After decades of shopping until we drop, many are finally turning deaf ears onto the "less is more" proverb, in the form of minimalist living. Committing to a minimalist lifestyle requires the following: one must get rid of almost all materialistic items and intentionally focus only on what matters. Removing any distractions that stops one from doing what they love, or requires extensive upkeep, is essential.
Most minimalists sell their homes, downsize, and possess little items. They value the freedom of being liberated of worldly possessions and unhealthy cultures. It invites the idea of consuming less but enjoying more. As a result, minimalists have fewer bills, stress, responsibility, and ultimately, they save more money. Nevertheless, transitioning from a regular lifestyle to a minimalistic one might feel a little extreme.
Although there is no harm taking on some practices that might benefit you in the long run, you might not be ready to commit to the minimalist lifestyle in its entirety. However, it is never too late to practice minimalistic spending habits. After all, learning ways to spend less means having more money when you really need it.
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1.Multi-Purpose Items
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Instead of single-purpose items, buy multi-purpose items for your household. With multi-purpose items, you can reduce spending by stretching items that have multiple purposes; especially cleaning products and household items. Common household items, such as vinegar, dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, cinnamon, and baking soda, can be transformed into cleaning supplies that are just as effective (if not more) than the expensive ones they sell in the store. Mason jars can be used for storage or as cups. Peppermint leaves can be brewed as a tea for relaxation or repel bugs.
Having multi-purpose items in the home will reduce your need to spend money on the same products week to week. One of our favorite multi-purpose items is Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Liquid Soap (Target, $11). The 18-in-1 product has multiple uses and can clean your home as well as it can clean your body (just be sure to dilute it with water first).
2.Become Frugal/No Spend Days
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One of the easiest, yet hardest, ways of becoming a minimalist is spending less of your money. Sit down and create S.M.A.R.T goals of your monthly budget. Decide what rational number you can save monthly and devote the rest of your money towards bills. Of course, it is OK to indulge every now and then and buy that item you've truly wanted. But the whole purpose of minimal spending is to spend minimally. If you have an item you desperately want, consider what you'll allow yourself to have and consider saving the rest. If it is not essential than it is unnecessary. In addition, consider having days where you refrain from spending at all. This will stop you from spending the money simply because you have it. It'll also force you to budget in the short-term to prepare for a day without a swipe.
3.Invest In a Water Filter
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Let's be honest: I see you there with your packages of bottled water on the kitchen/laundry room floor. We've all been guilty of buying packs on packs of water bottles instead of the more expensive Brita filter. In our minds, we'd rather spend the $5 on the pack of water than the $30 and up on the Brita filters. But what if I told you that spending the $32 once will be cheaper than the bottles of water over time?
It's time to invest in a water filters and a reusable water bottle. The average American spends about $100 or more on water bottles every year. Reduce your carbon footprint and the hole in your wallet. Say goodbye to those endless plastic bottles and hello to your new and improved pitcher.
4.Do Laundry in Cold Water
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Doing your laundry in cold water is not only great for the color of your clothes, but it works wonders for your energy bills. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, 75% of energy in laundry machines are devoted to the heating of water. Add that 75% to the many loads you'll inevitably have, it tacks on $60 and up onto your utilities bill annually. Save your clothes from shrinkage and color fading, and save yourself from wasting your money: clean your clothes in cold water. It'll save on water consumption, energy usage, replacement of clothing items, and your bills all around.
That sounds like a win-win-win situation to me.
5.Pay Credit Cards Off in Full
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Most of our big bills resides in the repayment of loans. This stops us from ever being able to save properly because we are spending most of the time trying to stay out of the debt collectors' call lists. Take some time to budget out all of your debt, especially credit card bills. Then, pay that debt off as quickly, and as reasonably as possible. Keeping your credit utilization low by keeping your balance low and/or paid off each month will also aid in attaining and maintaining a healthy credit score. The faster you pay off debt, the more money you'll be able to keep in your pockets and bank accounts.
6.Pack Your Lunch
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Now, I know when I say pack your lunch, you read: meal prep. Though they have a similarity in the preparation of meals, it is important that you do not confuse the two. More often than not, meal prep results in the waste of food. Either the meal become redundant, therefore less desirable and more likely to remain in the fridge, or you end up failing to properly store the food. Regardless, consider getting items that can double as dinner ingredients and lunch preparation. The average American spends close to $3,000 ($2,746) a year from buying lunch. Save yourself $3,000 by making your own lunch at home and spend it on something you really care about, or better yet save it for a rainy day.
7.Reduce Your Wardrobe
Rent the Runway
There is a special place in everyone's closet. One that holds a very dear place to us all. The place where we have clothes that we only look at, but never wear. Yeah, it's about time we make that place scarce. Reduce your wardrobe by selling gently used clothes to local stores or online. Instead, opt for keeping clothes you wear often, or clothing that you can turn into reusable items. Buy clothing only when it is necessary, rather than when it is a want. Similar to multi-purpose household items, invest in building a capsule wardrobe where you can mix and match items to wear in multiple settings. The more you use your clothes, the less you'll have to give away.
