10 things I don't buy anymore as a minimalist traveller | what I stopped buying

in travel •  7 years ago 

My shopping habits changed significantly after I started my journey into minimalism a few years ago. These are some of the things I no longer buy because I now view them as unnecessary. For some of these items, it took me some time to realise I no longer needed them. For others, I stopped purchasing them immediately once I had my goal in mind: to travel the world nomadically living out of my backpack. I prefer this simpler life!


Have you adjusted your shopping or spending habits?

What are some of the things you no longer buy?

Do you want to cut back on your purchases? If so, in what areas?

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Could you perhaps edit the list of ten into your post? I currently don't have the option of watching the video!

This post received a 4.6% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @ericwoelk! For more information, click here!

Very good video to share...thanks for sharing....keep steeming hot!
The idea you shared is relevant as if one needs to be a minimal traveler, it brings a sence of comfort so you concentrate and not think of those extra luggage palaver
regards

thank you for watching!

Always welcome . do also check my blog post on family versus office. A short story that touches the heart. Will update more tomoro so follow to get them also. Thanks

welcome once more..sent a new post oday do check it out
thanks

Very good post. People don't realize that more than 50% of stuff they buy is rarely used.

Thank you. :) And for some people it's even more than that. Hopefully, more people will come around to these minimalist ideas. I feel like we'd all be happier. :)

Good video. I am beginning to realize that I am a minimalist, I just never knew there was a name for it. There are so many better things and causes to spend money on, rather than the things you listed. People would be surprised if they began gradually cutting back and eliminating these things.

Thanks for watching. I completely agree with you. Most people assume they don't have money to travel or take a holiday once in a while, yet they have no idea how much money they spend needlessly on stuff they don't need. Of course, it's different for everyone, but if we really want to do something (like travel) we can make it happen. Thanks for your comment!

To me, it's all about priorities, and what we've been conditioned to believe our priorities should be.

Exactly. We've been tricked into thinking we need all these things to be happy, and that we always need more. We're conditioned to think that we must stay in jobs we don't like in order to pay for a lifestyle designed by someone else.

We work in jobs we don't like, to earn money to buy things we don't need, to impress people we don't like.

I reaaaaaally like this post so much, I know Im becoming a minimalist person, and the more minimalist I realize Im being, the more I like it. I try to analyze everything Im about to spend money on, and most of the time I ended up buying nothing, of just a bag of food, what is the only thing I realize I need for real.
It feels great to be conscious about buying the right thing. thanks for this post and for sharing your story.

Thanks for watching! Your journey into minimalism will just get better and better. Shopping with intention is the way to go. Even though we may start with cutting back on unnecessary purchases, making conscious decisions like this will only improve how we handle other aspects of our life. The minimalist life means you put your focus (and your money) in areas that actually matter to you. It's the only way to live! :) Thank you for your comment.

I totally agree with that, it feels great when you star to organice your priorities in your head and you are finally able to understand and see whats the best for yourself. Is a full mind liberation.

NICE ,great post !!
Yes you are right there are some unnecessary things
For me, I no longer bought sweets

Thanks for watching. Good idea to avoid those!

great post !!!

thank you for watching!

meep

Absolutely true @vegannomadchick , traveling has more value than things. Better having a passport full of stamps than a house full of gadgets.
Cheers

Exactly. Thanks for watching :)

Hell ya. I didn't always think like that, but I've been living semi minimalist for awhile now(11years) even though I am not a traveling nomad. I think it's just kinda my natural mindset. I just never understood why people spent so much money on crap they don't need. And the stuff I do buy I get the full use out of it, I use it until its dead. This laptop I'm typing on is the only one I've ever bought and its over 10 years old and still working good for me. My clothes look old and worn out, but until they get to many holes I'll keep wearing 'em, and once they got holes I can still rip them into pieces and use them as rags. I crossed paths with and old friend recently and he remarked "are you going for the bum look" I thought that shit was pretty funny. At the same time a lot of people I know always ask me how I can afford to spend so much time hiking and backpacking and gold prospecting? And its because I don't need to spend my money on all that crap that most people are impulse buying. I grow lots of food here at my place, so that helps too. Really enjoyed the video, I followed you here on steem and subscribed to your youtube channel.

"Are you going for the bum look" yes, yes I am! :D Thanks for your comment. People ask me the same, how can I afford to travel or do this or that, and I explain to them over and over that I simply don't buy things I don't need. I think about every purchase instead of going out shopping just because I'm bored. It all comes down to priorities. Thanks for following and subscribing!

I think it is more fun to see how little we can live on than by surrounding ourselves with things that we tire of easily. The more we consume the more we pollute the environment. Happiness comes from within, not from the things we surround ourselves with.

I agree. It's fascinating to me how little I need in my day to day life, as compared to how much stuff I thought I needed years ago before I started downsizing. Shopping with intention means buying less, so less plastic and packaging and less waste overall. Thanks for your comment!

@vegannomadchick Awesome! So much that we don't need - gifts are tricky for sure !

