How the road to minimalism is changing me

While cutting out the clutter that complicated my life,  I stumbled onto a state of mind that has changed me. I had no idea releasing all that I did not need, was going to change me on a emotional and spiritual level.

Minimalism has strengthened my resolve and helped me to improve my life and in turn my relationship. It has allowed me to dump my narcissistic tendencies, and gave me the opportunity to look at my life from another perspective. I'm starting to see the world through my partners eyes, its a softer and more sensitive world. I'm starting to listen! and after our conversations, I'm thinking of how I would feel  if I was feeling those feelings of insecurity that my partners experiencing. Instead of pushing the thoughts to the side and dismissing them as week, I'm trying to embrace them, I want to feel her pain so I can support her better. 

Before I adopted the minimalistic approach to life, I was always to busy to stop and even try to understand the emotions my partner was trying to get me to understand. I saw time where I was just still as a waste of time. This made me miss everything I had right in front of me. A women who loves me and two health boys who have there own  unique characters, who need their dad. All I saw was I need more money! I know someone who has a better house, or I just need to earn more money, so we can stay in the fancy hotels and post them on Facebook for everyone to see!

What was I thinking!

I have wasted my life chasing dreams of others, when I had everything of dreams right in front of me the whole time. I was just too selfish to listen to her express her concerns, which I saw as pure obstacles to me getting what I wanted. Instead of trying to understand her perspective and work towards a common goal, I shut her out and proclaimed that she was being difficult. I hid behind the statement "I don't  understand what she was trying to say". In the end all she needed was me to stop and listen and think, she was not an obstacle she is the one holding the ladder. I was just to stubborn to see it.

Now I want for nothing I have an excess of material things as I'm still progressing towards minimalist perfection, but with every step I move closer to my desire minimalist lifestyle it makes me appreciate the things I chosen to keep.
My prized possessions are my wife and children! I know now that if I had nothing but them I would still be happy, and still feel like I have achieve success.

Life changing events happen to us all but only a few times, no matter how good or bad they are there is always a opportunity. For me my worst experience has lead to my best opportunity. Now I know I have never been interested in money but I have been searching for this state of mind. I thought being rich would bring me happiness/ contentment, it turns out its the complete opposite. The less I have the more I appreciate it, what I have now has greater  meaning and value than the cost of the item itself.

After 12 years of being with the amazing women I call my wife, I now realise that what we have is beautiful but like everything in life it needs to be looked after now that my distractions are fewer my focus on my relationship is paying dividends, we are happier and working through our issues as we now have time and interest.
I guess what I'm trying to promote from this blog is that by choosing a  minimalist life to whatever degree you need, it will change you! Money can bring you enjoyment but it does not bring happiness, I now have no spare money as I pay for my sins and I'm happier now then I have ever been.
Spend time with those you love, build meaningful connection with like minded people. Have a open mind and life will only get better.

Things parents should teach their children

Parents should teach their children when they young before they get corrupted that there is more to life than money! They should show them how easy it is to get caught up in the debt trap. They should teach their children to be themselves even if it is not easy, to be happy with what they have and to think about what's important.
The first thing I'm going to tell my children is don't get debt! Now I'm sure your all thinking we all need debt to get what we want. How else will you get that new car, designer jeans and your own place!
My answer is simple save!
When my boys leave school and hopefully go to university they will be told save your money attend any of the local universities so you don't have to live in rented accommodation, instead save the money you would waste on accommodation, food and bills in a high interest account.
The average living costs for a student in Edinburgh are £695 a month only £35 of that cost would still be applicable if they stay at home.

Now think the average degree takes 4 years if they stayed at home they could save £33,475.

To have that in their bank at 22 is an achievement on its own. The most important thing to remember is that they have not had to change anything else about the student experience. So all their spare money has still been spent on partying and living the student life cause hey they are adults now. All I ask is you treat our home with respect but they can come and go as they please bring who they want around have the occasional party when we are away. If it means they stay at home and save then I'm happy.
Once they graduate and find job they should stay home while they work their way up continuing to save. Stay home till 30 if that's what it takes.

That means they can leave home walk into their first house mortgage free. Mortgage free at 30! As a parent I can't even describe how excited that makes me feel for my children. Now that £9135.54 seems like nothing when it comes to interest but if you add the money he would save on a mortgage over 20 years

That's now around the £64k that's a lot of money.
The next important thing we should teach our children is don't finance a car if you can help it, but if you need to as you need to get to work and back and you have not saved enough then remember the 7 year rule.
The 7 year rule allows you to start with nothing finance your first car over 5 years for example buy a £15k car pay it off over 5 years

Then keep it another 2 years after it's paid off and save the payments

This means after 7 years even if your car is worth nothing your next £15k will only need £7592.25 financed if you keep your payments around the same, you will pay this car off in 3 years

But by keeping the car for another 4 years and saving the payments you will end up with £11872.69 to put towards your next car.

