Personal finance blog that makes you save or earn a little at the time. Simple frugal living.
There’s a misunderstanding of the minimalist movement, that you should somehow have almost nothing, fewer than 100 things, or a house that’s empty and white. This can feel oppressive to some, and privileged to others. But that’s not what minimalism is all about, at least not to me. It’s not about telling people they can’t […]
I have to confess that in recent years, I’ve often lost my minimalist way. The reason is that I get caught up in an obsession, and then I let myself give in to impulses. For example: I got obsessed with chess last year, and bought a new chess set, a tournament set, and an embarrassing […]
We all spend much of our lives in fantasies. I’m included in that observation: I fantasize about living a simple, minimalist life, I fantasize about traveling to foreign wonders, I fantasize about having a nice body, about being a great writer, about being the perfect father, and on and on. This is how we spend […]
These days, nearly everything we want to know is a few keystrokes away, almost instantly gratifying our desire to know something. What’s the weather like outside? Do a quick check of your weather app. Who the heck is Gabriel Garcia Marquez? Ask Wikipedia. Who is the lead boy actor in Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom? Search […]
A lot of people don’t do minimalism because it doesn’t seem realistic for their lives. But what they often mean is that they don’t want others to think they’re weird. Wearing the same clothes every day might seem weird to your friends and co-workers. Having no car might make you seem like an oddball. Not […]
In any kind of negotiation, your ability to walk away is your strongest tool. Those who can walk away from the negotiation — legitimately walk away, not just make a show of it — are in the strongest position. Those who are convinced they need to make the deal are in the weakest position. This […]
We often create an identity for ourselves using things. We have logos or slogans or cute catchphrases on our clothing, and it shows people who we are. We have tattoos or piercings, baseball caps, accessories, smartphones, designer bags, Manolo Blahnik shoes … and these express to others who we are. In our homes, what we […]
It’s true that I might too often make minimalism seem like it’s all roses, all upside. But there is a downside to everything, including minimalism. In order to better prepare you, my lovely and good-hearted reader, for minimalism, it’s my duty to point out some of the downsides. Consider this post my due diligence. Some […]
