Comments on: The Minimalist Road to Location Independence

By: greg locascio

greg locascio — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:15:01 +0000

Thanks for the article on minimalism. I think it's funny that not being interested in material things brands one as an oddball. This is because so many people base their lives on the acquiring of and/or care for stuff.

By: Cody McKibben

Cody McKibben — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 10:22:54 +0000

Awesome guest post David, glad to see you on J.D.'s site! Great writers, both of you! And of course I am totally down for the minimalist lifestyle. Thanks for sending a shoutout for me and Mark, just got back from a trip to Laos with that crazy guy, Dwight & Joel!

By: @gotpassport

@gotpassport — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:37:33 +0000

I love reading this post and so fitting as we are in the process of becoming a more efficient minimalist. after our three month long trip on the road in US and in Asia, my suspicion is confirmed- too much stuff we lived out of our two suitcases and our Honda Fit. And John is right, so freeing mentally to not be constantly in the consuming mode. I am amazed when I hear about those stories where consumers wait all night before a big christmas sale so they can be the first in line. Crazy! I agree it is better to spend my money on experience for me and my family, especially my child in creating memories, than on stuff. She will learn deeper lessons than just spend spend spend- buying affection from children as some parents do!

Great article. Thanks to Cody, so glad I found it.

By: @cathduncan

@cathduncan — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:49:08 +0000

I love having very little stuff, and I love having a clean out and giving some of my stuff away, which I do every time we move. We're moving again at the end of the month and since we haven't collected much extra stuff this time, I only have a small bag of clothing to pass on. I agree with John - it's an enormously mentally freeing thing not to have much stuff.

A challenge for us is that my husband and I like to "do" a lot of things that require stuff (cycling/ snowboarding/ kiting/ motorcycling/ camping, etc), but we're learning to pare that stuff down to the bare essentials (you don't really need all the kit!) and in some cases, since we're a little ADD with our hobbies, rather than buying kit, we're renting it. If you have a diverse range of interests and hobbies, you'll often spend only a few weekends a year on each, and it can be cheaper to rent the equipment rather than buying stuff you don't use very often.

Cath

By: jdbentley

jdbentley — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:49:47 +0000

Well said, John. I'd never even thought of the mental benefits of minimalism, but I'm sure it's the most rewarding part about not having to maintain a lot of junk. Like they say, it's better to spend your money on experiences than stuff.

By: John Bardos

John Bardos — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:45:00 +0000

There is another key benefit of minimalism that I think is often over looked, that is the mental savings associated with decreased spending. So much of our lives are spent comparison shopping, evaluating products, maintaining things, cleaning possessions, worrying about theft and damage. All of that cognitive power can be much better spent creating and enjoying real experiences. Consumption is making us stupid. Turn off your TV, stay out of the shopping malls and just do something. "Do" NOT "Buy"

By: jdbentley

jdbentley — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:04:40 +0000

I'd never heard that before. Half the stuff twice the money. I'll have to remember that. I'm currently planning my first major trip. Always nice to hear advice from people who have done what I want to do. Thanks for stopping by Ross!

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:41:12 +0000

Yea….I just finished the same excursion and it was great but I wish I would have brought even less. Have fun….Check this link for packing details http://lifeexcursion.com/index.php/travel/the-art...

By: Ross

Ross — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:18:39 +0000

I'm backpacking Australia and New Zealand right now and it is definitely nicer to have less stuff. Less to carry, less to worry about, less to buy. You can get along with very little. I read somewhere that you should pack and then take half the stuff and twice the money.

By: jdbentley

jdbentley — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:03:05 +0000

Thanks for the post, Dave! I've been meaning to do more on location independence so I was happy to get your email. Plus I'm a sucker for minimalism!