A minimalist budget is a strategy where you spend less than you make, focusing on saving, paying off debt, or investing. The 60/30/10 rule is a popular budgeting system that helps individuals achieve this goal. It involves dividing your take-home pay into 60 for savings, 30 for needs like food, housing, and transportation, and 10 for discretionary spending. Minimalists spend money carefully and with purpose, aiming to eliminate non-essentials and clutter from your budget to leave more money for what you value most.
To become a minimalist with money, one should consolidate accounts and go online for record-keeping. By adopting a minimalist lifestyle, one can save $24630 per year, which is based on factors such as income and the amount spent on basic living expenses. For example, a person could set a goal to spend less than $12,000 in their first year of marriage, which is roughly $1,000 per month.
The 50/30/20 budget is another framework that suggests breaking down your take-home pay into 50 for needs, such as housing, transportation, and groceries. On average, people spend $340, or $143 per week, not including bills like mortgage, rent, utilities, etc.
A minimalist lifestyle allows individuals to focus on what they value most, rather than spending excessively on material possessions. This approach can help individuals build awareness and confidence in their spending habits and improve their overall relationship with their finances. By adopting a minimalist lifestyle, individuals can have more opportunities to spend on items and experiences that are most meaningful to them.
📹 A Minimalist Approach to Spending – How much money do you really need?
Being a minimalist has completely changed my attitude towards spending. I’ve reassessed how much money I really need to live a …
What is the rule of 33 minimalism?
The 333 styling method is a minimalist fashion challenge that encourages individuals to wear only 33 items for three months, including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes. Created by Courtney Carver, it aims to simplify wardrobe choices and promote sustainable fashion habits. The method encourages mindful consumption and can lead to significant savings by reducing decision fatigue, decluttering space, and discovering what clothing items you truly love and use. It also encourages people to find contentment with less and promotes sustainable fashion habits.
What is an extreme minimalist budget?
An extreme minimalist budget involves fewer categories, tighter spending limits, a minimalist mindset, and a simplistic method. Examples include the 50/30/20 budget or a budget with two categories: “Wants” and “Needs”, “Bills and Miscellaneous”, “Essentials” and “Extra”. This allows for easy categorization of expenses, enabling the determination of needed expenses and excess spending on wants.
Are minimalists actually happier?
A survey by the Simplicity Institute found that 87% of 2, 500 people living with fewer possessions reported being happier now than when they owned more. This may seem contradictory, but considering the benefits of living with less, such as less debt, stress, and cleaning, it makes sense. Happiness is not about owning as many possessions as possible; it’s about living life consistent with one’s greatest passions.
How to survive on 500 a month?
To limit your monthly spending to $500, create a strict budget and track every expense. Prioritize essentials like food, utilities, and personal items. Consider options like sharing an apartment, renting a smaller space, or living in lower-cost areas. Keep energy consumption low by using energy-efficient appliances, turning off lights when not in use, and limiting heating and air conditioning use. Minimize food costs by planning meals ahead, buying in bulk, choosing generic brands, cooking at home, and focusing on nutritious, cost-effective foods like grains, beans, and seasonal vegetables. Take advantage of discounts and coupons when shopping.
Are there downsides to minimalism?
The process of reducing unnecessary items can be time-consuming and requires a comprehensive understanding of one’s essential needs, which may not be readily apparent for individuals who do not adhere to minimalist lifestyles or inhabit environments that are conducive to such practices.
What is the 50 20 30 rule for minimalist budgeting?
The 50-30-20 rule proposes a budgetary allocation of 50% to needs, 30% to wants, and 20% to savings. This encompasses the financial resources required to achieve future objectives. The category of “needs” encompasses utility bills, rent or mortgage payments, healthcare expenses, and groceries. This approach ensures a balanced financial plan.
What is the 20 rule minimalist?
Over the past few years, the couple has been reducing their just-in-case possessions, ensuring they don’t pack anything just in case. They believe that any items we need can be replaced for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from their current location. This theory has been proven to be true 100 times, with no replacements needed and no longer requiring more than $20 or going more than 20 minutes. This theory is likely applicable to all items and people, including the couple.
The couple hasn’t missed the hundreds of just-in-case items they’ve gotten rid of, and most didn’t need to be replaced. Getting rid of these items clears their minds, frees up space, and takes the weight off their shoulders.
What is the 80 20 rule in minimalism?
