cash•ti•vated

It seems that over time, or maybe it’s just me, that most of us strive to simplify our lives.  Some of us are born that way, and some seem to acquire it with age, but the truth is, most of us, as we get older, seem to want things to slow down and become more simple.  To have less, but be more fulfilled. To sleep better at night, but have more in the bank. To spend time with friends/family, and not worry about missing out.

Certainly, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become pretty simple. Sure I like nice things, but it’s not all that important.  There are a few things that I will always spend money on, but most of the other stuff just isn’t that important anymore.

I like a new-ish car, but I’ll never buy a new car.  I’ve got a 6-year-old car, with close to 100,000 miles, and probably won’t upgrade for quite some time.  I have a simple home, with not a lot of extravagance, but it’s easier to clean, feels fresher to me, and seems peaceful.

I do like electronics, like Apple products, but that’s one of the few things I splurge on,  and it’s mostly for work related stuff.

I wear average, but nice clothes, simple shoes, and not much, if any jewelry.  I don’t begrudge anyone that likes fashion, or diamonds, it’s just not something that interests me.  Sure there are times that I think I should dress it up more, or spend more time on these sorts of things, but I just can’t bring myself to do it.  

As I’ve gotten older, I realized that the simple things that make me happy, exercise, my dog, my mate, some Netflix, time with friends, it’s all gotten much easier.  I don’t stress about living in the big house, or driving the newest car, or even buying that designer handbag. Sure I might have some of these things in the future, but it’s definitely not on the radar right now.

Living frugally has proven to be the key for me to being happy.  Less is definitely more. And living with less leaves me with more time and money, which makes for a happier girl.  

Interested in living a more frugal life?  Here are 34 things you can do to simplify things.  
Don’t stress, you don’t have to do it all of them, or even most of them.  Even a simple few changes can add some simplicity to your life. Go ahead, just try…

