guest post by Tracy Sitchen
We all need to simplify our lives. For some of us, this means cutting back on our commitments and reducing stress. For others, it means learning to live more frugally. Not surprisingly, learning to live simply often means to do both, as the impulse to over commit and to overspend often come from the same place. The basic philosophy behind living simply is to identify what’s important in your life and to eliminate everything else. Here are some tips for how to do exactly that:
Plan Your Meals
Don’t wait until you’ve come home exhausted and don’t have the energy to plan or cook a meal. Sit down at the beginning of each week and plan all your meals. This way, you can plan around busy days or even cook ahead of time. You can also plan your shopping strategy so that you don’t overspend at the grocery store and aren’t as tempted to eat out — which will lead you to quickly overspend on your food budget.
Learn to Garden
Gardening ensures that you have a food supply that you can trust is all-natural and organic. You can also save money on produce and reduce your carbon footprint (food that you get from your own backyard doesn’t have to be driven across the country to arrive at your kitchen table). In addition, working in a garden is a great way to reduce stress.
Eat Healthy and Exercise
Doctor visits, a daily regimen of vitamins and pills, and stress and worry brought on by ill health are not conducive to simple living. Though some illness is beyond our control, there is plenty that you can do to help ensure your good health. Eat a balanced diet and get regular exercise. You’ll feel better, have more energy, be able to better manage stress, and spend less time in the doctor’s office.
Start an Emergency Fund
The economic recession and rising unemployment has taught us that nothing is guaranteed. Even those who were working for years at the same company found themselves without work. Make sure you’re ready for these situations so that your family will still have what it needs. Start saving to build an emergency fund to cover at least three to six months of expenses. It will bring you peace of mind.
Don’t Use Credit
Learn to save for the things you want. Not only will the practice help you to limit impulse purchases and to learn to identify what you really need, but it will also help you save money by not spending needlessly on high interest rates. You will also ensure that you don’t overuse credit and rack up more debt than you can handle.
Limit Toys
Children’s toys have a way of multiplying until they take over the bedroom and spill out into the rest of the house. And most of the toys fall out of favor after only a few uses. Limit toys to what can fit in a toy box. It will also teach your children to appreciate what they have. Donate old toys to neighbors or a charity.
Limit Books and DVDs
Take a look at all the books and DVDs on your shelf. Now ask yourself honestly: How many of those will you actually read or watch again? Sure, you may intend to read and watch all of them. But how much time do you really have to do so? Get rid of all but your favorites, and you will significantly simplify your room and your life. If you ever decide you want to re-read or re-watch one of the stories you donated, know that you can always do so by visiting the library.
Simplify Your Wardrobe
Look in your closet. How many of the clothes that you find there do you plan to wear “some day” or when you “lose that last 10 pounds?” Get rid of anything that you can’t comfortably wear right now. Focus on basic pieces that won’t go out of style, and don’t buy into trends.
Buy a Smaller House
The bigger your house, the more stuff you will buy to fill it. The bigger your house, the higher your mortgage payment, your taxes, your electric bill, and your water bill. The bigger your house, the more work you have to put into it to maintain it. Simplify your life by buying a smaller house — one that is only as big as you really need.
Bio: Tracy Sitchen is a veteran coupon clipper, stay at home Mom, and aspiring writer. While she loves shopping, she loves the chase of the deal even more! She’s recently been writing about Logans Roadhouse coupons along with Folger Coffee coupons over at her blog where she shares deals and discounts to help every day people save money.
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