4 steps to consume less and waste less

When we want to become minimalist and/or frugalist, we want to consume UNIQUELY the necessary. This is the objective of this article, 4 steps to consume less and waste less.

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Why do we consume in excess?

In reality, there are many reasons to indulge in excess.

According to psychology.net, people indulge in excess mainly out of habit or to fill dissatisfaction¹ .

In fact, we tend to let ourselves go and consume in excess. Which automatically causes waste. From a human point of view, this is incorrect.

My examples of excess

For (too) long. Even while surfing the minimalist wave, I also consumed in excess😓.

So, here is a list of some excesses that I carried out (and sometimes I still realize it but much less often 😉).

Fill my plates too much
Drink too much alcohol
Consuming too much Coca-Cola during work
Fill a glass with juice and throw the rest in the trash

➡️ I understood that I could avoid all this unnecessary consumption by 4 simple steps.

1st step – Become aware

👉 The first step is to become aware of what we consume in excess.

It takes serious thought to understand what we can improve with our consumption.

note that This exercise should be done regularly so as not to lose track.

⚠️ Note that we all have different needs! Each consumption must be analyzed individually.

2nd step – Keep your pleasures

I insist that minimalism is not a competition!

We all have pleasures that require different consumption!

👉 Within reason, let’s keep the “excesses” that make us happy!

For example, I fly more than 3 times a year. Some might take this as an excess.

On the other hand, what I learn culturally and psychologically while traveling is very enriching 🌎

Therefore, I consider my travels like a pleasure and not as an excess.

3rd step – Stop excesses

👉 Once excesses and pleasures have been identified, excesses must be tackled 😉

In reality, if you realize that you have a surplus that does not bring you anything in your life, It must be stopped immediately.

👉 I advise you to get to the root of the problem. The more radical you are with your excess, the more your chances of quitting increase.

To share a personal experience. When I realized that I was drinking coffee out of habit. I just stopped drinking coffee.

👉 I think that if the excesses are stopped suddenly. The chances of quitting increase considerably! 😉

Actually, that's what happened to me when I quit smoking. I succeeded by stopping suddenly after I had made several attempts (without success) by reducing.

Step 4 – Divide everything by 2

Although my advice is to stop the excesses suddenly. There are situations where you can't be radical..

This is the case, for example, with food or certain consumptions.

👉 For this type of situation, I recommend dividing by 2 each time.

Photo by Lucas George Wendt on Pexels.com

For example, toothpaste. You can't stop brushing your teeth! (Yes you can, but you will talk to me from 10 meters away)😁.

Before, I filled my toothbrush (the part where there are the bristles) to the maximum.

However, I decided to only fill my toothbrush halfway.

As a result, my teeth are as clean as before and I have saved money on toothpaste.

From an economic point of view, I save 1 toothpaste out of 2. This means tens of CHF saved per year.💲

From an ecological point of view, I consume less raw materials unnecessarily. 🌎

👉 In fact, I earn money and “help the environment” just by getting into the habit of filling my toothbrush with half the toothpaste!

”The less we consume, the more we save and the less we waste. It's mathematical.” 😉

Conclusion

In conclusion, after having become aware of your excesses and having selected your hobbies. I advise you to take your excesses in 2 parts:

Definitely stop what is dispensable

For any consumption that you consider unnecessary. Stop!

Divide what is essential by 2

For any essential consumption, divide by 2 until you reach the point where you feel that this is the acceptable limit.

Here is a graphic summary

Minimalist frugalist graphic, 4 steps to consume less and waste less

⚠️ Note that to achieve results, it is essential to practice this daily!

Other examples of reduced consumption

In order to visualize, here are some simple examples that I changed!

Action	Result
Half fill my toothbrush	– Reduction of 1 in 2 toothpastes – Reduction in the consumption of raw materials
Go on foot for short trips	– Fuel economy – Improve my physical condition by walking
Reduce the use of electronic devices	– Saving electricity – Decreased screen time and more concentration

➡️ You can believe me, this simple exercise allows you to save and waste less in an incredible way ❗❕

Which will certainly have an impact on your wallet!

All this with almost no effort. 😉

What do you think of the article, 4 steps to consume less and waste less?

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Overall, this blog lives on sharing a frugal and minimalist lifestyle.

For a question of transparency towards the readers. All recommended products are in order to make life cheaper, simpler and to promote the essentials.

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About me

I decided to create this blog to develop and help readers who are looking for a simpler and more economical life.

Compared to before, I was a person who consumed a lot until the day I realized that my consumption made me sadder and poorer 😑

Now I prefer the minimum of my needs to be happy and achieve my financial freedom.

Without realizingI started to focus on saving and investing to depend on a boss for as little time as possible and to speed up my personal projects.

For several years I have felt happy and I have become richer in a way that I would never have imagined given that I have an average salary in Switzerland.

It is for this purpose that I decided to create this blog. In order to share and learn with other people who seek freedom and simplicity 😉

Are you rather minimalist or frugal Jonny?

I am as minimalist as I am frugalist. However, there are situations where I lean more towards an art of life.

To conclude, I think the most important thing is to feel comfortable in your lifestyle 😊

Article 4 steps to consume less and waste less

Minimalism and Frugalism

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