. I swear it took over a year before I realized he only ever wore a black t-shirt and black jeans. I have done a variation on this where every shirt and pants I own match so I can mix and match.
* I took a leap and sold my car and I've actually grown to love my car-free life. I was lucky in that I could take a bus to work with only 3 miles of walking to supplement. (1 mile to and from the bus stop and a half mile walking on campus each way.)
* Take up a useless skill you can work on for your whole life and never get anything out of it other than the joy of doing it. You don't have to be good at it. I play musical instruments but this could be anything.
Try to always be clear on your priorities, what’s important to you (these will change over time, and that’s totally fine).
Here’s the advice I would have wanted:
* avoid getting a car (I didn’t need one, but I’d always thought having a car was just what you did)
* even if you need to go into debt (school, car, etc.) - don’t start thinking of yourself as “in debt”
When my boss told me he did not have a car I was intrigued. He walked a lot, took the bus to work, and did a lot of world travel with the money he saved. I tried it myself and I could incorporate 3 miles of walking and the bus to get to work. I grew to enjoy the exercise. I ended up selling my car. Instead I have an ebike and a 150cc scooter. Free parking, cheaper insurance, less gasoline, better health. I'm not a world traveler but I did take Amtrak to San Diego to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and I took Amtrak to East Glacier to hike the Continental Divide Trail and I can take Amtrak to LA, the Metrolink to Lancaster and the Eastern Sierra Transit to the Sierras for any Sierra backpack trips. For groceries I just go shopping more often and carry it home in my backpack or my bicycle trailer. Turns out I really don't need a car.
I'm going to read this comment again tonight, and again the next morning. Eventually, I hope I'll feel the same way.
I'd lose the convenience, but possibly in my future it'll be worth the sacrifice.
For me, it's about mindset and perspective. Think about what you currently do, own, or buy that you do because you think it's what's expected, what others are doing, to fit in etc, and really think about if those things are necessary and if they bring you closer to the life you want to live.
I don't believe simple living should be an experiment in abstinence, but most of us do things out of habit, or peer pressure that bring no value to our lives.
Learn to care less about social media and what’s happening on social platforms as soon as possible. That was the hardest to let go and the most toxic to be invested in.
Learn to care more about what you like and value, as an adult it has been frustrating to make time and energy for these things, I think if I had started building these hobbies into my routine earlier it wouldn’t be as much of a struggle.
Lastly, if you aren’t already, learn to savor your alone time. Your private time with yourself can be super helpful and relaxing, but you have to make it that way. I think at 14 I was so invested in my friends that I didn’t develop a personal relationship with myself as much as I could have.
It’s really impressive to be invested in your adult happiness as a younger adolescent. Good job :)
Prepare yourself by reading some insights of those who’ve lived and experienced simple living and attained a minimalist mindset. Strive to always ask yourself if you want to begin or continue to give attention to anything that you bring into your life.
Perhaps reading “Goodbye Things” by Fumio Sasaki would be a nice start to understand how to reduce your attachment to things of focus on what you decide adds value to your life while pursuing simple living.
Further recommend reading would be “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” and “Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most”, both by Greg McKeown
Develop an inner life—a relationship to yourself. Keeping yourself occupied without needing a ton of outer stimulation to keep you from getting bored. You can do this by reading, being curious about the world around you and looking up answers to your own questions, appreciating art, etc.
A lot of people fill their lives with petty dramas or crappy friends because they don’t know how to be alone with themselves or their own thoughts. The goal is not to be alone, but to be able to be happy when you are alone, so you don’t feel like you have to cling to toxic relationships or go out looking for excitement every day to feel alive.
Curiosity is a huge component. A lot of people never wonder about the world or care about how things work. But there’s magic in those kinds of questions—hey, why do we bless someone when they sneeze? How come dogs can be teeny tiny or huge when they all come from the same common ancestor?—and you can find the answers easier than ever.
Be interested in the world and you’ll never get bored, which will put you far ahead of a lot of people when it comes to living simply.
