Call me cheap.

On a recent trip to Copenhagen with a cousin from the USA, I ended up tearing the only pair of jeans that I had. It was a bit of shock to my cousin that I actually owned only one pair of jeans. This prompted me to write “Reduce the noise” which is about spending money on things that matter to you and not to live up to the metrics that others judge you by.

People have a false notion that minimalists are some kind of hippies who don’t like material things. I beg to differ. To answer some questions on my approach to minimalism, I decided to write down stuff i own and spend money on.
First of all, one should know it’s not the same for everyone. You can be a minimalist in your own way. The funniest example is my mom. She doesn’t spend on anything and has no interest in clothes or gold or having a big house. However, she will spend exorbitant amounts of money on pilgrimages and temple visits. That’s something that makes her happy.

“Find your own way to be a minimalist.”

How?

Write down a list of 3 things that bring you the most amount of joy.It could be activities you do, hobbies, things you use everyday, things that matter to you.

For me, at the current stage in my life, it is:

1. Tech
2. Fitness
3. Travel

For you, it could be other things like food, relationships, house, interior decoration, whatever fetish you have and floats your boat.No judgments. Life is too short to not indulge. Prioritize your spending on a select few items and a select few items only.

Here’s a list of things i love and never want to sacrifice on:

1. A great laptop. Currently using the 13inch MacBook Pro. Love it to death.
2. Love my iPhone 7 but can’t wait to switch to the Pixel 2.
3. Good old rugged G Shock watch that most people think is ugly as fuck. But I can hike, trek, swim and do everything without ever having to worry about it.
4. One pair of the best workout clothes I have come across from A-Z. I used to think workout gear is overrated until I bought my gym shorts from A-Z. Can’t go back. Won’t go back.
5. Best pair of workout shoes that fits your fitness routine. It can transform your workouts. I recently bought the Nike Metcon’s, and it’s easily the best purchase of the year.
6. Polar Heart rate monitor to keep track of my workouts.
7. I spend on convenience when traveling. I’d rather pay 100$ more than waste half a day I transit. Same with hotels.
8. Experiences are worth spending on.
9. I spend as little as possible. I’ve been wearing the same couple of t-shirts for years now. I own 2 pairs of jeans, and that’s it.
10. Cheap beer.
11. Cheaper sunglasses. Don’t be that douche who worries about keeping it protected and scratch free.
12. Great salads are worth the price in the long run.

I spend the bare minimum on everything else, and that’s my minimalist life. My apartment has just the bare necessities, and I couldn’t tell you the difference between Gucci and H&M.

Go throw everything you don’t care about.

Happy Minimalizing.