Pro Tip: If you are someone who likes to wear new clothes often but prefers not to rewear items, consider investing in renting your clothes through services like Rent the Runway. You can downsize your closet while revamping your wardrobe for a fraction of the price it costs to do closet overhauls for one and done fast-fashion clothing items. The subscription fashion service has plans that start at $69 a month. Click here to learn more.
8.Become Handy
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I know it is easier said than done, but becoming handy might be the best tip you've ever received. Often, when we are paying for work to get done, we are paying for the equipment and the worker's time/business. This can often result in reasonable payments becoming downright difficult to obtain. So, instead of paying someone to complete all of your household repairs, learn how to repair them yourself!
There are free videos online that inform you of the best tools to use and equipment to get. Buying the equipment will already be inevitable, but if you do the services on your own, you'll feel more fulfilled and capable of doing anything on your own. Warning: If the repair is extreme, like an electrical repair, consider leaving it to the experts.
9.Buy Essential Items in Bulk
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For a minimalist, being frugal and owning less is the smartest thing to do. Nevertheless, it's about the amount of money you spend over the course of the time and the amount of money you save as a result. Buying in bulk is expensive at first, but it pays off in the end.
Buy essential items, such as feminine products, tissue, paper towels, detergent, and soap in bulk. This will stop you from having to spend $5 to $10 on each item on a month to month basis. If you buy in bulk, you can save 20% on all your purchases and up to 83% on most items. If buying all bulk items make you uncomfortable, consider buying one bulk item at a time.
10.Get Rid of Pointless Memberships
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Finally, get rid of pointless memberships. Whether it is a lack of motivation or a busy schedule, going to the gym was difficult before the pandemic. Now, it's damn near impossible. Instead of keeping your gym membership, decide to create your workout routines from home. There are plenty of fitness YouTubers and Instagrammers who have fitness videos at home that are effective and helpful. Instead of holding onto the gym membership and wasting money on a place you rarely visit, consider creating a gym at home that's free and more often visited than not.
Also, consider cancelling some television subscriptions, or you can pause them, when new episodes of television are not provided. Instead, keep one streaming subscription and let the others go. When you're ready to get them back, the same shows and music will be available.
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
___
Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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Using the same material from the interior of the Volvo EX90, Hudson crafted a wool-blend car coat and waistbelt that combine the vehicle’s Scandinavian design with his signature tailoring and intention. The exclusive collection launched on October 20, and each piece is made-to-order by Sergio Hudson Collections.
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In October, I traveled to Charleston with a group of journalists to get a firsthand look at Hudson and Volvo’s location. During a fitting, Hudson said his goal is to make “great work that can stand the test of time.”
“People can look back on and say, ‘I remember when Sergio did that collaboration with Volvo,’” he continued. “Thinking about aligning yourself with classic brands that speak to where you want to go. And I think that's what this collaboration kind of means to me and my business.”
Hudson pinpoints his mom as the biggest influence for his designs. This collaboration was no different.
“This particular coat reminded me of the swing coats that my mom used to wear in the early 90s. You know, diva girls in the early 90s had Sandra suits,” he said, referring to Jackée Harry’s character in 227. “My mom wore those and she would have these matching swing coats to go over them. And that's where the initial idea came. This would be around the same time that we had our Volvo. So she would put on her suit, her swing coat, get in that red Volvo, and go to church.”
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With this capsule and beyond, Hudson wants to see more staples rotating in and out of closets this fall. He advises fashionistas to build her closet out with essentials to mix and match that aren’t just stylish but also sustainable.
“It's just those special pieces,” he said. “You can wear the same shirt and pants every day and nobody will notice. But if you have a special boot, a special coat, a special bill, a special bag, that kind of speaks to everything that your style stands about, that is something you should focus on.”
These are the same kind of staple pieces that return to our Pinterest boards and TikTok feeds season after season. Fast fashion has never been Hudson’s aim. “I'm trying to create a special pieces that can stand the test of time,” he said in his warm, Southern accent. “I'm only creating those kind of pieces from here on out.”
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For Hudson, this collaboration is revolutionary. It’s his first time working with a car company and experimenting outside of his wheelhouse in this way.
“This is a Scandinavian brand, and, you know, it's 70 years old. I'm an African-American boy from South Carolina that has had a brand for 10 years. So I think bridging those two worlds and seeing the similarities was the beauty of this project,” he explained.
Though Hudson and his partner and CEO of Sergio Hudson Collections Inga Beckham have made massive strides in just 10 years, Hudson said the industry is far from where he wants to see it when it comes to Black representation. He pointed to how few Black designers were at this year’s Met Gala despite the theme being Black dandyism.
“The fact that I dressed 18 people speaks to how many of us weren't there,” he said. He implored more of industries, fashion and beyond, to collaborate with Black designers often.
“Allow mentorship. Allow funding. Allow great design to shine through,” he implored. “When it comes to being a designer of African descent, when you can't get the funding that your counterparts have, you can't compete. When you get opportunities like doing a collaboration with Volvo, or you get opportunities to be at the Met Gala, that's putting us on the equal playing field, but really the funding behind it is what we need to take it to that desk level.”
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