Minimalism and Freedom

Free Yourself
Source: Jesus Solana

My last post, The Real State of the Union, was all about the United States economy, and the holes in its ship.  What does this mean for the minimalist?

Minimalism is about cutting down to the essentials, and not desiring any extras.  Within the minimalist community, there are offshoots of Lifestyle Designers, tiny house dwellers, simple living enthusiasts, and those seeking financial independence.

 I would say that the majority of minimalists want to live small, in order to have more freedom.  Freedom is the connector to all of those communities.  Minimalism offers freedom.

Minimalism and Self-Sufficiency

Minimalists say, "Screw you" to the social order.  Minimalists see the deterioration of society at the hands of out of control consumerism.

When you are not anchored to a massive amount of possessions, you are free to move wherever you want.  No matter what the economy does, or where political unrest unleashes, the minimalist is free to move about the cabin.  When your wealth isn't tied to your possessions, then moving to another part of the country, or even across the world, can be done at the flip of a switch.

If you migrate across the world, with a backpack, working out of internet cafes, who can touch you?
If you adopt simple living, running a micro from your garage, and producing your own food, who can touch you?

On several trips out into the wild, I have had an interesting thought, what if World War 3 broke out while I was gone?  What if the stock market crashed?  What if the President was comprised?  Out there, there would be no way of knowing.  Can I even say, that out there, it wouldn't matter.

When you live self-sufficiently, you can choose what parts of society affect you.  Not all parts of it are bad.  There are great social programs that help with disaster relief, housing for orphans, and basic safety standards.  Society can offer some great benefits to the individual, but you shouldn't ever rely on them, because they are fallible.

Utlimately, you are responsible for your own health, wealth, safety, and happiness.  Become a minimalist, and free yourself.

Progressive Retirement

This is what $20 can buy.  

It was on a backpacking trip in the south of France, that I realized the currency of travel.  $20 a night gave me a hilltop beautiful view of Nice and unlimited travel opportunities in southern France, Monaco, and Northern Italy.   $20 landed me in paradise for one night.

When I got back to the States, I started calculating the things I wanted in terms of nights in paradise.

A new shirt:  2 nights in paradise
Dinner out: 1 night in paradise
A new backpacking tent:  15 nights in paradise
Skipping a latte for a week: 1 night in paradise

It made me rethink the way that I spent money.  Do I want another object that takes up space, or another night in paradise.

It got me thinking, what if I calculated financial freedom in the same way.  For every $400 invested into stock A, the dividend produced equates to working one hour of my day job.  Therefore, every $2800 invested replaces one 7 hour work day.  Put into those terms, it looks almost easy to buy myself out of working.  Instead of spending the $2800 on a fancy vacation that lasts only a week, I can buy myself an annual vacation day forever.   Instead of retiring at 65, I can progressively retire, one hour at a time.


**I am not a financial adviser.  Please seek professional advice before making financial changes or investments. 

What Would You Do Without A Mortgage?

Live mortgage free in a tiny house.
Source: Nicolas Boullosa

According to Zillow.com, the average home, currently on the market, in my city is $576,000.  That translates to a monthly mortgage of $3000 a month, at current interest rates.  The average mortgage alone, is more than double my monthly expenses. Although I could find no official data, the average home size in my neighborhood looks like it is about 2,500 square feet.

If you don't need the space, think about what you could do with an extra $3000 a month! Conversely, how much less would you have to work, if you didn't have a $3000 a month mortgage?  

If I did not have to pay rent or have a mortgage, I could live off of $540 a month.  Here is the breakdown:

Internet: $40 

Car Insurance/gas: $100 

Food: $200

Car/ house/ personal maintenance:  $100 

Travel: $100 

At a soon to be federal minimum wage of $10.10 an hour, I would only have to work 53 hours a month to pay my bills.  That comes out to be 13 hours of work a week.  

That $3000 a month mortgage could finance 3 separate week long trips to Hawaii (the way I travel).  

What is Lifestyle Design?

Image Source: Flickr: Juicyverve

Lifestyle Design is a term associated with Timothy Ferris' book The Four Hour Workweek.  It is all about designing your ideal lifestyle, and taking the appropriate steps to make it happen.

One of the major points of The Four Hour Work Week, is the idea that people don't want money, they want the time that money buys.  Do people really want to be millionaires, or do they want time to relax on Lake Como with their families, learn a new language, or take exotic dance lessons?

Ferris proposes the idea that, if you play your cards right, the lifestyle you desire is completely in reach.  The catch is, is that you have to start thinking about your time differently.

The Four Hour Workweek isn't about chilling on the beach for the next 50 years.  At first glance, lifestyle design may appear like an excuse for laziness, but it is far from it. Rather, it embraces hyper-efficiency and the utilization of your highest talents.

What are you placed on this planet for?  What talents do you have to offer the world?  What job or activity would you feel fully alive doing?  These are all questions lifestyle designers ask.

If you are interested in lifestyle design, I would suggest checking out Timothy Ferris's blog. Is full of fascinating information on lifestyle design.  He frequently does tests on himself to find ways to learn quicker, get stronger, and accomplish more efficiently.