Entertaining Minimalism
I’m not an outright minimalist, but I do believe in keeping things simple which also typically translates into being less expensive.
What I watched: “50 THINGS I DO NOT BUY | Minimalism & Saving Money” by Gabe Bult. Posted December 18, 2023.
I'm not a minimalist. I'm not even close to being a minimalist in actuality. Anyone who might see the clutter I currently live amid would see that starkly. But over recent months, I’ve slowly been reducing my stuff and if I stay on track, by the end of 2024, I should be down to mostly just what I consider essentials.
That said, some of the stuff Gabe Bult talks about in this video I already do in some fashion. I had never heard of Bult before the algorithmic gods decided to serve up his video to my feed. But based on this video, I’ll probably watch more of his channel.
Also, the title of the video is deceptive. It’s only about 25 things he doesn’t buy and he points you to his wife’s channel for the next 25 (clever cross marketing).
So, here’s how I practice the types of minimalist guidelines Bult suggests. I don’t want to come off as a minimalism evangelist. If you like your stuff, awesome. But there is a case to be made that many people do find their lives improved by having less stuff and a simpler life and less stuff is undoubtedly better for the environment.
With that said, I tracked in order each of the tips Bult suggests in the video and here is how they work in my life.
As for clothing, I am a simple dresser. I wear jeans every day of my life. Most of my shirts are black or grey. I avoid trendy fashion labels. Some might consider me a boring dresser, but it takes me all of one minute to get dressed every morning. There is no decision fatigue because I don’t have to make many decisions.
Like Bult, 100% of my socks are also black. They’re mostly of the same brand and style, although Bult’s suggestion to have only one brand and style would reduce decision fatigue and sock matching time up considerably. Maybe I’ll do that too whenever I need to buy new socks.
I don't take vitamins with the exception of one – vitamin D. Avoiding the sun like I do plus being HIV+ (which can reduce naturally produced D in our system), taking D makes sense. I was taking Omega 3 at my doctor's suggestion, but lately I've tried to get that only through my food. I take no other supplements or protein powders. I’m not a muscled guy these days. So it’s not like I need to maintain some massive bulk of muscles with an onslaught of protein in my diet.
I wear the same pair of black shoes every day. I keep a brand-new pair of the same shoes in a box for when the current pair wears out. They are black, leather-like, sneaker-style work shoes. The only other type of footwear I own are leather boots (for a certain “look” I like) and sandals when I’m in hot weather.
I play a handful of free or extremely inexpensive games on my phone. I’m not a gamer and don’t own any gaming systems. Rather, I play simple stuff like solitaire or the recently popular Wordle. So, this isn’t really much of a cost for me. But I have lots of gamer friends who I know get lots of pleasure from their games. If you do too, enjoy them even if some of them are expensive.
At my bedside is my water bottle. It gets filled from the filtered water pitcher in the refrigerator. I never buy bottled water at home. If I’m going out somewhere and can bring my bottle, it comes along with me in my backpack. So I usually never have to buy water outside the home either.
Unlike Bult, Amazon is still on my phone. But I’ve gotten better about thinking twice about purchases and avoiding impulse buying. Lately I have a 24-hour rule. If I want to buy something, I think about it for 24 hours. It’s amazing how often I decide to not buy the item at all. Like Bult, I also keep a “to buy” list on my notes app.
I avoid a lot of name brands. I learned the power of the allure of brand names years ago and won’t go into that specific story now. But suffice it to say I learned early on that the fancier or more esteemed brands don’t necessarily mean the items are any better.
Bult is correct about the cost of wifi. Unlike him, I still pay for a name brand service and I really shouldn’t. I just added researching cheaper alternatives on the same notes app.
I only shave every two or three days. I have a beard so what little shaving I do on my face and neck is minimal. I also use an electric razor because it’s faster and more convenient for me. I think in the long run it’s cheaper too. I’m also mostly bald so I buzz all my hair smooth every two or three days with the same electric razor. This saves a lot of money on haircuts I never need.
Like Bult, for certain types of electronic gear, I don’t buy the cheapest. I always spend money on whatever laptop I need because it’s my bread-and-butter money-earning device and also serves a lot of my entertainment needs. I buy good phones mostly because I need the quality photos and videos. Bult generalizes what “gear” means to him and includes stuff like jackets. I wear the same few items all the time. Also (and I just mentioned this to a friend the other day), I get a far bigger jolt of excitement finding interesting clothes at secondhand stores than I do buying new. Bult’s point about buying quality that doesn’t need to be frequently replaced is smart and something I try to do.
