There’s no doubt that the longer inflation lingers, the further decline people will feel in their standard of living. As it stands now, inflation is here to stay with us for at least the next two years. So, unless you can pull a genie out of your top hat, your lifestyle will be headed in a downward spiral. Just when I started to feel my shoulders slump from all this negative news, I came across a statement recently chanted by renown author, editor and founder of Minimalism, Joshua Becker.

“It is better to live cheap under budget than luxuriously in debt.”

According to Becker, there are only two ways a person can live their life: The first being, living below their means, saving money and using cash to pay for those expenses that pop up unexpectantly. The second way is to live above your means by living luxuriously thus placing yourself into debt. There is a third way, which is the one I’ve been living, and that is to live within one’s means. This third group happily pays its bills on time and has an affordable lifestyle. However, when an unexpected expense pops up, people like that have to put themselves into debt in order to make ends meet. So, eventually these people (like myself) get themselves into debt (even if it’s at zero percent) just to keep up a lifestyle that doesn’t much matter anymore. This is not the place you want to find yourself in.

Joshua Becker

Becker’s solution to this complexity is to always place yourself in position #1, which is to live below your means and the way that you do that is to live cheaper. Imagine that? I’m getting the go-ahead that’s it’s OK to be cheap. I’m not quite sure how I feel about that BUT in these inflationary times, perhaps becoming a cheapskate is a way to survive. No longer being conditioned to buy only the best, perhaps buying the cheaper percale sheets or 50% cotton/50% polyester towels or generic food brands might be a better option. There certainly isn’t anyone around anymore to impress. At least, not in my life circle. What good would it do me to get my hair professionally cut and wear a better brand of jeans if getting food on the table might be a struggle?

Becker recommends that by becoming a minimalist, which means only to have what you need and use (no clutter!) you can achieve a life of self-confidence, self-satisfaction, enjoyment and restful calm simply by going cheap! The point of minimalism is simple:

It is marked by clarity, purpose, and intentionality. At its core, being a minimalist means intentionally promoting the things we most value and removing everything that distracts us from it. It is a life that forces intentionality upon us. As a result, it forces improvements in almost all aspects of your life.

I’ve always prided myself on procuring the best of everything for myself and my family BUT I always got whatever I needed or wanted for less. A lot less. Perhaps if I buy cheaper and pay the cheaper prices, I might find a more sustainable lifestyle for myself in these inflationary times? I don’t know the answer to that question BUT I am going to give it a try going forward into 2022. I’m shopping cheap. I’m buying cheap and I’m going to live a cheaper lifestyle.

Side Note: I agree with Joshua Becker’s minimalist outlook so much so, that I have made it my mantra on my blog site’s opening page, under my profile.

Here’s what Joshua Becker has to say about living the cheaper life. View the video and let me know what you think. Do you agree or disagree?

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