Conscious Elimination of Unnecessary Spending
Part 1: Conscious Elimination of Unnecessary Spending
Start looking at where you could eliminate or greatly reduce expenses. Ask yourself, “Are there more efficient or beneficial ways for me to spend my life energy?” Not only will this save you money, it will save you hassles and stress!
Eliminate Consumer Debt Consumer debt is interest-bearing debt for things that won’t make you more money than they cost you (as opposed to loans to grow your business or increase the value of your house through necessary renovations). Credit-card purchases and installment payments for things that depreciate in value, like furniture, can end up costing you – not just for the items bought, but in interest, fees and all sorts of hidden or unexpected charges
Case Study: Chris’ Monthly Spending
When Chris looked at her monthly spending, she found that the interest on her consumer debt alone (credit cards and car loans) was 6% of total expenses (around $500)! She stopped using credit and started paying down her debt with the maximum amount she felt she could afford each month. Charting the falling debt balance on her wall chart was a great motivator.
Develop Maintenance Skills
By taking proper care of your possessions you can eliminate repairs that are due to neglect. Take action now to prevent minor problems from becoming major disasters later.
Case Study: Jamie’s Bike Maintenance
Jamie took a bike maintenance class to keep a beloved bike in good shape and ease the wear and tear of weekly mountain bike trips. This saved about $40 per month in maintenance and repair bills.
Case Study: Chris’ Home Maintenance
Chris enlisted her eldest son to help stain the back porch each summer (with non-toxic stain), helping to stave off a $5,000 rebuild if the boards rotted.
Eliminate Unnecessary Medical Bills
Medical bills are generally not “health-care” costs; medical care is what you feel forced to buy when you’re not healthy. In countries with private medicine, making healthy choices can eliminate some kinds of medical bills, resulting in big savings.
Case Study: Chris’ Work Environment
Chris realized that her high-stress, long-hours job was the source of her bursitis and carpal tunnel pain – and the resulting physical therapy bills, which were only partially covered by insurance. She had her employer bring in an ergonomic specialist to redesign her office, thereby reducing the repetitive stress issues. Eventually she decided to downshift to less-stressful work, eliminating the source of the problem altogether.
Eliminate Costly Entertainment
Often, when their personal income goes up, people engage in ever more expensive past-times to entertain themselves. Discovering the needs and desires that underlie the enjoyment can help spur creative, cheaper approaches.
Case Study: Jamie’s Love for Music
Jamie loves music and spent a lot of money on concert tickets and music recordings each month. Recognizing that new, live music was a core need, Jamie offered to write reviews for local papers and radio stations in exchange for free concert tickets. That eventually led to playing in a band and getting paid for joining in the performance!
Rent or Borrow Whenever Possible
Before you buy an item, evaluate how many times you really need to use it. Does it make sense to own it (plus maintain it, service it and store it)?
Case Study: Chris’ Home Repairs Once they started doing their own home repairs, Chris became worried that tool purchases would take the place of maintenance fees! So Chris’ spouse, Jessie, started a neighborhood tool exchange and bought only necessary tools that were missing from the neighbors’ collections.
Eliminate Gazingus Pins
Even if you don’t want to eliminate your gazingus pins entirely, find ways to enjoy them without having to spend money on them.
Case Study: Jamie’s Music Gazingus Pin
Music recordings were Jamie’s big gazingus pin. Once Jamie started attending concerts with a press badge and/or as a performer (see “Eliminate Costly Entertainment” above), the other bands performing were usually happy to distribute a promotional copy of their music; thus the gazingus pins were attained without spending money for them!
Find Other Ways of Meeting a Need
Money was invented to purchase things that were needed or wanted and that couldn’t or wouldn’t be created by the “consumer”. What if you tried to orient your life energy toward creation rather than consumption? In the process of finding non-monetary ways to meet your needs and desires, you will build skills, relationships and confidence in your own personal resources.
Case Study: Chris’ Family Meals
Chris’ family eliminated almost half their meal costs in a way that helped establish them in their new community (you will hear about their decision to relocate later in this chapter). They joined a community garden, in cooperation with some retired former-farmer neighbors. They also shifted from weekly family restaurant meals to dinner parties, rotating the hosting duties with friends. The resulting wholesome, nearly free food and the camaraderie benefited their bodies as well as their pocketbooks, and provided the children with older mentors who had both the know-how and the time to teach them self-sufficiency skills.