Sara Bereika, founder of Sara Jane Organizing, suggests that we use 20% of what we own 80 percent of the time, leaving the remaining 80 items as clutter. This rule can help people live more simple lives by removing the 80 items we use less frequently. By applying this rule, people can realize the amount of unwanted and unused items they keep in their homes. This can help purge and make their home more organized.
What is the 15 minute rule becoming minimalist?
The “15-minute rule” is a simple and effective way to manage time effectively. It suggests setting a timer for 15 minutes to engage in activities such as walking, journaling, writing, or checking in with friends. Many people believe they don’t have 15 minutes, but they could find the time to do so by reducing distractions, reducing phone usage, and waking up earlier. The rule encourages investing time in something meaningful, but it may lead to waiting for a free time or day off, which may never come.
Do minimalists spend less money?
Minimal living is a cost-effective approach to financial freedom, as it involves accumulating fewer items, reducing expenses related to storage, maintenance, repair, cleaning, and disposal. This approach allows for more opportunities to use finances in other ways. While many believe that earning more money is the secret to financial freedom, it is actually spending less. This is the simplest solution to most money problems. Living a life that accumulates only the essentials often leads to financial freedom. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize a life that accumulates only the essentials to achieve financial freedom.
What is the 30 30 rule for minimalists?
The 30/30 rule, as proposed by The Minimalists, is a concept that suggests that if an item costs more than $30, it may be worthwhile to attempt to live without it for 30 hours. Similarly, if an item costs more than $100, it may be beneficial to wait 30 days before making a decision regarding its purchase. This additional period is intended to assist in evaluating the item’s significance in one’s life.
📹 10 Minimalist Rules That Changed My Life
Here are 10 minimalist rules that changed my life for the better, from decluttering faster to keeping my home clutter-free to saving …
Living tiny really saved my life during the pandemic. My partner and I both were without an income almost overnight. I’m so thankful for my tiny little bus, which was able to provide us a places to live while we navigated resorting our lives. It also allowed us to keep our little space while moving to a new city in a new state to pursue new careers. I’m so, so thankful for tiny life!
Over the last 4-5 years, I have embraced my version of minimalism: only buying and having things that are useful or enrich my life. I’m not extreme, but intentional about what I spend money on and store in my home. I live in a 988 sq foot home. We were looking at those around 700 sq feet, but we offered 37% less than the asking price and got it. (Such a low price being accepted is unusual in the U.S.) And it came with energy efficient heating and cooling. We don’t have a car payment, credit cards or other loans. We rarely eat at restaurants. We do free or low cost activities. We grow some of our own food (and plan to do more next year), canning extra. As a result I only have to work 22 hours a week to support myself and my family. Time is valuable!
I do not think I am a minimalist, but I do live simple, and I did live simple from very early in my life, so now in my 40, I need only to work part-time because all is paid for, including my normal size house 90 metros square (we are 3), my small car, my education. Is so good to be in need to work part-time, I can run the house well, do other things, and be present in my child’s life. my husband does not need either work full time, even though he is doing right now 32 hours. living simple, free for shopping every day, and having loads of stuff that I do not really need is just so liberating. I am teaching my child to think “do you want it or you do you need it”.
Hi Molly, just found your website a few days ago and love your content. I’ve been on a minimalist journey for over 10 years which enabled me to retire early 2 years ago from teaching. Your website is different to all the other minimalist and slow living websites that I’ve been perusal. Your authenticity shines through and the footage of your beautiful location is very soothing to watch. Thanks for sharing your minimalist approach to spending in this article 🙏🐾🥾
We have embraced a more intentional frugal lifestyle over the last few years as with everything that’s gone on it made what matters in life much clearer. I love the outdoors which does require spending money on equipment and clothing. I don’t mind paying more for sustainable, repairable clothing and footwear, brands like Vivobarefoot resole walking boots for a reasonable cost which works out cheaper than buying a new pair each year. Clothing brands like Paramo and Alpkit offer repair services. We’ve been batch cooking and freezing meals, enjoying our local area more than driving to national parks and getting into foraging, free food tastes amazing. I know there are many people in unavoidable difficult financial positions but I also feel many of the people now struggling, who earn good salaries are often a victim of lifestyle inflation and living beyond their means for several years, prioritising cars, bigger houses, holidays before building an emergency fund to weather situations like we’re facing. Hope that doesn’t sound too pithy, and truly hope the government here in the UK do some to ease the pressure on those feeling it most.
