How to Get Your Family to Live on Less

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We definitely live in a world where many individuals are consumed with excess. Although a lot of people are fortunate to have homes and cars, the media tells us that what we have is not enough. We should desire more, we should want bigger.

Yet, the other side of this story is that there are others who will tell you that there can be a lot of joy and contentment found in learning how to live on less; that you can “soar higher” when there is less baggage, so to speak.

If in the midst of all of the hustle, bustle and “extra” of your life, you’ve been considering downsizing a bit but you’re not sure what steps needs to be implemented, here are three ways to get your family to live on less while still enjoying all, if not more, of what life has to offer.

Encourage giving. We all have encountered someone who is less fortunate than we are. Sometimes, when we’re cleaning out our closets, it’s simply to make space for more things. Instead, how about encouraging your family to give to those in need just because it’s the right thing to do? If one of your teenagers has five coats, remind them that there are homeless children without any. Take them to a homeless shelter one weekend where they can give two of their coats away. Knowing that they have the ability to help someone else will prevent them from feeling like they lost something; only that they gained.

Do less technological entertaining. If we all were really honest with ourselves, we’d admit that a lot of the money that we spend is on things like cell phones, laptops, tablets and apps. Not only can these things be expensive to buy, but they also can hinder direct communication with the loved ones that we live with. Consider having one desktop and laptop for the entire family to share and a cell phone a piece. Then set up hours for using all three. During the “off time”, play board games, take evening walks, cook together, go for a long drive, hang out at the movies, go window shopping for free samples—do things that will embrace personal intimacy rather than a reliance on technology.

Make emotional needs a top priority. Sometimes, we’re so focused on trying to make a life that we end up not actually living it. Parents work 10-12 hours per day, partially so that they can buy their kids lots of things that they may want, but they don’t actually need. If you ask a lot of adults now who grew up that way then what they would change about their childhood, there’s a good chance that they would exchange all of the “stuff” that they got to have more time with their parents. So, in trying to find ways to get your family to live on less, hold a family meeting and ask everyone what would make them feel happier and safer by the other members of the family. For instance, if one of your children says, “I would like to go out with just mom sometimes”, mom, make that a priority. If another says, “I wish I got to see dad more often”, dad, you might want to think about cutting down on those work hours. It may result in having a smaller paycheck, but to see the smile on your child’s face every night is definitely worth the sacrifice. When you’re willing to invest into someone’s emotional needs, it makes living tangibly on less an invaluable exchange.