So it a bit obvious that I am a rather sporadic blogger and haven't updated in the last decade or so. That being said, let's begin anew!
Minimalism
I've dabbled in minimalism for over a year at this point. At some point, I'll go much more in depth about my experience and how it began, but for the sake of this post and actually publishing something, I'll just give a quick overview. It all started when I listened to Marie Kondo's The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up as an audiobook. I was so inspired that I decided to go through everything I owned and ended up donating 32 bags of clothing, books, craft materials and general paraphernalia to Goodwill.
The change in my mental state was incredibly startling. The lack of clutter had such a calming effect on my mind that I began to crave it. At that point, I was still living in my parent's attic, and I would just sit in my cleared-out space and relax. I would sit and read, or go through a yoga routine, or simply enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, completely content with the world.
I combined this with a French aesthetic of living more simply, but richly. To enjoy the simple pleasures in life, and to be completely present in the moment was a revelation. There is not need to deprive yourself if you enjoy in moderation. There's a certain thoughtfulness about that lifestyle and I adapted that philosophy into my own life.
Why I'm Actually Posting: The Shopping Ban
What is a shopping ban? The idea of a shopping ban was first conceived by Cait Flanders, of the popular blog, Blonde with a Budget. The idea behind it is to reduce spending, and increase saving, through not spending money on things not budgeted for. It also helps you live more mindfully and intentionally.
My main motivator for this is to save more money, get my budget back on track and to be more mindful of the items I bring into my life. I blew my budget for December and January, so this is especially important. I also want to save up more money for a new pair of glasses and for traveling. Finally, I haven't been very diligent in really asking myself if I needed something before I bought it in a few months. It's time to rectify that.
The main reason I'm actually writing a post is to keep myself accountable. It's too easy to make a resolution and then forget about it. I want it written down in thought out, concrete guidelines and I want to be able to reflect on my time doing this for future endeavors, if this turns out well.
The Rules:
Budget:
In conclusion, it's going be to extremely hard to live up to these guidelines and hopefully, this budget. I'll keep posting to let you know how it goes!
P.S. This was rather gracelessly written. I'll have to do better in the future.
Minimalism
I've dabbled in minimalism for over a year at this point. At some point, I'll go much more in depth about my experience and how it began, but for the sake of this post and actually publishing something, I'll just give a quick overview. It all started when I listened to Marie Kondo's The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up as an audiobook. I was so inspired that I decided to go through everything I owned and ended up donating 32 bags of clothing, books, craft materials and general paraphernalia to Goodwill.
The change in my mental state was incredibly startling. The lack of clutter had such a calming effect on my mind that I began to crave it. At that point, I was still living in my parent's attic, and I would just sit in my cleared-out space and relax. I would sit and read, or go through a yoga routine, or simply enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, completely content with the world.
I combined this with a French aesthetic of living more simply, but richly. To enjoy the simple pleasures in life, and to be completely present in the moment was a revelation. There is not need to deprive yourself if you enjoy in moderation. There's a certain thoughtfulness about that lifestyle and I adapted that philosophy into my own life.
Why I'm Actually Posting: The Shopping Ban
What is a shopping ban? The idea of a shopping ban was first conceived by Cait Flanders, of the popular blog, Blonde with a Budget. The idea behind it is to reduce spending, and increase saving, through not spending money on things not budgeted for. It also helps you live more mindfully and intentionally.
My main motivator for this is to save more money, get my budget back on track and to be more mindful of the items I bring into my life. I blew my budget for December and January, so this is especially important. I also want to save up more money for a new pair of glasses and for traveling. Finally, I haven't been very diligent in really asking myself if I needed something before I bought it in a few months. It's time to rectify that.
The main reason I'm actually writing a post is to keep myself accountable. It's too easy to make a resolution and then forget about it. I want it written down in thought out, concrete guidelines and I want to be able to reflect on my time doing this for future endeavors, if this turns out well.
The Rules:
- Set a time frame. (In this case, February!)
- Make a list of things you are allowed to spend on.
- Make a list of things you are not allowed to buy, specifically.
- If I break the rules, then I get back on track. No changing the rules midway through or giving up if I spend money on something I shouldn't.
- Make a budget and stick to it.
- Groceries. A girl's got to eat, after all.
- Basic household supplies. (Tin foil, parchment paper, etc. I'll do a post of the pros and cons of stocking up in the future.)
- Going out with friends. I will still go out but I will be even more careful about how much I spend. Instead of full meals, I might order appetizers or I might suggest a cheaper option. However, I will not give it completely.
- Basic living cost and ongoing subscriptions. (Mortgage, maintenance and utilities. I might trim down my subscriptions in the future, but the only one I pay for specifically is my NY Times subscription.)
- Consumer goods, including new clothing, shoes and make up.
- More kitchen appliances and household items.
- Toiletries and cleaning supplies. Most people who commit this challenge allow it. That being said, they usually commit for much longer than a month. I have enough stuff to last me through the 28 days of February.
- Eating out by myself. While I usually meal prep, I'm going to make it a point to not buy food outside if I'm eating on my own. This is especially crucial for coffee and breakfast, which is a bit of a problem for me.
- Books or online courses. I have too many that I have yet to finish. There are also a ton of free resources online if I get the hankering to do some study.
Budget:
In conclusion, it's going be to extremely hard to live up to these guidelines and hopefully, this budget. I'll keep posting to let you know how it goes!
P.S. This was rather gracelessly written. I'll have to do better in the future.
Sounds like a plan!
ReplyDeleteFyi - as CUNY staff we get free web access to NYTimes :) though it isn't the same as reading a physical copy with a cuppa coffee.
Wait, doesn't that run out after a year?
Delete