In today's episode, we’ll dive deeper into comparing saving time vs saving money. Let’s go!
Question of the day:
If time and simplicity mattered more to you than money, in what ways would you spend more?
Minimal 1 is on Twitter and Instagram @minimal1media
Intro
Welcome to Minimal 1, a podcast about minimalism and simplicity. My name is Simon, and today, we’ll dive deeper into comparing saving time vs saving money. Let’s go!
Main
On a previous episode, we discussed how some forms a minimalism focus on spending less time, and others on spending less money. Today, we’ll dive deeper into this difference and discuss how minimalism and simplicity can be quite the luxury.
Let’s take cooking for example. Growing up, I was always told that cooking at home was cheaper, healthier, and took less time than going out to eat. But is that all really true? Sure, if you’re feeding multiple mouths, choose unhealthy food options, and live far from restaurants, this may be true. But what if you live alone, choose healthy restaurants, and live in a city? I used to live in the city center around the block from a restaurant where I became friends with the owner. All I did was call him on my way home, then pick up the food that he specially prepared for me (it wasn’t exactly on the menu), and I paid him some other time (I had a tab). I was in and out of there in 2 minutes, including the time it took to converse with him. There’s no way eating at home would have been quicker, and even if it cost slightly more, it was worth the savings in time and not having to deal with managing the various ingredients at home, or having the necessary tools. Yea, totally worth it.
When I was younger, I’d often spend lots of time finding and figuring out how to get by using free software or demos. Perhaps this was out of necessity on the money front, but I was certainly not making my life easy by doing this. Maybe paying for software isn’t always necessary, but it’s often much easier so you’ll spend less time on workarounds. Plus, you get to enjoy premium features that could enrich your life.
Or how about living in a hotel? Now I know, there are many logistical issues that most will have with this lifestyle choice, but for the right kind of person, it’s a very alluring option. I’ve often fantasized that living in a hotel would be the ultimate in minimalism and simplicity. Nearly everything is taken care of, it forces you to minimize possessions to an extreme degree, and you’re highly flexible on where you live from one night to the next. Sure, this might be expensive, but this is my point. Sometimes it may be worth spending more money to achieve a simpler and more minimal lifestyle.
Something that’s becoming increasingly popular for urban dwellers, is to not own a car. And if a car is necessary from time to time, that’s where ride sharing comes into play, such as Uber. Imagine never having to deal with parking, getting gas (or charging), servicing the car, cleaning, or insurance if ever there was an accident or theft. For those who live in cities, owning a car may actually be more expensive than ride sharing. But perhaps not if you need a car enough. Now imagine if your ultimate goal was simplicity, and you needed a car more frequently, then maybe you’d be willing to spend more on ride sharing.
Question of the day
If time and simplicity mattered more to you than money, in what ways would you spend more?
Outro
Thank you for listening. Please share your thoughts and any topics you’d like me to cover. Minimal 1 is on Twitter and Instagram at @minimal1media
See the show notes for more details.