Vicky Payeur, creator of the successful blog Living with Less, has been a fan of simplicity since 2015, when she decided to put a stop to the spiral of overconsumption that had left her heavily in debt. In her new book, Do more with less, she testifies to her experience and provides different keys to learn how to consume differently, free yourself from the weight of financial worries and live with a little more lightness.
Vicky Payeur is of the opinion that students, employees and retirees are richer than they think. However, living below one’s means, rather than above one’s means, is an art and a challenge in a society where one purchase does not wait for another.
Using various tips, she offers to transform her budget and save more, without depriving herself or feeling bullied. Frugality has great benefits: having savings and a minimalist lifestyle can allow you to make choices. Like taking an unpaid vacation, working fewer hours each week, or even taking early retirement.
Review your budget
In the current context, where inflation is skyrocketing and everything is more and more expensive, many people are reviewing their budget and thinking more before spending. Can we consume otherwise? Can we make better choices?
“I even see it with the comments on social media. People see that prices are going up and they are looking for ways to spend less. Right now the major budget items where people are seeing prices go up is really food and gas. »
“When you have a family, groceries can go up $20 or $30 a week, so that really makes a big difference on the budget. Inflation, right now, is really kicking off: people are really looking to spend less or use what they have on hand to manage to save a little more. »
see life differently
Consuming less is therefore a philosophy of life?
” For sure. I really went from overconsumption to minimalism in 2015 and it really allowed me to see life differently, and to realize in fact that I could live and find my happiness in the little everyday things rather than always looking for my next material possession or my next purchase. »
Going back to basics, going back to basics, enjoying what you already have, she adds, is really the best way to spend less and also to live.
“When you have more money in your pocket and you arrive less tight at the end of the month, you are really less stressed. When you have more money in your pocket, that’s when you feel like you become more free, too, because you can have more choices at your fingertips. »
An impact on well-being
These choices have an impact on well-being. “Being afraid of not being able to pay your bills at the end of the month, or of not being able to pay something to your child, brings a lot of stress and dissatisfaction. Often, we have the impression of being caught in our situation and we cannot find the solutions. But the solution is right in front of you: it is simply to reduce overconsumption and spend less. »
“From the moment you start to rethink your daily expenses, I believe that you become your own source of inspiration.
As soon as you discover the flaws in your budget and save a few dollars on various expense items, you become addicted. From there, never again do we want to pay a high price for an object or waste money on things that will not bring value to our lives and that take us away from our financial freedom. »
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