The next year the finance will be for just over a year

Then once to save for the next 5 years 10month your next car will be yours with no loans

You could get a holiday included with your next car purchase as a reward
Additionally going forward you can achieve the savings you need  by saving £50 less a month

All the examples above highlight how using credit holds you back, it traps you in a vicious circle.
The biggest and most important lesson I can teach my children is be happy with less they don't need loads of cloths with designer labels, you don't need a new car if it is not broken, and don't rush to live on your own. If they live a minimalist life with  minimalist expectations  they will save money buy what they need not what you want.

Planning food for minimalist family

Currently we spend £400 a month on food our short term goal is to cut this in half. Feeding a family of 4 with good quality protein,  carbohydrates and fats on a reduced budget will take planning.

For months now I have been testing a diet that is suited for minimalists, as a large proportion can be grown on the allotment. The diet uses fat as a fuel opposed to carbohydrate this has been medically proven to benefit our bodies as fat is a more stable fuel, it also allows us to reduced our dependence on glucose which is addictive and a poor fuel, but cheap which is probably why we have grown to be so dependant on it. So far I have seen my blood sugar reduce to 4.2 and my cholesterol drop to 4.4 both now perfect in just two months.

The targeted ratio 

Carbohydrates- between 5 and 10% of daily

Protein- between 15 and 30% of daily

Fats- between 60 and 80% of daily

Targeted macros 

I have created 4 different weekly menus of foods we like to eat and eating them in the correct quantities will align with the above macros. If you are eating 30g of carbs in the morning then the other meals need to be carb free. These menus will reduce our shopping bill by more than half! They give us a guide for planning our trips to the shops, so we don't get distracted and buy other stuff. Currently we are still on the waiting list for a allotment, so we still need to buy all our food. Meals are planned in conjunction with what we plan to grow so eventually, we will be able to cut our shopping budget by half again.

PS where I put pasta this it either marrow/butternut pasta as it is lower in carbs

Maximum weekly spend to achieve the 50% reduction is £46.

On average we will spend £30 on the meal plans this will leave us £16pw for addition items like cleaning products and other sundries if and when required. Looking at the menus above it is clear we can save £2392 over the year which is a great reason to follow the plan.

Future planning "allotment" to save further!

allotment planning general overview a detailed allotment blog will follow soon.

our target allotment is 0.7miles from our house but we are 18th on the list, so we have a few years of waiting

Main food groups

Protein

Chicken, rabbit and fish will be raised on the allotment they all have a dual purposes outlined below

Chicken - these are split into two groups meat birds and layers. Eggs form an important part of our diet. We will need 16 eggs a week to feed our family of 4. The meat birds will be housed separately, we aim to have at least 1 to 2 chickens a week for our pot.

Rabbit  - These amazing animals provide good source of protein, and pelts for garment manufacture.

Fish - these form a key part in our garden as they fertilise and supply nutrients for all our green house plants as part of our aquaponics setup once there at size we will harvest and consume. Once experience is gained we will have prawns and fish.

There is also potential to generate a small additional income through these animals. At farmers markets and through a Facebook page, this is forward thinking but essentially it would be a sign of success as if we are selling we are well fed.

Carbohydrates and Vegetables 

Potatos, fruit trees and soft fruits and vegetables will be farmed on the allotment

Potatoes, sweet potatoes and sweed - well these are a must especially with children as they are versatile and store well

Fruit trees - apples, pears, cherry and plums will be grown at the allotment and in our garden what we don't eat fresh will be pressed and turned into alcohol. Apple and pear cider, the plums will be converted to spirit alcohol to be transformed into gin 

Soft fruits - raspberries, strawberries, gooseberry and currents will be grown these will be eaten fresh what's left will be frozen or preserved for winter months

Vegetables- salad items and various vegetable will be grown either conventionally or via aquaponics 

Herbs and botanicals - these will be grown to add to food and make essential oils for fragrances and soaps a small hobby we have interest in 

Fats

Nuts will make our only source of grown fat these will be walnut and hazelnut. dependant on quantity butters will be made from the surplus.

It is important to recognise it is impossible to grow everything, so surplus should raise sufficient capital to buy what we can't produce. Our goal is to live in balance with our planet if we can feed ourselves we don't need to work as hard, ultimately a life where we feel we are living for us is the ultimate goal.

Living on less the road to minimalism

Up until recently I have never thought about what I spent my money on. If I wanted it I bought it, if it needed doing I got someone to do it. while on the road to minimalism I have started to think long and hard about my choices in life. Whether they were the right or wrong, they have steered me towards this new lifestyle. So, they can't have been all bad!

There is nothing better than a reality check when you’re going down the wrong path.

I thought that I was only happy when spending money, on things that made people stop and look. Money and spending don't make you happy, it has taken me a long time to figure that out. It offers a distraction from the stresses of life, that are caused from spending money on stuff to distract us from the stresses of life!