As for subscriptions, I subscribe to a bunch of publications, newsletters, software applications, and streaming services. I could probably cut back some. Being a writer, I’m sensitive to creators needing to be paid for their work. Perhaps that’s why I’m less fastidious about closely monitoring my subscriptions. Still, I could cull my current subscription list some and function just fine.
Bult talks about not using cooking spray. But the truth is, I don’t cook at all. I mean, not at all. I know. I’d probably save money and perhaps eat a bit better if I did cook, but I love eating out so much and it’s been such a big part of my life since childhood that it’s not something I’m ready to give up, at least not yet.
Since I don’t cook, I don’t use the types of plastic leftover and food containers he mentions.
Like Bult, I also primarily use a single, high-quality pen. It travels with me when I go out of town or to a meeting. I use it at home. I can’t remember the last time I changed the ink cartridge in it, but it’s been a long time. I have a replacement sitting cartridge waiting for when I need it.
It might seem ironic since I’m posting this on Christmas Eve, but I don’t buy Christmas gifts. I ask people to not give gifts to me as well. This was a longstanding tradition in my family when my step-mother issued an order to me and her three kids that no one was giving anyone any gifts from now on (except for any kids in the family). I used to allow myself to be guilted into participating in the Christmas frenzy, but haven’t felt those pangs for years. Bult mentions toys and I’ll admit to buying certain quality “adult” toys, but I’ve even stopped doing that as much as I used to and instead rely on the few I’ve already purchased. Like Bult, I try to spend money on experiences, not stuff. Experiences over stuff has been my personal motto for some time.
Bult mentions the cost of hobbies, but luckily my hobbies aren’t expensive. I write. I read. I dabble with drawing but only digitally. Same for creating digital music. Of course, if someone likes carpentry or something cost- or stuff-intensive, have at it. I’ve just been lucky that I’ve aligned my hobbies with simpler needs.
Bult talks about haircuts. As I mentioned, I’m bald and don’t need haircuts, just buzzing my head now and then. But my partner cuts his own hair more often than he sees a barber and that’s proven to work well for him. He does treat himself now and then to a visit to a barber, but it’s not with the frequency I see some of my friends doing. Haircuts are costly. They need to be because barbers put in lots of work and need to make a decent living. But for the consumer, it’s a lot of money. There are books and videos about how to cut your own hair. It’s not that difficult, especially if your style is basic.
When Bult talks about junk food, I had to admit to being guilty. I buy and eat a lot of food in packages and I know I’d be better off not doing that. And again, maybe trying to learn to cook some for myself is a good idea. Maybe I’ll do that in 2024 (no, that is not a resolution). Bult is also correct about junk food being far more tempting late at night when we have the munchies. I have traced the few pounds of excess weight I carry directly to snacking.
Regarding financial investments, I do pay an investment manager who is the same guy who managed my father’s money. He’s been a member of our extended family for decades. That said, I believe Bult is correct. Steady, dollar cost averaged investing in low-fee index funds across the stock market is the tried and true method for investing without lots of hassles. Were I to advise anyone today, I’d tell them to take the low-cost and simple investing route Bult suggests.
As for coffee, my morning ritual of getting my coffee at one of the dozens of coffee shops within a few blocks radius of my apartment (I do live in San Francisco after all and we love our coffee) is important to me. It’s part of my socialization. It brings me joy. I tried making coffee at home. Lasted for a few weeks and the coffee maker has sat idle now for years. I also believe in buying quality coffee if you’re going to make it at home, at least if you love your coffee as much as I do.
Bult mentions that he and his wife share a car. I don’t own a car. I wrote about that in “On Not Owning a Car.” I realize that’s easier to do in a city like San Francisco than many other places. That said, I think we are culturally far too reliant on cars and I’d love to see us reduce their use. I walk a lot. I use public transit. When I need to get somewhere quickly, I user Uber, Lyft, or Waymo (yes, I’m a self-driving robotaxi customer). I subscribe to a citywide short-term car rental service if I need a car for a few hours. I use a more traditional long-term car rental service if I need a car for a couple of days or longer.
If any of this is useful, great. If not, at least you have a peek into my life which might illustrate why I think and therefore write the way I do sometimes.
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