Living small to live big

Top Six Reasons to live and travel in a small space. Less Maintenance, better health, flexibility, less debt, more time, life simplification.

Choosing to live small has many benefits. The positives are obvious: less overhead, less clutter, fewer financial commitments, less stress and more time.

That's one of the first statements of the book Living the Airstream Life. The author goes on to the consequences of these benefits.

... learning more about yourself through having the perspective to consider the bigger picture rather than having to focus on the chores of daily living ... those who live this lifestyle for a long period of time find other ways to make positive contributions, figuring out what their true skills are and how to use them to be a productive member of society rather than having to focus on paying a massive mortgage and credit payments or keeping up with all the chores of modern day living.

That bit resonated with me. I recently left a job to now figure out what my next 'positive contribution' might be. A number of people told me how lucky I was. How they'd like to do that, but can't because mortgage repayments etc dictate their work.

Another consequence

The author says that "making positive contributions to the world can begin by being a conscious consumer. Since you'll need to make the most of your space you will need to choose wisely what to put in it."

Some might miss the unbridled purchasing of whatever we desire (or are told we desire) and the endless accumulation of stuff. For others, it can be freeing to let go - and can actually mean finding more value in fewer things.

Dan and Marlene live fulltime in an Airstream with their three kids. With each family member having only a small dedicated space for personal belongings, selection is key. Dan says "It's not like we can just head to a store and buy more stuff. If they really want something they really have to think about how essential it is and what they are going to have to swap out in its place. It makes them really think about and appreciate what things they do have and be more conscious about taking care of them."

Less is More

Taking a family on the road might not be for all of us, but the philosophy can be the same. Our large and numerous possessions might be what's actually holding us back from discovering ourselves and discovering a better life.

Comments

The Latte Factor

For the first time ever I'm reviewing a novel. Latte Factor is a short story - around 120 pages - and is equal parts of inspirational story and financial education. The combination of the two is quite rare, and done quite nicely. The story is about Zoey Daniels, associate editor for a travel magazine. Although she's never been outside the USA - "a travel editor who's never travelled". She struggles with money and is considering a higher-paying job at the company her friend Jessica works for. The job would provide more income, but would also be more stressful and demanding. She already has a nightmare about being on an increasingly-fast treadmill that she struggles to stay on. Her current boss Barbara - aware only of the money situation - suggests she talk to Henry at the coffee shop. This peculiar suggestion is where Zoey's life begins to turn a corner. Spoiler Alert Being a book of fiction, I don't want to spoil the story for you. It's a book you ca...

Dollars and Sense

Dan Ariely is an expert on human psychology and decisions. His book Dollars and Sense is focussed on how to avoid "money mishaps" . That can include paying too much for something; buying something that doesn't provide value; or in some cases not buying something that we really should buy. We can be better spenders of money by avoiding money mishaps. We can get more value for our money - or get the same value for less money. So what are the mishaps? Here are some highlights. Opportunity Cost This is the idea of thinking about what else we could do with money - and whether that's better value. In one experiment, people were given the option of (A) a $1000 stereo or (B) a $700 stereo and $300 cash. People chose option A. Then people where given the option of (A) a $1000 stereo or (B) a $700 stereo and $300 worth of music. Now they chose option B. In the first choice, people gave up the $300 because they wanted the more expensive stereo. But when forced to think of some...

Monopoly, money and you

One of the most well-known board games can also be a great way to learn about money and investing - according to this book. Perhaps one way to teach kids (and maybe ourselves) about finance is to play a board game. In so many ways, the game parallels our own financial life - and we can practice financial decision-making without losing any real money. Is monopoly like life? Yes and no. We manage our cash, negotiate, make deals, make choices, go through tough times, make investments, pay tax and reap rewards. To do well we have to make investments. It's very hard to win just by collecting $200 each time you pass go. There are rules, and wise moves. The better we know them, the better we do. However, in real life, you can win without forcing others into bankruptcy. Principles that work in the game and life Diversify. You might have hotels on the two most expensive properties on the board, but if no-one lands on them, you still might lose. Investments have a price and a value. They are...

But wait... there's less!

Search This Blog