Cait Flanders on simple money and mindful budgeting - SHP022
One of the biggest obstacles many people face when trying to create a slower, simpler life is debt. We want to slow down. We want to leave the rat race behind. But we have this monkey on our backs, and turns out she can be pretty freaking heavy.
It might be student debt. Car loans. Credit cards. Old consolidation debts. A combination of all, or something else altogether. Regardless, having these debts, particularly when we struggle to service them, is a huge weight and a massive impediment to slowing down and making intentional choices in life.
I’ve had enough financial hits and misses in my life to know I am not the go-to person to talk about simplifying and money. But my guest today, Cait Flanders, absolutely is.
I've always loved Cait's honest, in-depth approach to telling her own story so I knew she’d be awesome to chat with.
Over the past 3 years Cait has paid off over $30,000 in consumer debt, adopted minimalism (you’ll find these two are very closely related!) travelled extensively, continued to save significantly for her retirement, and recently quit her full-time job to work as a freelancer.
She’s also completely shifted her ideas on what ‘success’ looks like, put herself on a two-year shopping ban and learnt to value experiences over things, slow over fast and long-term gain over short-term pleasure.
Cait’s got both inspiration and practical advice galore, and I think you’ll walk away from today’s episode feeling motivated to get rid of that monkey once and for all.
Enjoy!
------
Head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and play the episode.
Alternatively, you can listen to the show directly, simply by hitting the Play button above. Enjoy!
------
You'll Hear About:
- How tracking her spending made a huge difference in how Cait approached paying off debt
- Why trusting your gut and using common sense are two of the most overlooked pieces of advice when making big changes
- Why Cait opted to put more than 55% of her income towards debt repayment during the process of getting out of debt
- What happened once she'd gotten out of debt (read: lifestyle inflation!)
- How Cait learnt to find happiness outside her purchases and belongings
- The lessons she learnt about convenience and the price we pay for it
- Her approach to slow living now that she is self-employed.
Things to Check Out After Today’s Episode:
- How I paid off $30,000 of debt in two years
- The year I embraced minimalism and completed a yearlong shopping ban
- How I let go of 60% of my belongings and learned to accept 100% of myself
- How to align your budget with your goals
- Cait's Mindful Budgeting Planner
- Web: CaitFlanders.com
- Social: Twitter @caitflanders | Instagram @caitflanders