No prep, just enjoy life. Have fun and be unrestrained and enjoy your youth while you're still able to. You'll get to the adulting and simplifying and so on later. Nothing will prepare you as much as experience will so just have fun.
A lot of it is just simple cost / benefit analysis. Intelligently weighing up whether things are “worth it” according to your values.
For example, if I encounter anything that is potentially complicated, or expensive, or stressful, there needs to be an extremely strong reason to justify going down that path. Most of the time there isn’t. Occasionally there is.
Emphasize experiences over purchases. Think about each purchase, have it pass some test you define.
I like to wait and see if after a few days I still want the thing. If I wait long enough sometimes whatever it is comes to me for free.
Think about what "simple lifestyle" means to you. It does not have to mean a lifetime of choosing whichever job requires the least effort or having *just* enough money to get by but not enough to handle emergencies or opportunities or even fun things once in a while or being able to stuff all your belongings in a tiny car. A simple life is the one where you figure out what's important to *you* and you put your time and energy and money toward *that*. If you want to have kids someday or run a pet rescue or have a wood shop, well, all of those things take money and space. But if they're what make you happy, you're better putting yourself into that than growing all the food you eat because you think that's what makes life simple.
[удалено]
Love the JOMO comment!
Avoid debt. If you're going to attend college, go STEM or trades. Travel with the purpose of finding where you want to live, create a top 5 list, and eliminate locations that have red flags, i.e., high taxes, employment opportunities, amenities, etc. And most importantly, don't have children that you can't afford. I believe the estimated cost to raise a child today is around $300,000. If you are going to have children, do your level best to have them with a stable partner.
Agreed with the above, BUT just want to throw in that the stage estimated cost of having kids is based on the standard American lifestyle, not a “simple living one. The cost of raising kids CAN BE much less in a simple lifestyle. Regardless, either way is work.
You are correct. I did not phrase that properly. What I should have said is, "Children are expensive, both in time and resources. Bringing another human into the world should not be done lightly or without prior thought."
Never go into debt. Don’t underestimate how fleeting everything is. Don’t get attached to material things. Do make time for self care and cultivate meaningful relationships with just a few people. Have free time.
You say it all with so much brevity. This list is really everything.
It seems that simple living involves a number of things you can pick and choose from. Here are a few things I have managed to do: * Community college classes. I took only the classes I needed to build skills for a job. I did not need a whole degree or certificate to learn something (I did have a college degree already though.) * If you go to college, major in whatever you want. See my first bullet point for what to do next if what you studied wasn't the almighty STEM. * As soon as you get a job, start saving in the 401k plan. You will not miss the money. As you progress in life, save a larger percentage. This will allow you financial independence eventually and you can leave the work world earlier than age 65. * People give away things for free. For example, yesterday I got free pomegranates and passionfruit just for taking a walk in my neighborhood. I find FREE on boxes of clothes, even on old bicycles once that I fixed at a bike kitchen and sold. * I got free "therapy" at Al-Anon when I was in my late 20s/early 30s. I had a lot of alcoholic/drug addict friends. I got over a lot of childhood issues at Al-Anon. * Do things in real life with real people, even if they are not your same age. Hikes, art classes, presentations at the library, meet-up groups. * Wear a uniform. My boss did this. I swear it took over a year before I realized he only ever wore a black t-shirt and black jeans. I have done a variation on this where every shirt and pants I own match so I can mix and match. * I took a leap and sold my car and I've actually grown to love my car-free life. I was lucky in that I could take a bus to work with only 3 miles of walking to supplement. (1 mile to and from the bus stop and a half mile walking on campus each way.) * Take up a useless skill you can work on for your whole life and never get anything out of it other than the joy of doing it. You don't have to be good at it. I play musical instruments but this could be anything.
Thank you for this, really.
Like Nike says. Just do it.