They are tricky. I feel like the most difficult part is convincing the gift giver that you aren't unappreciative by any means, you simply don't want to accumulate stuff. Fortunately, there are plenty of non-physical gifts we can give. Gift certificates or agreeing to cook someone dinner are better options in my opinion. I've also accepted a meal out as a gift. Friends will just take me out for a latte. :P It's not too expensive and it's fun to catch up with them instead of receiving a physical gift. :)

Yeah, I like the experience gift. Lunch, a museum, or something like that. Bitcoin is also acceptable :)

Oh I like that idea. :)

My thoughts on 10 things I don't buy anymore video
Gift giving is a cultural thing. Some people expect souvenirs from your travels. But I try to give snacks from places I been to. So my office mates gets snacks from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand , Indonesia , & Philippines
Since I got my ipad and phone, everything are there now. Books, movies and games in the ipad. Music and games again in phone. Never get board in the plane 
Since I move from Singapore to Shanghai, I gave up my gym. The weather is cooler here so I ran and bike more here
I plant basil plants. They die off every winter. So I harvest everything and have pesto every summer 
Hope your minimalist lifestyle give you joy and contentment. Because it is not the quantity of your belongings that determine quality of your life 

Thanks for watching. Snacks are excellent gift ideas. I'm the same when it comes to my phone. When travelling, I prefer to have all my books and podcasts in one location. It's very convenient during flights. Thank you for your comment!

Welcome 😁

I often dream of just living with my backpack... Just not participating in the farced rat-race... The only sad thing is that I have a girlfriend with another view to life, and I'm growing towards mine, I am constantly thinking of selling all of my shit that is just gathering dust somewhere in my appartment... I do love her, but I can already feel this is going to be the thing driving us apart... But than again not having a GF is kind of minimalistic too isn't it? :p

Love for all you brothers and sisters

I hear you, that can be a difficult situation. All you can do is hope you can inspire her to think more like a minimalist. Obviously, it's not best to force your views on her or anyone else, but I'm sure she can learn from how you live your life. :)

My wife has too much cookware...or the right amount of cookware. Depends which one of us you ask.

I have a lot of tools that don't get regular use, but when they're needed, they're needed. Minimalism isn't simply getting rid of all your belongings. In my mind, it's being willing to question your attachment to physical objects.

Exactly, I feel like some people view minimalism as a competition as if we're trying to see who can live with the least amount of stuff. Minimalism is different for everyone. Some of us own more things than others, but as long as these things are useful to us or they bring us some sort of value, there's nothing wrong with having stuff. :)

The less we have, the easier it is to move!

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😂

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Thank you! :)

OMG so agree with so much of this!! We've only been able to get down to living nomadically for half of the year so far (still saving to take the plunge into full-time travel). We work half of the year in tourism in Canada and then we travel for the other half.. So still kind of stuck in the middle of minimalism and trying to make that minimalism work when we're stuck in the routine while we work and save.

Temptation certainly works it's way into daily life, with the consumer mentality of mainstream society, especially here in British Columbia where people really invest in their toys for the lake and their flashy things. But it really only motivates us more to work harder and save faster so we don't have to be caught up in it any more than we need to be!

I agree so much witht the gifts and greeting cards too, for years I've been trying to explain to people why it's such a pointless thing, to buy a card thhat someone else has written to sum up how you feel when you could just pick up the phone or go on over and tell them yourself! Well said lady!!!

Thanks for watching and thank you for this comment. Living nomadically for half the year is a good start! Work hard and save for six months, travel for the rest of the year. 👌 At least you have a goal in mind, that way you can avoid those temptations! I never really understood greeting cards and always viewed them as pointless (and a waste of paper). I guess we become convinced we need them just because of marketing, and because everyone else uses them. Good luck with your nomad plans! :)

Nice

thanks for watching :)

Very useful information

thank you for watching!

Good thing you had emphasized first and foremost that you are not attacking anyone since someone's might raise their eyebrows about your idea of minimalism such as giving / receiving gifts. It denotes being stingy and unappreciative. But, we're on the same page of being practical and using our money wisely. :)

I don't think not participating in giving / receiving physical gifts means you are stingy and unappreciative. There are plenty of "gifts" we can give or receive that don't involve physical items.

Just as you said, it doesn't mean you're bad. Specifically, I just mean the examples you mentioned like giving souvenirs and receiving cards. For some cultures, buying souvenirs from a trip is a common practice, though it's not compulsory but there's a sense of generosity. Somehow, some people stereotype them stingy. I think such action is an example of culture difference as well.

Furthermore, I concede with you, as there are many ways to express/ share gifts. Also, I personally don't like buying items you have mentioned but it's still hard to say "not anymore". Someday. hahaha

I am a complete desastre. I always find something to buy; I love shoes and books in partícular. I am more controlled with shoes, but I loooove books

Books are tricky. I used to have a massive collection of books but I still prefer being able to pick up and move whenever I want. That being said, if I were staying in one place long-term, I might have a small book collection. :) Thanks for your comment.

Good video, interesting, but very long, I think)

thanks for watching. I tried to keep it short but wanted to explain why I stopped buying each thing instead of just rattling off a list. :)

Very nice post! Thanks for sharing!

thank you!

I always buy everything =))))

that's ok - we still like you :)

It's very helpful, thanks ! Check out also my blog about Yucatan adventure @sava Greetings ;)