Minimalism

I have learned at least 2 major things that I am aware of at this time because of what I've gone through this past 18 months.

1) I understand the idea of living sufficiently.

2) Sometimes we go through things to teach other people something.

The idea of living sufficiently is a take on the concept of minimalism: what is absolutely necessary for me to survive and be happy.

I had my cell phone disconnected several months ago because I couldn't pay my bill. I have had a smartphone for almost 4 years and, I'm not gonna lie, they are nice to have. But as I've been searching for a no contract plan with a new carrier, I've realized that I spent way too much money on a device I initially purchased to stay in touch with family members who live too far away and to make emergency calls while away from home.

It's nice to have the ability to talk, text, look things up online, get immediate directions, have my music collection available all in one device. But, the price is not worth the expense in the long run. I paid close to $1,000 last year alone for the ease and convenience of something I could have had at a lower cost. 

So as I've been searching for a new plan, I've been weighing my options. Pay one price one time for a GPS and an MP3 player device or buy a tablet. Because when I get a new phone, I'm buying the cheapest one I can find for the lowest price per month for unlimited talk and text; that is all I want that phone for because that meets my basic need. The rest is fluff. 

Yes, it was super-fabulous to have Google Maps on my smartphone to give me directions when I was on vacation in New York and Pennsylvania, but a GPS does the exact same thing and I only have to pay for it one time, not every month. And it was great to hit a button and have music play, but I can do that with an iPod.

Over the course of time I have had a smartphone I have spent roughly, $3500 and I have nothing to show for that investment except 2 phones I got for free that are both worth less than $20 combined because they are not the latest technological trend. I could have saved almost $2000 over that course of time and not been in the financial position I've been since December.

This has made me think of other things. What things do I have that are conveniences but not necessarily worth the time and effort and/or money I invest in them? One thing I know I need to change is the foods I eat. I also need to be better about exercise. I live about a mile from the nearest grocery store but I never walk there. When I was in college that was unheard of; I always walked to the grocery store with my empty backpack and hiked the groceries home, unless I got a ride with someone or took the bus. When I did this I never went over budget on food and I never deviated from my shopping list or menu plan. I lived sufficiently for my dietary and financial needs.

It's Spring. This is traditionally a time of cleaning, renewal, birth, new beginnings, etc. While I'm doing my Spring cleaning this month and airing out my abode, there are also some habits and possessions that need to be taken out, examined, and evaluated. Some conveniences are really shackles in disguise. I have enough physical weight to lose without the added burden of chains I cannot see yet hold tight to my bosom because I thought they might make my life easier. In actuality, they may be making it harder for me to keep my head above water.