Start looking at where you could eliminate or greatly reduce expenses. Ask yourself, “Are there more efficient or beneficial ways for me to spend my life energy?” Not only will this save you money, it will save you hassles and stress!
Eliminate Consumer Debt Consumer debt is interest-bearing debt for things that won’t make you more money than they cost you (as opposed to loans to grow your business or increase the value of your house through necessary renovations). Credit-card purchases and installment payments for things that depreciate in value, like furniture, can end up costing you – not just for the items bought, but in interest, fees and all sorts of hidden or unexpected charges
Case Study: Chris’ Monthly Spending
When Chris looked at her monthly spending, she found that the interest on her consumer debt alone (credit cards and car loans) was 6% of total expenses (around $500)! She stopped using credit and started paying down her debt with the maximum amount she felt she could afford each month. Charting the falling debt balance on her wall chart was a great motivator.
Develop Maintenance Skills
By taking proper care of your possessions you can eliminate repairs that are due to neglect. Take action now to prevent minor problems from becoming major disasters later.
Case Study: Jamie’s Bike Maintenance
Jamie took a bike maintenance class to keep a beloved bike in good shape and ease the wear and tear of weekly mountain bike trips. This saved about $40 per month in maintenance and repair bills.
Case Study: Chris’ Home Maintenance
Chris enlisted her eldest son to help stain the back porch each summer (with non-toxic stain), helping to stave off a $5,000 rebuild if the boards rotted.
Eliminate Unnecessary Medical Bills
Medical bills are generally not “health-care” costs; medical care is what you feel forced to buy when you’re not healthy. In countries with private medicine, making healthy choices can eliminate some kinds of medical bills, resulting in big savings.
Case Study: Chris’ Work Environment
Chris realized that her high-stress, long-hours job was the source of her bursitis and carpal tunnel pain – and the resulting physical therapy bills, which were only partially covered by insurance. She had her employer bring in an ergonomic specialist to redesign her office, thereby reducing the repetitive stress issues. Eventually she decided to downshift to less-stressful work, eliminating the source of the problem altogether.
Eliminate Costly Entertainment
Often, when their personal income goes up, people engage in ever more expensive past-times to entertain themselves. Discovering the needs and desires that underlie the enjoyment can help spur creative, cheaper approaches.
Case Study: Jamie’s Love for Music
Jamie loves music and spent a lot of money on concert tickets and music recordings each month. Recognizing that new, live music was a core need, Jamie offered to write reviews for local papers and radio stations in exchange for free concert tickets. That eventually led to playing in a band and getting paid for joining in the performance!
Rent or Borrow Whenever Possible
Before you buy an item, evaluate how many times you really need to use it. Does it make sense to own it (plus maintain it, service it and store it)?
Case Study: Chris’ Home Repairs Once they started doing their own home repairs, Chris became worried that tool purchases would take the place of maintenance fees! So Chris’ spouse, Jessie, started a neighborhood tool exchange and bought only necessary tools that were missing from the neighbors’ collections.
Eliminate Gazingus Pins
Even if you don’t want to eliminate your gazingus pins entirely, find ways to enjoy them without having to spend money on them.
Case Study: Jamie’s Music Gazingus Pin
Music recordings were Jamie’s big gazingus pin. Once Jamie started attending concerts with a press badge and/or as a performer (see “Eliminate Costly Entertainment” above), the other bands performing were usually happy to distribute a promotional copy of their music; thus the gazingus pins were attained without spending money for them!
Find Other Ways of Meeting a Need
Money was invented to purchase things that were needed or wanted and that couldn’t or wouldn’t be created by the “consumer”. What if you tried to orient your life energy toward creation rather than consumption? In the process of finding non-monetary ways to meet your needs and desires, you will build skills, relationships and confidence in your own personal resources.
Case Study: Chris’ Family Meals
Chris’ family eliminated almost half their meal costs in a way that helped establish them in their new community (you will hear about their decision to relocate later in this chapter). They joined a community garden, in cooperation with some retired former-farmer neighbors. They also shifted from weekly family restaurant meals to dinner parties, rotating the hosting duties with friends. The resulting wholesome, nearly free food and the camaraderie benefited their bodies as well as their pocketbooks, and provided the children with older mentors who had both the know-how and the time to teach them self-sufficiency skills.