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Before we dive in, let’s get to know each other!
Hey y’all! Lauren, here, and I’m the woman behind The Minimalist Wallet, a business on a mission to help individuals align their money with their values. I have been blogging about minimalism, sustainability, and personal finance online since 2015.
That same year I started staying home full-time with my twin babies and putting a lot more thought into the way I was living.
I have been married for over a decade to a brilliant engineer who shares my passion for knowledge. Although we have very different subjects we deep dive into, we both strive to use that knowledge to better ourselves and the world around us.
I was born and raised in Florida, but have since put down roots in North Alabama.
You’ll most often find me in the kitchen, preparing a plant forward meal while I listen to NPR or on my back patio couch with a kombucha in one hand and a book in the other.
I started The Minimalist Wallet because…
After going back to school in 2016 to study finance, I started to learn the intricacies of the finance market…and I did not love what I was learning. Finance professionals are taught to value profit over people and planet, something that goes deeply against my moral compass.
As a life-long environmentalist, practicer of minimalism, and former owner of $26k in student loans and no degree, I knew I couldn’t continue to be complacent in a system that rewards the privileged with zero regard for how the rest of the population and our environment are affected.
In September 2021, 4 months after graduating with my BSBA in Finance and 3 years after locking down the brand domain and handles, I launched The Minimalist Wallet with the mission of providing education, support, and tools to help individuals reach their financial goals in an intentional, ethical, and sustainable manner
The Minimalist Wallet is all about…
…everyday spending that supports businesses who actually give a sh*t about people and the planet because your wallet is a “no-greenwashing-allowed” zone
…investing in ventures that build your wealth without contributing to income inequality and environmental degradation; we’re looking at you, crypto.
…teaching each other what practices are worth our time & which ones are performative and/or exclusionary. using a metal straw < supporting sustainable fisheries & turtle protection organizations
…less of what is unimportant on our schedules so we have more time for what actually is. because shopping small/local/secondhand takes more time than Amazon ‘buy now’
…recognizing that keeping up with the Jones (and the Kardashians) is what got us here in the first place. it might be time for some new influences (and new influencers)
So may be asking yourself, “why minimalism?”
“What does throwing away all your stuff have to do with building wealth and using it to better the world around you?”
Well, if you think of minimalism as a mindset shift, a way of recognizing what is enough, it becomes the basis for how you determine & achieve your lifestyle/financial goals while using your money to support meaningful change in the world.
Minimalism is just a tool. It is not the WHY of your goals; it is HOW you achieve them.
Now for the good stuff - how The Minimalist Wallet can add value to YOUR life!
The Minimalist Wallet (henceforth known as TMW) was created with intention of helping you to align your spending with your values, no matter how much time or resources you have to commit to your efforts. Which means there are several different ways, with varying time and resource commitments, you can utilize TMW.
(1) Educate yourself via the free and paid courses offered throughout the year. Courses range from a quick 60 minute class to a 2-3 month courses that meet weekly with readings, homework, and all your favorite college pastimes. All ‘work’ is optional and allows you to further personalize how much effort you want to put into course topic. Classes are also offered with live and recorded options as well as group or individual so you can build community and accountability or work at your own pace and schedule.
(2) Seek more personalized, individual support via 1:1 coaching packages. You can schedule a single session or book multiple sessions (at a discount) depending on your goals. 1:1 coaching is available via video or in-home sessions - clients choice!
(3) Free & paid downloadable/printable tools to supplement or stand alone as support spending habits, determine values, set a vision and goals, and plan your budget.