💸 50 THINGS I STOPPED BUYING AS A MINIMALIST // SAVING MONEY + BEING HAPPIER (5 YEARS OF MINIMALISM)

►We have been living minimally for 5 years and practicing frugal living for over a decade, so it's no surprise there are a lot of things we stopped buying as a minimalist family! Things I don't buy to save money, things I don't buy to help the environment -- this is a list of 50 things I STOPPED BUYING as a minimalist. If you want to know how minimalism can help you save money, be happier, and stopped being so darn STRESSED OUT and overwhelmed, then you need to watch this minimalism video. I am an ex-hoarder turned minimalist and it is now my BURNING passion to help others live happier with a minimalist lifestyle.

#minimalism #familyminimalism #minimalistfamily

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ABOUT A TO ZEN LIFE
I was an emotional hoarder who couldn’t let go. My husband grew up poor in rural China. Now we are a happy & debt-free minimalist family living our dream life in Europe.

Minimalism changed my life - now I want to help YOU unclutter your happiness!

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NOTE: This description may contain affiliate links; these links allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no additional cost to yourself. While this channel may earn a small amount when the viewer uses the links, the viewer is in NO WAY obligated to use these links.

[fififinance]

Don’t save what’s left after spending, but spend what’s left after saving - W .Buffett💪

[rittipm]

Agreed on everything except skincare. It's always worth investing in good dermatology approved lotions with sun block factor. Skin cancer is not a joke

[acrobaticanna]

I grew up with hoarders and also love my new minimalist life!! I have discovered we still focus on stuff, just getting rid of it now and no longer shuffling it as before.

[MJ-czgx]

Can really relate to this video! A lot of these things I don't buy either. But birthday cards? I absolutely love receiving birthday cards, Christmas cards and Easter cards. I love reading the personalised messages people wright and I don't ever throw them out. Instead I glue them into a scrapbook. Now as I'm getting older and family members are starting to die, it is very nice to go back and see what they wrote to me and see their handwriting

[chelsaterra]

I'm also getting started on a minimalist journey. My attraction to this is being more environmentally friendly/cautious first and foremost, saving money and less cleaning. For me it's a win win win all around.

[wendydavies]

When I was a child my mother used to put my hair in rags (long pieces cut off old sheets or pillowcases) to give me curls like yours. I'm 70 now and love the idea of you doing the same 60 years on

[ml]

Yes! Aquaphor, i swear by it for lips, cracked heels, hands, anything that needs that care and I live in a tropical country. It's a multiuse balm. For some reason I got so excited when you mentioned Aquaphor.

[MelihimeGold]

With MOST of these things you’ve mentioned I’ve realised that I’ve been a minimalist my whole life. Growing up with divorced parents and constantly moving between the two will do that to you. Keep only what you need and don’t collect things lol. It’s so freeing though.

[travelheal]

I love how you live, its amazing, if we all look into how much we consume and waste on stuff we literally don’t need, it’s crazy, and so harmful for our environment, we all need to look into our lives and find our true pleasure, and stop being so materialistic

[saramarkowicz]

Thank you for the video ! For the hair I have another tip (maybe you saw it since then!) : No Shampoo, and it WORKS so well. Since two years I have stopped using shampoo and went for rhassoul and apple cider vinegar and then water only. Once your hair gets used to it you litteraly spend 0 euros on it, this is amazing. And the hair are just 1000% natural and beautiful.
What is great is that when you start practicing minimalism, you notice how little you actually need compared to what you "used to need" before.

Bisous from France !

[herthamari]

A tip on the shaving topic... I had laser hair removal done a few years ago, since then, I only shave the soft 'spots' of hair that grow out every once in a while. The hair only started coming out harder three years after I finished my treatment (which means I need to do another session or two). The initial 6-8 sessions were a bit more expensive, but in the long run, I am saving on razers and all the jazz that comes along with it. It is of course all dependent on hair color and skin pigmentation on how effective such treatments are. Hope the info is helpful :)

[raini]

Thank you for putting into words the toll that clutter takes on life and relationships. So many countlese hours on moving it around, cleaning it, then having to clean it again because it never got put & on. That you isolated the main reward of this goal is TIME, for RELATIONSHIPS with PEOPLE!!!

[carol]

This sounds like what I needed to hear. Thank you. Found your channel by accident MARISSA.
I'm retired and we moved 11 years ago to another state. We downsized to reduce moving expenses, but now it's like a person who loses all the weight and later the weight comes back only doubled.
I'm not a messy hoarder but I can relate to them as I have way more Stuff that is basically what I'd call as valuable clutter.
My husband was not a hoarder when we married. He was in the air force and traveled lightly. But, after many years of marriage I realized he was frugal minded because he can repurpose anything and can't bear to throw anything away other than real trash. Even the airlines he worked for would strip parts from one airplane to fix another one.
I clean out my refrigerator when he's sleeping, only because I know he's better off not knowing what I threw out. Lol. He's a good man, just has a tendency to hoard.
Thank you for a very encouraging video. Wishing you and your family all the best.

[katiesoderling]

Ahhh I love that you don’t give birthday cards!! I don’t give cards for the most part unless it’s for someone close to me and I plan on writing a letter in it.

[laura]

I don't buy paper towels anymore! It's been about 4 months. I bought 2 bundles of white bar towels at Aldi and keep them washed, folded and stacked on my counter. We were going through paper towels like crazy. I'm so happy I did this!!

[nattypnetto]

I never get tired of hearing your voice 😩 you are so calming.

[elizabethcoleman]

For my boyfriend's birthday i got him a few gag gifts but he had been struggling with his anxiety so I used anxiety aids. They were funny, dumb gifts but he keeps them with him all the time for his anxiety💕

[arykal]

Your hair looks great with that method would love to see it in a video.

[jonnarogers]

I agree with everything except skincare; it’s become a bit of a hobby for me. I have spent 50 years not caring about my skin and it showed. I use good products and make some of my own concoctions for my skin. And my skin has improved! But I don’t wear much makeup and I’m a nurse and I don’t need a lot of clothes.

[Karmelia]

#5. Cetaphil is actually amazing and recommended xD Although you should also use something with filter to protect yourself from the sun (which will help to prevent more wrinkles).
#7. Not using makeup is not an option for everyone, but carefully looking for the one which works the best is the cheap but satisfying option. Also, investing in skin care, partly as above.
#9. Skin care doesn't have to be expensive, just have to read and get to know your skin and what it needs.
#13. It is I guess "frugal" or whatever, but it's good that it works for your family. Me and my partner buy each other presents, but we ask each other what we need - something broke or we had realised we need something for hobby or work - that's the perfect gift. When we don't have anything to buy, we just go out together to eat out and celebrate.

And everything else is something I totally agree and either never wasted money on or changed during the last few years. Do others think I live minimalistic? Maybe, maybe not. We buy only what we use and our rooms look clean and spacious despite the fact that they are small. I love living like that.