1. Go With One Car– Yikes, right?  This sounds tough, but once you make the change, it’s really not.  And it saves you a ton of money in car payments and insurance. Truthfully if one of you works at home and the other commutes, it’s kind of a no brainer right?
2. Live in a Tiny/Small House–  I’ve always subscribed to this theory, and with the onslaught of tiny house living, it seems to be popular.  Less house, is less utilities, less wear and tear, and most importantly, easier to clean!! It can take some adjusting, and some throwing stuff out, but you’ll adapt, and you’ll love all that free time you got from vacuuming.
3. Rent Rather Than Own–  While I rent right now, I don’t necessarily subscribe to this theory.  I think that no matter what your situation if you’re financially able, you should own a home.  Many do believe that renting makes more sense, you can get more for your money, and you’re not responsible for repairs.  To each their own I guess.
4. Go With No Car, Public Transport–  This doesn’t have to be as scary as you think.  I don’t necessarily subscribe to the theory that you should get rid of the car altogether unless you live somewhere like New York City, but if you live in a metropolitan city, public transport works great.  It takes a little more time, but saves on gas, insurance, and parking!
5. Cook At Home–  This should be a go-to for most families.  Money spent eating out is typically a waste.  Don’t get me wrong, I do eat out something, but try not to make it a point.  Like maybe once a week. Meal planning and cooking at home saves a ton!
6. Bring Lunch To Work-  So as long as your cooking at home now, why not make a little extra, and use your leftovers for lunch?  It works great, you save a ton, and you don’t have to worry about where to eat.
7. Look For Used– I almost always look for used.  I’m fairly cheap by nature, so I’m all good with using someone else’s gently used stuff!  Look for cars, electronics, clothes, home repair items, there’s a used store or online site for almost everything.  Start looking around and don’t pay full price!
8. Minimalist Wardrobe– Did you know that most people only wear about 20% of their wardrobe?  What a waste right? I know that I personally probably wear even less! There are staples of every wardrobe, no matter what type of regular job you have, that you wear all the time.  Whether it’s that black skirt, or tan pants, or blue suit. Those things can be dressed up and changed around with shoes, shirts, jewelry. Don’t be afraid to keep the wardrobe simple and dress it up.  It saves time, and saves a lot of money!
9. Cut Out Cable/ Borrow From The Library–  The library is that resource that we’ve all forward about.  Did you know that it’s free there? And they’ve got all kinds of stuff! Music, magazines, movies?  Oh and if you really want to get frugal, get rid of the cable altogether! I know, I know, that’s a bridge too far for most, but you can downsize to something like SlingTV and save some money.
10. Find Free Entertainment– There’s plenty of free entertainment around, you just have to look. Try looking online for things like events with free admission, or take the dog to the dog park and watch the dogs play.  Or even go outside and throw the ball around with your kid.
11. Find Free Exercise–  This was a tough one for me.  I worked out for years and years, loved the gym.  As I’ve gained weight, I’ve obviously lost the habits of working out regularly.  But I still kept the gym membership. As I traveled for my other job, I was rarely, if ever using it.  At $600/year, I could use that money for something smarter, like paying off debt. So I gave it up. I replaced it with walking my dog every day.  While it’s not the same as the gym, I did buy some free weights, and I’ve started working out at home. It’s not the same, but it gets the job done.  Don’t be afraid to take a break from these sorts of memberships if you’re not using them. Saves a ton.
12. Sell Your Clutter-  As someone who’s become a bit of a minimalist, I had clutter.  It drives me crazy. And maybe because my mother is a bit of a hoarder.  Not like a tv hoarder, but she’s got a lot of crap. It makes me uncomfortable to be in her home.  So I’m a big proponent of getting rid of the clutter. Sell it, burn it, throw it away. It serves no purpose and you’ll feel so light after it’s all gone!
13. Quit Smoking–  This is a tough one, I know.  Well, I don’t know, since I don’t smoke, but I do live with a smoker.  It’s a nasty habit, and incredibly tough to break. It’s incredibly hard on your health, and really hard on your pocketbook.  So let’s compromise ok? How about you don’t stress about quitting, and just try to slow down? Start by making a plan, and just eliminating a cigarette here and there.  After a while, I’d bet you can get down to a more reasonable number or maybe even stop!
14. No/Little Alcohol–  Read above!
15. Stay Home–  Well I’m not much for going out, I’m more of a homebody, but if you like to go out, chances are you’re spending money.  Activities, food, and liquor can add up quickly while out, and if you’re going out every weekend or even multiple times per week, you’re spending a lot. Try staying at home, playing a game, going for a run, or even watching Netflix.  It’s cheaper and usually just as good entertainment!
16. Don’t Use Credit Cards–  Credit cards are the bain of most people’s existence.  They’re too readily available, too easy to use, and they sneak up on us.  Try not using them for all those small purchases and see how much money you’ll save.
17. Cancel Subscriptions–  They’re everywhere, and they’re called subscriptions.  Magazines, cable, extra cable channels, food services, dog toy, make-up, etc.  You name it and there’s a subscription for it. I’m not advocating ditching every one, but get rid of a few and the non-essential and wait till you see the savings.
18. Cut Your Hair At Home–  Lots of you already do this, especially the men.  I actually started doing this myself about a year and a half ago.  It was scary and daunting, but man o man has it saved me money. I also started dyeing my hair at home, and it’s remarkably easy.  Oh, and it saves me close to $200/month!!
19. Grow Your Food– If you live somewhere green and are remotely capable of growing things, you should try this.  It’s easy, it’s fun, and it tastes great.
20. Have a Staycation–  I love this idea.  I would love more time and money to travel globally, but the truth is, staycations are great for saving money.  Stay in state, drive to a destination, and stay there. Heck, you can even camp, which saves even more!
21. Save Energy– Saving energy can be a lot of things.  Trying re-chargeable batteries, keeping your thermostat higher, even dressing down or up depending on the season.  Using more blankets in the winter. Power cooling in the summer. It all adds up to savings.
22. Telecommute– This has become increasingly popular with lots of people.  It’s a win-win for the employer and employee. Less travel means more savings!
23. Wash Clothes Less–  I’ve always done this because it seemed silly to wash clothes after just one use.  Especially if you didn’t wear them long. Try it, it won’t kill you. Your water bill will thank you.
24. Hang Clothes To Dry– I am late to the party for hanging clothes.  I started out of desperation to maintain my nice work clothes and now I try to hang dry everything I can!  Oh, and it does save your clothes wear and tear.
25. Use Coupons–  Well we’ll end on our tried and true friend, coupon!  I’m not a huge coupon-er, although I have friends that are.  I do look for coupons, for large purchase items like car repair, electronics, etc.  I’m sure if I got more serious about couponing on groceries, I’d save a bunch more!

Living a simplified, and peaceful life is something that many of us are striving for.  At this point, I’d rather live simply and have peace of mind over just about anything else, including shoes, and new cars.  You, of course, don’t have to implement all these choices, but pick a few and see what happens. You’ll save money, simplify things, and chances are, become a bit more peaceful!