My minimalist living approach in a troubling economy
My average day begins and ends with one principle: prioritizing myself. This may sound selfish, but it saves me from a whole lot of troubles and, at the same time, satisfies my heart and conscience. Over time, life brings new things and perhaps old things in new ways that warrant readjusting, discarding, or subscribing to new patterns of life. For me, staying sensitive to what is vital to living and identifying those things that would shorten my lifespan and taking appropriate measures against them has been my approach.
My lifestyle as regards procurement lies in bulk buying, which rubs on the foodstuffs and data I buy, as an example. Oftentimes, I do not have to bother myself with buying nonperishable items unless there is an abrupt finish. This lifestyle saves me from worrying about daily purchases unless, for me, it is cheaper than having to buy in bulk or spontaneously.
One major decision I have made is to take breakfast every day, especially before going to work, and this could be as simple as tea and a loaf of bread. Prior to now, I have loved listening to the news either through the TV or on radio frequency, but the daily news is often filled with saddening news that ranges from kidnappings to economic hardship, and thus, for the sake of my mental health, I would rather just start my day after my devotion and probably hear some important news as the day goes. My toiletries are bought in bulk and could last me for the next three months. The interesting part is that these toiletries are averagely cheap and satisfy my heart. I have a colleague at work who keeps disturbing me to patronize her oriflame products. I have no bias toward using such products, but using Dettol soaps, Oral B toothpaste, and simple Vaseline gives me satisfaction and contentment. This is my little way of living in a manner that does not strain my finances.
Most weekdays are spent at work. I have accepted my fate to drive my car to work daily, not minding the fuel implications. The advantage I have is that my house is less than a ten-minute drive to work. The disadvantage of taking my car to work is that I may get tempted to excuse myself from work and run some errands during the work hour. Nonetheless, having my house close by has saved me the exorbitant financial implications of fuel and, in another way, gives me some degree of comfort. And yes, my wardrobes are mostly changed every two years, and unless I get some as gifts, I am good with the few that I have. So, my daily living has little strain on my health and finances, as I have taken precautionary measures to have items I would need for daily living available except for perishable items. I have MTN solar power that I paid off when I had a promo, so I basically depend on it more often than the government power supply, which is epileptic. While going to work and even when I am home, I mostly put off the government meter and put it on only when I need to press my clothes or entertain visitors since the solar system has its DC in my room but bulbs in strategic places in the house.
Not only do I not play with taking breakfast, I have located a food vendor whose meals aren't expensive, and with as little as N500 ($0.33), I get a free satchet of pure water. Surprisingly, my system adapted easily to the carbohydrate (pounded yam), vegetables (egusi soup, which is white-seed melon soup), and protein (fish or beef). While at work, I have managed to stay on course with my duties and responsibilities, refraining from doing the roles assigned to others. I have come to understand that there is no heroism in being a superman. A friend of mine once advised me never to be found wanting in my specified roles. This approach of mine keeps my mental state in check, even though I get entangled in some work that becomes laborious for my health occasionally.
I have commitments after school, which I have tried to schedule on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. On days that my evenings are free, taking evening strolls if I am not too exhausted is what I do, and occasionally I ride my bicycle inside the compound as a form of exercise. This does not mean I do not hang out when occasions arise, but this is just once, twice, or none at all. Fair enough for me; at least my social life is not extremely boring. Once I'm rested in the evenings, hiving has become an addiction in addition to WhatsApp and other social media that I visit. Rather than spontaneous visits to these social media sites, Hive is a priority for me.
Living my life in moderation and not involving myself in affairs that do not directly concern me has become more beneficial than living minimally, as I am mostly accountable to my conscience, fate, and God.
My lifestyle is simple enough; however, I am grateful for the job I have, my meager salary, and other income sources such as Hive. Hard work, luck, and opportunities are important factors that contribute to enjoying a minimalist lifestyle. Other than that, people groan under the stress of economic hardship and may not be able to apply themselves to benefit from an acceptable minimal lifestyle, as opined by @terganftp
Thank you for reading. I would love to have your comments and contributions.
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Your approach to a minimal acceptable lifestyle works well for me.
You have clearly defined goals, a routine that works, and understand what makes you happy.
Being competent at your job and cognizant of what you can and cannot do, valuing your mental and physical health, getting proper (and inexpensive) nutrition all sound like very valuable traits indeed.
As for a 500 Naira meal that sounds pretty good to me--as long as its tasty.
Thanks for contributing, as always I appreciate it.
Thank you very much, I'm honored and glad to always contribute here