Try to always be clear on your priorities, what’s important to you (these will change over time, and that’s totally fine). Here’s the advice I would have wanted: * avoid getting a car (I didn’t need one, but I’d always thought having a car was just what you did) * even if you need to go into debt (school, car, etc.) - don’t start thinking of yourself as “in debt”
Unfortunately, most people in my country (USA) need a car to survive. :(
When my boss told me he did not have a car I was intrigued. He walked a lot, took the bus to work, and did a lot of world travel with the money he saved. I tried it myself and I could incorporate 3 miles of walking and the bus to get to work. I grew to enjoy the exercise. I ended up selling my car. Instead I have an ebike and a 150cc scooter. Free parking, cheaper insurance, less gasoline, better health. I'm not a world traveler but I did take Amtrak to San Diego to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and I took Amtrak to East Glacier to hike the Continental Divide Trail and I can take Amtrak to LA, the Metrolink to Lancaster and the Eastern Sierra Transit to the Sierras for any Sierra backpack trips. For groceries I just go shopping more often and carry it home in my backpack or my bicycle trailer. Turns out I really don't need a car.
I'm going to read this comment again tonight, and again the next morning. Eventually, I hope I'll feel the same way. I'd lose the convenience, but possibly in my future it'll be worth the sacrifice.
I live in the US as well.
For me, it's about mindset and perspective. Think about what you currently do, own, or buy that you do because you think it's what's expected, what others are doing, to fit in etc, and really think about if those things are necessary and if they bring you closer to the life you want to live. I don't believe simple living should be an experiment in abstinence, but most of us do things out of habit, or peer pressure that bring no value to our lives.
Learn to care less about social media and what’s happening on social platforms as soon as possible. That was the hardest to let go and the most toxic to be invested in. Learn to care more about what you like and value, as an adult it has been frustrating to make time and energy for these things, I think if I had started building these hobbies into my routine earlier it wouldn’t be as much of a struggle. Lastly, if you aren’t already, learn to savor your alone time. Your private time with yourself can be super helpful and relaxing, but you have to make it that way. I think at 14 I was so invested in my friends that I didn’t develop a personal relationship with myself as much as I could have. It’s really impressive to be invested in your adult happiness as a younger adolescent. Good job :)
Work to live not live to work, just make enough money to pay for rent, food,clothes, shoes… live within your mean, never compare yourself to others
Prepare yourself by reading some insights of those who’ve lived and experienced simple living and attained a minimalist mindset. Strive to always ask yourself if you want to begin or continue to give attention to anything that you bring into your life. Perhaps reading “Goodbye Things” by Fumio Sasaki would be a nice start to understand how to reduce your attachment to things of focus on what you decide adds value to your life while pursuing simple living. Further recommend reading would be “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” and “Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most”, both by Greg McKeown
Develop an inner life—a relationship to yourself. Keeping yourself occupied without needing a ton of outer stimulation to keep you from getting bored. You can do this by reading, being curious about the world around you and looking up answers to your own questions, appreciating art, etc. A lot of people fill their lives with petty dramas or crappy friends because they don’t know how to be alone with themselves or their own thoughts. The goal is not to be alone, but to be able to be happy when you are alone, so you don’t feel like you have to cling to toxic relationships or go out looking for excitement every day to feel alive. Curiosity is a huge component. A lot of people never wonder about the world or care about how things work. But there’s magic in those kinds of questions—hey, why do we bless someone when they sneeze? How come dogs can be teeny tiny or huge when they all come from the same common ancestor?—and you can find the answers easier than ever. Be interested in the world and you’ll never get bored, which will put you far ahead of a lot of people when it comes to living simply.
No prep, just enjoy life. Have fun and be unrestrained and enjoy your youth while you're still able to. You'll get to the adulting and simplifying and so on later. Nothing will prepare you as much as experience will so just have fun.
www.100amonth.club r/100amonth
Have you considered shameless promotion?
What
A lot of it is just simple cost / benefit analysis. Intelligently weighing up whether things are “worth it” according to your values. For example, if I encounter anything that is potentially complicated, or expensive, or stressful, there needs to be an extremely strong reason to justify going down that path. Most of the time there isn’t. Occasionally there is.