This spring I reflected on our finances and felt a sense of defeat over where I was vs where I wanted to be. I had to acknowledge aspects like lifestyle creep, inflation and inattention to contribute to this.  This prompted me to ask the Simple Squad (Facebook group) to join in a challenge to do life with less this summer. 

 

 

In this episode

Acknowledging the privilege of doing a challenge like this, by choice

Reflecting on the cultural expectations for what we need ‘have/do’ as relevant, acceptable adults in society

The lifestyle creep, the new baseline cost of maintaining our life

The impact of inflation on our daily lives, in Canada 

Joining the challenge in the Facebook group 

The different intentions participants have in how they aim to live with less 

My weekly goal of living less (the little things matter)

Tracking spending

 

Join the facebook group

Check out the spotify playlists to find episodes by topics

Sign up for Simple Saturdays email

Follow me on Instagram 

 

Related to simple living 

141. When shopping isn’t making your life better (mindful and minimalist tips for shopping)

You Can Simplify Your Life Series

63. Why it is hard to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, and what to do about it

Five Ways We Justify Needless Shopping

7 Eye-Opening Lessons I Learned From 200 Days Of Buying Nothing New

127. Planning your Summer on Purpose (Tips for Moms)

 

Links mentioned

CBC marketplace - the inflation survival guide

Fun cheap or free envelope budget strategy 

 

 

Full transcript (unedited)

0:07

Hey friends, it's Sean me your nerdy girlfriend, Counselor therapist.ca. I know the podcast is wrapped up for this summer. But I wanted to stop by and share a summer challenge that I'm posting in the Facebook group. So the Facebook group, if you've looked for in in the past, yes, it was closed, it is reopened right now, if you want to join, the challenge is called Life with less the life with less challenge. And this challenge was motivated by a conversation I was having with my best friend about debt and managing money and the kind of bigger vision that we have for ourselves financially. And carrying debt, it might be one thing, but in this climate that we're in of inflation, where everything about life is just so much more expensive. Now, it's forcing us to stop and consider what we are doing.

So I thought, as we ourselves are talking about buckling down, it's probably a common experience that a lot of us are having right now. And I wanted to do it alongside the simple squad, that's the Facebook group.

Now, before I go on about this, I just want to acknowledge that making this sort of thing a challenge, it feels trivial. And it really highlights my privilege. I can think for me growing up, we had to live with less because there wasn't really a choice. Otherwise, we didn't go back to schools, clothes shopping every year, we didn't eat out very often or ever. We didn't get the fancy snacks. We didn't go on trips, our needs were met. But my parents wouldn't have to say what can we cut out what's extra that we can cut out of our lives because they were already accounting for all of those pennies.

So I feel that, for me to now be an adult and aware that I just want to live in low my means as a way to be a good steward of what I have, it's a luxury, it's a luxury to just simply desire this change, rather than naturally having it imposed on me.

So as I talk about the life with less challenge and the things that we're aiming to challenge ourselves with, I'm a white middle class woman with the privilege to call this a challenge. I'm aware of that. And I acknowledge that. And I think we just need to acknowledge that before we carry on with having this kind of conversation.

So in the Facebook group, we've already started talking about this challenge. And we opened up the first weekly thread to share.