How I Save on the Everyday Things to Spend on Vacation
I'm Not Quite a Minimalist, but Getting to Be
By Anna Krejci
I’ve been interested in buying fewer possessions and
spending more of my time and resources on traveling. Some people will
tout such travel as a perk of being a minimalist. I don’t think I qualify as
being a true minimalist, but I’ve thought of how I can spend less on
accumulating things and more on experiences like traveling. Living with fewer frills during my everyday
life can help me to enjoy those essential vacation days.
My Money-Saving Habits
When traveling, I love to buy a short-sleeved T-shirt that
shows the name of the city I’m visiting. It is almost a tradition for me
now, and it began during a time when I did not have a very sizable T-shirt
collection. To compensate for spending on a couple of new souvenir shirts
each year, I shop for secondhand clothes frequently. I love wearing
layers to keep warm, so I often wear a long-sleeved tee underneath my newest
shirt purchase. I’m able to wear the name of my vacation spot all year.
A significant amount can be saved by preparing coffee at
home. I rarely drink at a coffeehouse during my normal routine, even though I
love to stop at cafes while traveling.
If I cook more meals at home as opposed to dining out, I can
save money. And if I buy meat like chicken, or prepare vegetarian meals
several times a week, that helps trim my grocery budget even more. Then when I
travel, I can afford to add some fancy desserts to my restaurant meals.
I use items up. I thought I needed a new pair of
sneakers, but realized I just needed to wash my current pair and place a new insole
inside. There is still life in them. So, I can save some money for
travel in this way and still hit the hiking trails when I’m out.
I save used bread bags and store them in a clean place. I
only reuse them for food, and pack food items in them when I travel. I
save a little money by not buying new resealable bags and I help the
environment by reusing plastic bags. Likewise, I reuse glass jars that I bring
home from the grocery store. I wash them, and pack snacks inside when it’s time
for outings.
I use the public library. If I think I want to buy a
book, I see if I can borrow it from the library first. I start reading it and
then decide if I want to buy my own copy. I end up spending less on
certain materials that I wouldn’t enjoy as much as I would like a travel guidebook
to plan my next trip.
Why Travel ls Essential
While I might try to live with the basic and practical
things most of the time, I do think travel itself is essential. Being in a new place exercises my senses;
there are new things to see and hear.
Cultural differences exist between cities, and I feel more united with
all Ohioans when I visit other places in the state. Being the recipient of gracious hospitality in
another place makes me mindful of how I should treat newcomers the same in my
town. Everyone chooses priorities. I hope mine are in the right place and that I
make a significant impact by supporting causes that help other people enjoy
life, too.
Resource
I learned about minimalism from content by The Minimalists, who have a website at https://www.theminimalists.com/ . I am always interested to learn more, but I am not an expert on the things they teach.
