Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.
I don’t have anyone scheduled after today’s post, so I’d love to receive more stories. I know there are more Real Life Minimalists out there — don’t be shy! :-)
This week, we have a wonderful contribution from Fox, who started on his minimalist journey just after college. I wish I’d been as wise at his age!
Fox writes:
I’m the author of The Tiny Ouroboros, a blog dedicated to living tiny, green, simple, and unconventional.
Here’s my profile:
I graduated from college two years ago. I went from relying on my parents to being on my own with a minimum wage job, a student loan, and a car note. I also owned four vehicles’ worth of “stuff.” Straight from financially comfortable to completely broke.
Since then I’ve purged most of my possessions, moved into the smallest/cheapest apartment I could find, picked up a roommate, and plan on having the student loan paid off by the end of 2010. I also took a good, hard look at my life and decided that due to my nomadic nature, RV life is probably a good bet.
As I’ve started purging and repurposing my life, I’ve discovered that I don’t miss most of what I’ve gotten rid of. In fact, I’m happier with less stuff. Less to move, less to think about, less to worry about losing. The idea of being free…free to leave it all behind, if necessary, free to move if I want and work where I wish, free to not have to worry about what to do with all the things that own me…therein lies the secret for a happy life.
I’ve always been a spontaneous person. I can’t stay in one place, and the idea of tying myself down to a job or a town just disgusts me. I want to travel, to move around, to discover new places, new people, and new things. Living in the same place and doing the same thing just isn’t my style. I need flexibility, and minimalism offers that in ways I never thought possible. Not to mention I now find myself “needing” to earn a lot less…a boon for someone who can’t stand money, keeping up with the Joneses, or supporting companies I don’t care for. And I get to spend more time doing what *I* want to do!
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How fantastic! Wish I had been as wise at your age. Good luck with all your future plans. I do hope you have all the pesky loans paid off as per your plan. It is so fabulous to be debt free. That one freedom leads to all other freedoms. Another thing I wish I had discovered years ago!
It is wonderful to be so wise so early on in life. Sounds like you are able to do as you please and not have to worry and that is worth all the $$$ in the world, to me. Thank you for the inspiration.
Fox’s situation right after college is what got me started on the frugal/simple path. It was a HUGE wakeup call to be on my own and struggling to pay bills. Those months of borderline poverty (I could only afford $75 a month to eat) changed my life completely. I wish young people didn’t have to go through these tough times, but it happens. What if the energy, youth, and enthusiasm of college grads could be utilized in productive ways, instead of hopping from Mom’s nest right into $24k of student loan debt? That’s a topic under my skin! In any case, living simply is the way to go. Yay Fox!
Hah! I keep trying to convince my husband that we need to live in an RV–although it’s probably not as fun with two as when you’re single. I am actually getting tired of moving, but we just don’t seem to be able to settle down . . .so I’d prefer to just move my home than keep switching apartments.
Good for you with paying off your student loans this year. Excellent work!
Knowing exactly what you want at such a young age is so great. Knowing that simplicity is the path you want to be on must be so exhilarating for you. Congratulations and good luck with all your simple plans.
~janet
I’ve never had or wanted a big house or lots of possessions and I will be 65 next month.
We have a condo with a library and a spare room since my youngest moved out. Now my mom is living in a nursing home and some of her stuff is coming here. So much stuff to go through, 4 walk-in closets of just clothes. My brother got rid of 40 boxes of papers and magazines. Keeping things you don’t love or need doesn’t help anyone.
I got rid of 5 boxes of my Mom’s papers and only have a tote bag left. Her junk mail comes here so I toss it unless she needs to see it. She was subscribing to 5 or 6 magazines but I got them stopped. Every week I bring her a crossword puzzle book, word searches, or a jig saw puzzle. I get them at the library, rummage sales or thrift shops. I never stock up on anything.
Stocking up. I am visiting a dear relative. Again, 80 rolls of paper towels, a mountain of toilet paper, 10 tubes of toothpaste, 20 bars of soap. More than a years supply of everything. We keep maybe 1-2 weeks’ worth. But this is a big house with a full basement and 4 bedrooms. My husband said years ago if I had too much stuff I would worry about it going bad. We don’t use paper towels, just rags which we wash and re-use. There is also a huge bag of cat food and a huge bag of cat litter for 1 cat.
We went to Target to get a gift for my grandson’s birthday. He had 4 items on his wish list and most were under $5. We walked out with the one item we went to buy. There was nothing else we needed or wanted. I get my magazines and books from the library. I have gift wrap from Goodwill in the house, and cards come from one of the wildlife groups my husband supports. If we didn’t have cards in the house, I would have made one. If we didn’t have gift wrap, I would have used newspaper or junk mail. I have even used old brown paper bags and drawn on them.
I am giving all my plastic bags to my son so he can clean up after his dog. I only need a few to clean up after my cats. I use paper bags for the recycling. I keep plastic bottles to water my plants, the rest get recycled. So much to be rid of.so much junk mail to recycle every day.
I found another use for old, torn clothes. Making jelly fish and coral and other creatures which live in a coral reef. Then I found an artist who builds up layers of paper. I can do that with the recycling or whatever paper products are on hand. A few years ago, we transformed junk into butterflies and dragonflies with reused tissue paper for the wings. They were gorgeous.
We never got into debt when the kids were young. I read the Frugal Zealot books and we took early retirement. DH was 55 and I was 53. I didn’t work full time until all the kids were in school all day. There are so many things to do besides shop. Kids don’t need that much stuff and we lived near a swimming pool and a park. We used to go to the library once a week at least.
I only give my houseplants fertilizer once or twice a year. Since I have a big flower pot full of peels, egg shells, etc. I usually put organic matter in my plants. I am giving away a dozen this afternoon since my balcony is crowded. I try to have
Less and seldom buy new but I still have a lot.
I have 3 sweatshirts. I was thinking of buying a gray cardigan sweater. I buy very few clothes. Maybe 4 items a year. Most of my clothes are second hand or someone gave them to me. I make stacks for the library, the food pantry and Goodwill. Extra greeting cards go to a friend who crafts with them.