We would all love to be rich and famous and never have to worry about money, a lot of us dedicate our lives in the pursuit of either or both. There is always a cost to that success, family, health, spirituality or any mixture of them all. We sell our souls to make money to keep up with our peers, show everyone how well we are doing. We over indulge in food and alcohol and waste enough to feed a host of starving people around the world. We don't give our children the attention they require the real stuff that money does not buy, instead we try to buy their affection with stuff that we teach them to covert. Lastly, we don't connect with our earth and the people that live on it with us. Where has the sense of community gone? We used to help each other instead of trying to get ahead all the time. Our culture is no longer a social caring culture, as it was when we use to work together as small villages. Instead we work long hours, both parents need to work so our children are left on their own more than they should be.

We were manipulated into believing that consumption and luxury are the only things that will make us happy but all it does is distracts us like busy bees collecting pollen for the glorification of one. We work hard to get that little honey when we made 10x the amount we received. Unfortunately, we need that honey, so we work for it and thus we are trapped in the circle. When all we need to do is work less make our own honey enough for what we need and forget the rest.

Beware of the debt trap!

Now I know we can't all just move to the country and live off the land, that's not the answer but we can hybrid our lives live simpler work at things we enjoy raising enough money to live.

Live your life for you and your family. Work enough to provide, don't waste on unnecessary luxury, spend time with your children get them off the internet and game consoles, by engaging with them teach them what you know or better yet learn something together.

You don't need a big house and not every child needs their own room, you don't need a double garage full of meaningless possessions.

My son and I are starting to backpack, and plan do small hikes as we progress I hope to learn with him and teach him valuable survival technics to reduce further his tendencies and need for mainstream life. While engaging with the earth as he will be the next generation to inherit this earth and the damage we all have done.

Living on less 

We can have our proverbial cake and eat it! Be smart with your money replace what's broken never before it breaks. How much money do we waste in a life replacing tv's, mobile phones, furniture and other gadgets that aren't broken. You will never keep up with technology, last year's smart phone is just as useful as this years. Do you really need a tv in every room and 1080p was fine yesterday you don't need 4k. Make tv time family time, remember when there was just one tv in the house I do, and I still remember watching Saturday night tv with my father! Now that he has gone these are the memories I find myself thinking about, never what he bought me.

Simple changes I have made or plan to make in order to reduce my out-goings.

1. Sim only contracts we will save around £40 a month as opposed to a contract with phone. That's £480 a year and with at least two mobile users in our households that’s doubled.
2. The average home owner replaces their household appliances before they break adopt a use till destruction approach, I can’t tell you how many appliances I have in my garage that I don't use but I needed.
3. Don't have Now tv, Amazon, Netflix and cable tv! Pick one you don't need to watch everything, and you will save at least a subscription or two. 
4. Shop around I saved £30 a month by switching broadband telephone and tv £360 a year
5. Don't be ashamed to sell unwanted stuff gumtree is free or try your local car boots not only is it great to get rid of your unwanted items, but you can find stuff you need at great prices plus it gets you talking to people rather than cold transaction online.
6. Don't be too proud to buy second hand it is insanely cheaper than new.
7. Upcycle your unwanted stuff if it looks tatty use YouTube and learn how to make it look good, it does require effort yes but the saving can be huge. The satisfaction of a job well done can have longer lasting psychological benefits that money can’t buy. 
8. Look for deals change banks yearly get cashback and cash offers. This year we raise £370 and 2% cash back on direct debits. 
9. Replace your window washer by doing it yourself saved £96 a year
10. Wash your own car, we have two cars and used to get them valeted alternatively @ £20 a month. We now save £240 a year, plus get a bit of exercise every fortnight
11. Reduce food budget by half through planning a 4-week cycle buying only what is needed. This has cut our shopping bill from £400 to £200 a month that’s £2400 a year with further saving projected

Save your money everyone talks about interest, yes interest on savings is notoriously rubbish. The economy needs this as if we are not spending the economy shrinks and that affects credit! However, if you don't get a loan and save for something that you need, you get a return of 24% that's your saving on interest from a standard loan. Plus, you remain safe you not affected by the swing of the economy because you own what you have not the bank.

A new tactic we have started is to have a money box and every time anyone in the family chooses to save rather than spend, they put the money in the box.  With the money in the box we all agree to spend it on memories like holidays, trips out and any other experience we want to do as a family, this I believe is one of the most important things we do with your kids. Teach them through example how to save for what they want. When we are old all we will have is our memories, when we are gone all they will have is memories of us. Spend your time and money well, focus on making memories as they are priceless! Reduce your need and you will be able to enjoy life!

I would love to hear how you save money, so I can use your technics myself but also share them with my readers feel free to email me or just comment below and remember this is a revolution in the making let’s take our world back reduce our dependencies on big companies use local where possible and consume less.

Thanks for reading