The Minimalist Budget: A Practical Guide On How To Save Money, Spend Less And Live More With A Minimalist Lifestyle

With the pandemic I faced the dilemma of stretching every dollar I could. This year I resolved, like many, to better my finances. This book provided engaging and practical steps to help with this resolution. I enjoyed one of the last chapters that addressed the criticism of those who have less not out of choice but circumstances. The book overall is a good choice for a quick and useful financial read.

This book was an easy read but was also an eye opener. I have been budgeting to get out of the little debt i have but have never thought about money the way the book describes. This book taught me to look at the way i live differently. It also showed me how dependent i am on money. Money that i “need” to pay for stuff that doesn’t add value to my life. Money that i know have to spend to pay off debt that i got into from things that didn’t really ad value to my life. Would defiantly recommend.

Let me just start off by saying that this is not the first book I’ve read by this author, I've read another one as well that addressed minimalism in a somewhat broader context. Even though both books cling to the same general topic, they do vary greatly on where they put their emphasis. I very much enjoyed the other book (which is one of the main reasons I decided to get this book as well), but this one is probably my favorite. The reason for this is very much tied to what my current life situation looks like at the moment.Granted, this is not a 300+ page book, but one thing is for sure, every sentence counts. I’ve read quite a few books on the topic but this book really offers an expanded notion of what it means to budget. Written in a clear, lucid and easily digestible manner, it offers countless, very specific suggestions for saving money in numerous areas of our lives, all the while keeping things in perspective. So if the idea of a minimalist lifestyle appeals to you, you will appreciate this book immensely.All in all, this book is a practical take-action-guide to help you gain control of your spending and save money. There are so many helpful tips I don’t really know where begin.Not only have I learned a wide array of useful tips and ideas on how to save more money (like debt, shopping and spending habits, how to identify problem areas, make achievable goals for work, home, etc.), but I have also learned a great deal about myself; what I truly need and value in order to live a better life - a more meaningful and fulfilling life.And this is really what I love most about this book; the fact that it showed me how I can go about creating a minimalist budget in a way that still allows me to fully enjoy the minimalist lifestyle. It’s really all about perception and tuning in to our core being; our deepest and most authentic needs and values.Budget wise, just a few deliberate changes in our spending habits really can make an enormous difference. I really loved the whole budget framework near the end of the book (how to create your own budget, 1 week to 6 months and beyond). As of right now, I’m in the process of applying it to my current life situation.To paraphrase the author: Money is not the only resource that needs to be managed. A true “life budget”, a budget that allows us to budget our life to meet our needs instead of the reported needs of a materialistic world, is one that acknowledges the emotional, behavioral, social and even spiritual side of ourselves.I couldn't agree more, and this book served as a wonderful reminder of that fact. Thank you!

The rising cost of living has forced my husband and I to get more creative about how we spend our money, establish savings and plan our future. I remember spending about $250 per month on food when we first got married back in 1999.(Fast-forward 15 years later-Now we have three kids and we spend $1200 per month on food). It’s not cheap to raise a family. Food is our top priority because we have three growing boys, but I do get concerned when the food bill is higher than the mortgage.I’m noticing more and more money going out and I’ve been looking for ways to cut corners and just change how we live overall. This is why I picked up The “Minimalist Budget”. Once we spend our money, we lose the “opportunity” to spend it on something else. The (lost opportunity cost) can then affect us later on, so it’s vital to make the right decision the first time. Planning is key and that’s where this book really comes in handy for me.The author goes in depth about what minimalism really is, and how to make good financial decisions that benefit you more over the long run. Simeon (the author) makes it very clear that minimalism is not about scarcity.Creating a minimalist budget is based on developing a plan that meets your needs while also trimming away excess things that we “thought” we needed in the past. Advertisements trick us into thinking we need certain things that we really don’t need-then we up regretting the purchase afterwards.My husband typically likes full course dinners with all the trimmings such as steak, mashed potatoes and one or two side dishes. I realize I can save on groceries by trimming some of these big dinners down and having a few simple dinner meals throughout the week instead. This book includes several tips on how to save money on food! I really paid attention to this chapter because I feel like our grocery bills are burning a hole in our pocket.I also like the case studies near the end of this book because it helps me to see how other people are transforming their lives and creating a better future with this lifestyle.In addition, the author breaks down the strategies in this book at the end with a step-by-step actionable plan for week one, two and six months and beyond. I’m glad I bought this Kindle book and I plan on buying the paperback version as well, if it becomes available. I also plan on buying some of his other books such as “Self-Esteem for Kids” and “Mindful Eating.”

This is a very simplistic easy to read book.The most poignant bit was the reminder that money can be earned and then spent but time and people are irreplaceable. The book is worth reading just to be reminded of this absolute truth.

Absolutely excellent - such a well-balanced little book. I love the way that it is not always right to be the cheapest, least option when something a bit more expensive will last longer and give pleasure in the process. Often better not to buy something than to end up unhappy with the purchase and having to chuck it away. hhrlsa

I initially purchased this as a 'joke' gift for a rather big-spender in my family, however, the contents of the book itself are very useful and could be easily translated into anybody's day-to-day life. My only concern would be that even the pages themselves are very minimalist; plain white with blocks of black text and few images. However this is only a minor aesthetic concern, and perhaps does not reflect the quality of the contents.

You know, maybe it's more booklet than book but the advice is condensed and I found it on spot. Now will try to persuade that my son will read it, and as all early 20-somethnigs he doesn't like 'War and Peace' volumes. So this should be fine.

Super book, sensible, gives food for thought and life changing. I certainly have re thought my spending and more so the reasons behind my spending. It has also made me feel in absolute control. A must buy for everyone in the modern world.