Courtesy of jsdart

Someone had made a comment on one of my previous blogs that talked about how most people wouldn’t work jobs they disliked if they didn’t own so much stuff.

I couldn’t agree with them more.

As someone who leads a pretty minimalistic life, I wanted to share a few more in depth ideas on how to own less so it won’t own you.

*Buy what you need, not what you want.

As someone who continues to build a 100% debt free life, I know this may not be easy for some people to hear.  I have to admit I’m sometimes guilty of this too – because no doubt… I have a lot of stuff I want (versus what I need).

However, at some point we have to draw the line.

For instance, I remember back about 10 years ago when I was living off of credit cards and finally decided to do something about it.  The sad thing was, I was still paying the credit cards bill – and most of the stuff I was paying for YEARS later… was already gone.

Sound familiar?  It doesn’t make sense to keep paying for things you don’t even have anymore. Does it?

So why do it?

*Travel more.

Because of the continuous problems with taking excess baggage on the airlines it almost forces you to own less…  Plus, it’s just annoying to carry all of that baggage around knowing you may not need everything you brought along.

Because of this, I don’t know anyone that travels with more than a bag or two.  This pretty much forces you to own less.

*Start questioning your purchases.

How?  Again, by using cash when you purchase anything (which I know is still foreign to some people). Yet when you do this, you start to see all the other things you could buy for $200 or $300 instead of a pair of jeans.  Then, it starts to become really hard to throw a few hundred bucks on the table.

After going to the register, one would hope you would have a bag full of stuff for a few hundred bucks.  Right?  But when you look down into your bag, seeing one pair of jeans gets you to start questioning your purchase – “What did I just do.  I could of used that money for so many other things that I needed (versus what I wanted).”

That is when reality sets in – and helps you to understand the value of money a bit better.  It’s hard to understand the insanity of what we sometimes pay for things, until we start to consistently pay cash for things.

*Move on.

In a few weeks I’m moving out of California and most likely relocating to Seattle, WA (after visiting some family in Florida).  For me, I’m just excited to move on from here.

However, the thing I’m most excited about is that I’ll get rid of a ton of stuff I don’t need at our garage sale.  Why?  Moving forces you to look through boxes you don’t need and lose what you don’t use.

Although, I must confess… I don’t have much to sell (besides the furniture that isn’t worth moving)… its great to know that most of the things I own, will never own me.  You?

Special Note – Tired of the same boring and conventional business and guru talk? Sign up here for my free newsletter & receive your instant report on the best most simple unconventional insights (for you and your business).  Upon signup, you can also download a free sample chapter of my first book entitled, “The Poet and the Billionaire: A Personal Journey of Conversation.”

Follow Me: @jaredkessler

courtesy of johnr71

Recently I made a guest post on Adam Baker’s brilliant site, “ManvsDebt” and was overwhelmed with the amount of positive support his readers gave me – reaching a massive milestone in my life.

I became 100% debt free (giving myself an approximate $350/month raise).

So what’s the easiest most effective way to give your own self a raise in ANY economy. You got it – pay off your debt!

Although it might not seem like much of a raise to some people, it was for me.  Not only that, the psychological and emotional impact it has had on me, is probably one of the most life changing events I’ve ever personally experienced.

It’s also one that I truly wish you have the chance to experience one day.  As someone who has helped a few close individuals through this, perhaps I can share a bit of my story to help you?

Ever since college I was in debt (graduated 1996).  Since then, I’ve probably paid off at least $70,000 in credit card debt (never had a “student loan,” went on any crazy shopping sprees, etc).

Believe it or not, I mainly used it to fund my career in “the entertainment business.”

Below are a few simple unconventional insights that I hope might help you or someone you know overcome a similar feat.

If you can’t afford to pay cash for something, you don’t buy it – this goes for both your business or personal life.

I know it sounds simple, but this was the one thing I never really learned or was taught by anyone.  Although the people I was around, the billions spent by advertisers per year in convincing me that, “Get it now, pay later” was the right things to do… they were wrong!

Now, instead of someone else being in charge of my money.  I am.

Cut up all of your credit cards and leave the debit cards home!  You spend less when you go into a store with 100% cash.  Not only that, you find deals you never saw before because you can only spend the cash you have in your hand.

Since I got my girlfriend Kelly on this plan, she’s been able to cut her credit card debt in half (already paying off over $30,000 just in credit card debt)!

It’s true I had to do some mind trick ninjitsu work on her… but I’ll never forget the time when she actually understood this.

Kelly went into Target with about $25 cash.  She got a christmas tree, the stand and a few other things…  she was so excited and understood “I can work with a budget.”

The funny thing was, she used to go into a store and just get whatever she needed (never considering the price).  Now she has to consider the price because she goes in with cash – already knowing what she needs and what she can spend.

It’s the easiest most brilliant thing you can do.

No car payments, or fleeces (what some call “leases”).

A “lease” is such a great business model anyone in business should use.  Think about it. You borrow a product that you don’t own, pay them hundreds of dollars a month to use, then give it back to someone in 2 or 3 years (signing a contract that they will get paid on a certain date each month or else they will come after you).

Brilliant business model BMW (but no thanks).

If you are at a store and you find something you need, put it on hold if you don’t have the cash.  This relieves any/all “impulse buys.”

This is probably the one of the smartest little tricks I’ve learned.  Because I only carry cash on me if I know I’m going to buy something (and don’t own any credit cards), I go home to see it if I have it in my envelope.  Not only that, I start asking myself, “Do I really need this?”

Remember, not “do I want this?”

Other than buying a house in the next few years – which would most likely be paid for in cash (or  a 15 year fixed rate at 25% of my take home pay), I’m now 100% confident that I’ll never need another stupid loan or credit card EVER again to live.

Although it’s one thing to pay off your debt, it’s another thing to do it and be in 100% control of your finances.  For this, I have my “ultimate” mentor to thank for introducing me to Dave Ramsey’s plan and standing behind me in this personal quest of debt annihilation.

I know this might sound a bit “unconventional” to live this way.  But when “conventional” is being in debt up to your eyeballs, unhappy, living “pay check to pay check,” depressed, and working a soul sucking job because of the “great benefits,” I don’t know about you… but… “unconventional” just seems like the smarter way to go.  Don’t you?

Special Note – Tired of the same boring and conventional business and guru talk? Sign up here for my free newsletter & receive your instant report on the best most simple unconventional insights (for you and your business).  Upon signup, you can also download a free sample chapter of my first book entitled, “The Poet and the Billionaire: A Personal Journey of Conversation.”

Follow Me: @jaredkessler