As we head into the end of the month, and you are noticing that, once again, you have exceeded your grocery budget, I have a method for you to implement starting next month that will make it so much easier to know exactly how much you should be spending on each grocery trip and how to prioritize purchases to hit your goal.

One of the hardest parts of making big changes in your life, of being unequivocally who you are, is the people you leave behind in the process. Between the acquaintances that never blossomed into anything deeper or the long-term friendships that slowly burned out, there is a graveyard of relationships in our past, present, and future when we are 100% ourselves.

Don’t be afraid to give your life some constraints. A budget to work within. A space to live within. A specific, focused time to work on a project. These smaller spaces are where your absolute best lives. Constraints are your friend.

Why is my first reaction to seeing something I like to possess it? To have 24/7 access to it. Is it the thing you want to own or is it the feeling? As if owning the item now means you will hold on to the joy you felt upon encountering said item permanently? We can teach ourselves to enjoy something, comment on how beautiful or inventive it is, but not feel the urge to make it our own.

When we get used to clicking “add to cart” every time we sense something isn’t perfect, then the times when we can’t as easily buy our way out of problem result in us blaming our lack of money, when it is our lack of ingenuity that is at fault.

Budgets are like fingerprints; no two are the same.

I sit here now on the other side of debt repayment, still so glad to owe a single cent to anyone. But also recognizing that there is so much more to life than paying off debt.

Your home should be your favorite place in the entire world. And if it currently isn’t that to you, ask yourself why. What is standing in the way of your space being your ultimate source of rest and recuperation? What is in your surroundings, in your mind, and in your scheduler that stops your home from being all of this and more to you?

Hi, I’m Lauren! I’m the woman behind The Minimalist Wallet. You can find me in my day to day at @lauren_etc where I have been sharing my own finance and minimalism journey since May 2015.

After years of seeing resources that catered only to minimalism, sustainability, and personal finance, separately, I dreamed up this business to help others envision a life that allows them to live within their values while reaching all their financial goals and more.

Living in a way that supports people and planet is the foundation of what I do. Every action we take has a ripple effect across the world from where and what we purchase to eat, what clothing we wear, and where we invest and hold our money. Recognizing the impact we have can be incredibly overwhelming. It might even feel easier to just maintain the status quo.

I’m here to guide you through the process of shifting your actions in alignment with your values.

Welcome to The Minimalist Wallet!

This space was created to help you envision a life that allows you to reach your financial goals while still living within your values.

You are in the right spot if you:

- want to use minimalism as a tool to achieve your finance and lifestyle goals

- agree that we have the power as consumers and holders of wealth to affect change

- aim to make better choices for people and planet

- value a hustle-free lifestyle

We all have two lives. The second one starts when we realize we only have one. Let’s make the most of this life - together.