Minimalism

Minimalism - what does a person really need in life?

~Minimalism means more time, more money, more energy~

What you really need:

1. Shelter and a place to sleep - I personally like pillow-top mattresses, but there's no denying that all the research shows that sleeping on a firm surface is the healthiest for our backs and bodies. Some people sleep on the floor with just a futon underneath them.
2. Healthy, fresh food to eat - whole-foods high-carb-low-fat (HCLF) vegan diet - fresh raw fruits, veggies, legumes, and grains. Bananas, potatoes, rice, grains, beans are dirt-cheap. The healthiest diet on the planet is also the cheapest!
3. A place to bathe - Cleanliness is next to godliness. We live in an imperfect world, AKA we live right next to factory farming and meat-eaters and other polluters who constantly poison our environment and create more germs. In order to combat this, you will have to use soap and water to clean yourself and not just expect to run around covered in dirt and germs "au naturelle" without health consequences.
4. Clothes to wear - Please don't forget this unless you are living in a nudist colony.
5. A way to communicate - internet access of some kind, even if it's just an internet cafe or library.
6. Transportation - This will depend on your situation. Bus, train, bicycle, walking, or driving.
7. Education - find a way to get it and pay for it. Otherwise, teach yourself or apprentice yourself.
8. Healthcare - Dentist, doctor, etc. Even with your vegan diet, you'll need funds for an unexpected cold or catastrophe.
9. A job - aka a purpose in life. It could even be a non-paying volunteer job. The point is you are working for the betterment of someone else which will grant you purpose. Even if you are the boss of your own company, the fulfilling goal is pleasing your customers and making their life better... it just happens to make you money too. But you wouldn't even care about the money if you didn't need it. The actual pleasure comes from doing a "good job" for your people. The money is just a physical mark that you must have done well or they wouldn't have paid you.
10. Someone to love - family and friends. Living for others brings fulfillment, not living for yourself.
11. Hobbies - passions that interest you, but are usually also deeply connected with helping others, just like the previous two points. Usually in the act of sharing your passion with others, you end up helping them in some way.
12. A way to exercise - seriously easy, just go for a walk or run.

Things you don't need:
(You can have these things, but they don't automatically add happiness to your life. They are just objects, and in many cases, they are clutter.)

1. Expensive cars, clothes, houses, TVs, cellphones, video games, PCs, furniture, kitchen gadgets, jewelry, perfumes, etc. - You don't need top-of-the-line items to have fully functional items.
2. Expensive gym memberships - body weight exercises, bikes, walking/running outside, YouTube workout videos are all cheaper and don't lock you into a year-long contract. Or look for a gym that is cheap and lets you pay-as-you-go instead of forcing a contract.
3. Owning books - borrow from friends, use the library or buy digital copies. Makes it easier to move if you don't have a trunkful of books to drag around.
4. Fancy homes aka inground pools, etc. - Do you really need all of the frills, bells, and whistles? What exactly are you trying to achieve with a giant house? The more space you have, the more you will fill it with unneeded junk.
5. Tons of clothes or fancy clothes - a small closet means you know what you have and can wear it regularly.
6. Tons of makeup, jewelry, perfumes, or accessories - definitely 100% unnecessary. You are already clothed. Why do you need to paint yourself up like a peacock? Vanity much?
7. Having your home stuffed full of duplicates and useless junk you never use. - Why are you keeping this clutter around when you never use it?