The Minimalist Life

Even though our government has gone wildly into debt for things we don't need doesn't mean that we should too. I'm not talking about living the life of a monk or wearing rags either. We can all get plenty of the things we need to live comfortably just by following a few simple rules of the cheap. Americans have been on a spending spree since at least the 1980's, and a lot of the stuff they bought hasn't even been used. This has created a bonanza for minimalists.

1. Don't buy your clothes at a department store. This is wholly unnecessary unless you seek to be the fashion guru on the block, and even then don't underestimate your personal power to create the latest fashion trend.

2. Do shop for clothes at a Goodwill or other thrift store. I regularly do this and get outfits for less than 10 dollars, that's a shirt and pants/shorts. You'll be supporting a good cause, making sure disadvantaged people have jobs and saving yourself a ton of money. Consider closing the circle by donating your old clothes to the same stores you shop from. Definitely check out the rest of the store. I have found the best glassware for storing herbs ever for 50 cents a jar.

3. Do search out the antique and retro stores near you. They usually aren't as cheap as the thrift stores, but you won't be buying new, and you're likely to hit on some good stuff that's always waiting to come back in style.

4. We all should be familiar with the ubiquitous summer yard sales by now, but not everyone has heard of Freecycle. Basically Freecycle offers people an online forum arranged by location where users can offer and request free stuff. I've requested everything from infant clothes to fresh logs to grow mushrooms on with great luck. People regularly offer buckets of nails and screws, furniture, and refrigerators in my area. Freecycle is all about gift-giving, and you are bound to meet some really awesome people in the process of getting something you need. What more could you ask for in a world where the most complicated economic exchanges for everyday goods is limited to "did you have any trouble finding what you're looking for today?"

5. Finally, though some think it distasteful, dumpsters have been regarded as a treasure trove by many an urban minimalist. I personally have a hardwood table,great finish and style with clawed legs, complete with all the chairs it came with. I have found an old flip-top Singer sewing machine, a speaker-table with built in phonograph, a petite wedding dress, and a computer desk. It's no joke that people are throwing away stuff like this, and I do wish they'd stop and offer it on Freecycle, but since the stuff is there... It's best to seek out other dumpster divers, because often an informal web exists of people who watch dumpsters on their individual routes to work and home. You might also want to look up the solid waste removal routes and times for suburbs around your area. Just beat the dump truck there, and you'll have your pick of stuff people are carelessly throwing away.

6. Minimalists pay more attention to the stuff they're getting, because they have too. When you buy cheaply, it's always carpe diem, buyer beware. Relying on yourself and the people directly around you, instead of some distant corporations, is the pay-off. That these techniques make getting the stuff we need cheaper is pretty good too.

Have a frugal day.