Hey, my name is Ray Arya-Caspersen and I spend most of my time enjoying the freedom that a simple and frugal lifestyle has enabled me
This blog is my tiny space in the universe where I share how living with less can positively transform your life in ways that you wouldn’t think possible.
How Minimalism, Frugality and Living in a Van changed my life
My favorite topics? You guessed it – minimalism, frugal living, and tiny living! But don’t worry, this blog isn’t just about the words that have become more and more popular over the years.
It is about living life fully and with intention. It is about focusing on physical and mental health, relationships, balance, and joy… all with the power of owning less and making wise money decisions in order to gain more freedom.
Less cluttering up our bodies and minds, living a simple and sustainable life, giving us the space to focus our time and thoughts on the things that matter most. For me, those are mental and physical health, financial freedom, healthy relationships, personal growth, and adding value to the lives of others.
For years I fell into the trap of emotional spending and accumulating expensive stuff that suffocated me in the long term. It was always about rewarding my hard work with expensive things that didn’t bring any value to my life. You know – just for the sake of having them.
It was never enough and I mostly felt discontented after some time. I needed to escape that vicious circle of consumerism. I found minimalism as the perfect tool to stop the mindless accumulation of stuff to improve my all well-being.
My life changed rapidly after I discovered the principles of minimalism and frugal living.
What I am most proud of is that I saved a huge percentage of my income while turning my back to the consumerism culture.
And I was able to pay off my mortgage much faster, allowing me to get debt-free sooner.
I have been on my minimalist and frugal journey now for over two years and I can’t imagine ever going back.
I won’t tell you how many T-shirts or pairs of shoes you should have in your closet or give you rules on minimalism that promise you will become happier after letting go of all your possessions. As I said, it’s a tool, not the ultimate goal.
Minimalism and frugal living are also not about comparing yourself with how little you own. It’s not a race where the one who owns fewer wins. It is so much more than that.
I’ll tell you how much fun it can be to let go of things that no longer add value to your life and therefore increase joy, energy, and money to create a life that suits you best.
Above all, minimalism and frugality will help you grow your most valuable asset in life, which is time.
What do I do with the additional time? I use it to spend more time with the people I care about, exercise, learn new things like playing the ukulele, building financial wealth, and contributing to the community by spreading the word of a simple lifestyle.
I can say with 100% certainty, that there is no way I would have the physical and mental freedom that I have now if I were not living this lifestyle.
Minimalism and frugal living made me space for big life changes and gave me time for what I’ve always wanted to do, like writing this blog.
It is for everybody that seeks a meaningful life and is committed to contentment.
I’m excited to share my story and my ideas. And hopefully, they will bring value to your life as well, so have fun exploring!