Thank you for this article. I live in Poland and I’m a sole trader (which currently isn’t easy). For some time now I’ve been terrified how much money I spend only on bills, taxes, rent etc. I never buy a lot of clothes, but thanks to you I’m now looking for good quality and what I actually need instead of buying something cheap in a mall and often not even wearing it. And I really want to try a minimalist wardrobe. Also, just wanted to say that I’ve started to watch your articles about two weeks ago and honestly they are my escape from the world. I grew up close to nature and now I live in a city and I’m exhausted. Content you create is really interesting, honest and beautiful. And I love your dog! 😀So thank you Molly! 😊❤
Great article and very inspiring. I love Boho Beautiful as well. Definitely focusing more on a minimalist lifestyle now. I totally relate to you spending more on clothes for better quality to avoid Fast Fashion. I did the same. I prefer to shop locally supporting the independent shops on my high street for food to keep them in business too. I also joined my local library last week and am enjoying books from there. Thank you for sharing this article and tips on how you manage your money with the changes to our bills/outgoings in Scotland.🏴🌿💕
I recently retired and reduced my monthly available cash by more than half. I has been an interesting process to reduce my spending and try not to worry. I plan meals carefully based on what is on sale for the week and any leftover produce I dehydrate so that it doesn’t go to waste. I have also started to work on repurposing items I no longer use, especially not throwing something out but repairing or altering for different use. It has been a fun creative process that keeps me busy.
Hello Molly. Good topic. I also try to buy less things, as it doesn’t make me happy. Of course we all need basic stuff, but these days I rather try to invest once in a while in experiences than material things. Having said that you mentioned that everybody has their own needs and comes from another (financial or family) background and has to decide on what to spend money, especially now when everything got more expensive and I agree. Best wishes 🙏
Thank you for this article…I am the same I like to be careful with my money…But…Amazon is my Downfall as I also live in the Highlands and it is sometimes difficult to get things…I have to Travel to Inverness so I am going to challenge myself and not buy anything on Amazon for a whole month…wish me luck 🙂
Having just found your website(and subscribed) I just wanted to comment on how much I’m loving your content. We tried to make the move to an off grid lifestyle up on the West Coast during 20/21, unfortunately plans fell apart(unavoidable), hopefully we’ll find the resolve for another attempt, keep up the great content!👍
Bonjour Molly. 🙏🏻 Je vis près de Paris. J’ai découvert ta chaîne il y a peu de temps et je regarde peu à peu toutes tes vidéos. J’y apprends beaucoup, et j’y découvre de magnifiques paysages. Cela améliore aussi mon anglais car j’arrive bien à te comprendre. Comme toi je réduis mon train de vie, on vit dans un petit appartement, et c’est un réel soulagement et un grand bonheur de se satisfaire de peu et de ne pas avoir de crédit. Merci pour ton partage.
Great article, absolutely love the thought around buy for happiness not social expectations. I think now more than ever people need to be comfortable with discussing money. I had an awful relationship with it until recently where I reflected, amazing lifestyle choice, it’s one I am looking to follow ie tiny and minimal. Keep up the good works guys 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Afternoony. New to your website. Loving your content – Thank you for sharing. I dream of escaping to the highlands, losing myself in the wilderness! We are a family of 5. Though far from living a minimalist life, we have made many positive changes to our living & spending. Far more mindful in our doing & being. We make the best of all we have & our life is so much richer for it! Wishing you a lovely day & I look forward to your next article xx
Your homeland is gorgeous ❤ I’d be curious how living tiny, with a partner and a dog would be . My friend just purchased a tiny home, but hasn’t moved in yet . I spend most my money on cleaning supplies, and paper products. Plus I have a college loan hanging over my head, so I do need a full time job. Im purging my house all the time it seems. I feel like I live pretty minimal, but would like to be better at it.
This is such an important question, I love that you are bringing attention to it. Instead of the goal always being more, more, more, thinking about how much we actually need to survive and thrive is so much more realistic. This approach to minimalism instead of how little you can have is probably more sustainable for most people too 😅
Thanks Molly, really relevant topic! I’ve been trying to spend more mindfully for years, even more so in these current times. I’d be interested in any thoughts on pet food options, I have a small dog and want to move away from the more commercial brands, but other options seem so expensive! Lovely footage in the woods at the start by the way!
I still feel you are priveleged to be able to make the choices you have .For many in low wage jobs and with high rent and prepayment metres for gas and electric they just do not have a choice .I count myself as being privileged that have security but work with many families who simply will never be able to make a choice .