Minimalism teaches us to only acquire the things we will actually use. But what about the excess we already own?
The things we toss will eventually end up in a landfill. If one of our goals is to reduce our ecological footprint, then we are defeating the purpose by adding more trash to the problem we are trying to solve. Plus, the things we choose to keep will eventually wear out, forcing us to replace them.
Why spend money replacing items when they wear out if we already own an excess?
It’s stupid, folks. It’s stupid to throw things away that you know you will use up in time just to follow the advice of an influencer.
Because you know what? Keeping those items and using them up costs you very little, if anything. Tossing that excess and buying more costs you a fortune over time.
Remember: it’s not what you spend, it’s what you keep that counts.
For instance, right now I own 10 pairs of jeans. I don’t need 10 pairs of jeans. I only use three pairs a week at the most. If I followed the advice of minimalist influencers, I would toss or donate seven pairs of those jeans.
But here’s the thing. Most of them were given to me as handmedowns. They cost me nothing to acquire and nothing to store, since I have plenty of room in my closet. Since jeans don’t last forever, they will wear out in time, so it would be stupid for me to toss that excess.
I will wring every last drop of wear out of them instead.
I will wear them on weekends. When my current batch of work pants develop too many holes for my job, I will replace them with the worst of those ten pairs of jeans. Then, when I run out of jeans that I can wear on the weekends, I will head to the thrift shop or a discount store and replenish the three pairs of jeans that I need.
I do the same thing with my shirts and other items. I wear them until they cannot be worn any longer and throw them away. I’ll buy more when I get low.
When my old washer decided to develop a glitch, I replaced it. I didn’t throw the old one away. It still works a bit. The timer is just dead, so I fixed it so that it runs nonstop while it’s plugged in and I use it for my nasty items. I’ll toss it when it completely dies.
This is how you not only survive poverty, this is how you build wealth for the future. You don’t just toss something because you have an excess. You use it up.
If you are tired of being broke, stop tossing perfectly good stuff away and replacing it with new! Because it doesn’t matter if the color is last season or it’s not part of a trend. What matters is that the item does the job.
So ignore the corporate shills telling you to buy their new stuff and throw your old stuff away and the minimalists who agree with them.
Their goal isn’t to help you. Their goal is to line their own pockets with your cash.
For more quick money saving tips, check out my book 400 Ways to Save A Fortune. Your wallet will thank you.
