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Think Outside The Subscription Box

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Think Outside The Subscription Box

“Show someone you care with a random box of stuff this holiday season.”
— CNNMoney

There’s Graze, Birchbox, Barkbox, Brobox, Dollar Shave Club, Trunk Club, Blue Apron, and now, there’s Minimalism & Co.’s new minimalist themed subscription box. Each box has their own flavors, qualities, and featured products. Some use corporate partnerships to market products through these boxes, while others are hand-selected items by the box creator. These subscriptions can include makeup, food, and much more.

The subscription model is usually set at one box per month, but this varies between companies. The prices range from $25 to $100s each month. If you’re using Blue Apron — a meal preparation service — you’ll likely sign up for more regular deliveries. Although, Minimalism & Co. sends their box once every quarter (3 months). Regardless, once you sign up, you’ll be getting regular deliveries of unexpected “gifts.” It’s like getting a surprise present each month!

However, there’s another way of looking at this subscription craze. To mindlessly subscribe and receive trinkets, makeup, and/or men’s grooming products seems to be the epitome of conspicuous consumption. It’s unclear who might need these products; I mean, truly need a product received through a subscription box.

Initial subscriptions are often discounted to make the first box free or inexpensive. Subscription services know that once they have someone on the trial, they’re more likely to continue using their product and/or try it again at a later date. And even if you were done with the service, you might not want to go through the terrible phone trees and/or automatic email exchanges to get your cancellation confirmed. All the while, you’re spending money, adding clutter, and struggling to cancel the onslaught.

Subscription boxes have made minimalism, orderliness, and frugality harder. Fortunately, there’s an alternative to this madness. Today, I want to introduce a solution to effortless consumption. In fact, I’ve come up with a clever name for the subscription, too: “ByeBox.”

Our worries will be solved. It starts with a nearly empty box. When you subscribe to ByeBox, you receive nothing but a cardboard box and a piece of paper. Isn’t that revolutionary and minimal!? And there’s no need to be careful when carrying the box into your house, as there’s nothing to break. Once you’ve opened up the box to see no goodies, makeup, razors, grooming products, or exotic foods from Chile, you can prepare for a far more intentional decision.

Written on the 8.5 by 11-inch paper is a simple request: “Pick something from your house that you once wanted/desired, but no longer find enjoyment or need. Place it in box and ship it back to ByeBox for another empty box!” It’s just that simple!

We are faced with countless opportunities to spend and collect every day. Surprisingly, many have embraced subscription boxes and taken to spending outsized proportions on tchotchkes that provide little value to our lives. My idea — ByeBox — might be a joke, but wouldn’t this make more sense to those working to live a minimal and frugal lifestyle? The harder decision always seems to be fighting against the mode of consumption — to find ways to minimize by going without and throwing out.

5 Ways Frugality Reduces Entitlement

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Glacier Mountain in Colorado

When I used to drive, the roads seemed chaotic. Drivers would cut each other off, give a finger, and visually seethe with anger. Driving wasn’t my favorite activity, but I rationalized a “need” for a car. It would take me to work, school, and play. I had “real” reasons to have one.

I clutched onto this idea and would frequently feel deserving of a car, place on the road, and conscientious, obedient drivers. I’d get furious when someone stopped at a light for a moment too long or was slowly moving in a passing lane. Others were blocking my ability to drive swiftly, effortlessly, and calmly. They were the problem!

Embarrassingly, it wasn’t the only area where I felt a sense of entitlement. A few years ago, I remember complaining that making lunches was an inconvenient task. It took too long. I expressed a desire to be able to afford and not feel guilty about eating out more often.

And then there were all the times where I convinced myself that I deserved something special. My mind of would casually drift into complacency and I’d think, “Because of all my hard work I deserve a treat.” But did was I really entitled something extra, more, or sweet?

Sometimes these thoughts would border on narcissism. I was a special, important person – better than the rest. I’d expect others to conform to my norms and settle into my expectations. I was looking out for number one. I struggled to see what others were experiencing. Like a sudden smack over the head, frugality was a departure from entitlement. Over time, it helped me see my blindspots and grow. Here are five takeaways:

1. Learning to live modestly

As I pursued frugality, life became simpler and more modest. Slowly I built more savings, cooked more meals at home, and made more donations to others. I brewed coffee at home and found ways to get it free on campus. My shoes became more beat up and shirts developed frays. I learned to patch things and upcycle. I sold my car, and bought a bike.

2. Opportunities for self-reflection and growth

With every shift, I realized a different side of my personality. The whole world got a facelift – a beautiful reframe. My bike empowered me to see the city with a fresh pair of eyes. Without the normal trappings of “success” I could reflect on who I want to be as a person. In time, I realized great fulfillment in helping others.

3. Exploring long-term happiness over short-term “fixes”

By choosing this life, I consciously eschewed the easy routes for long-term happiness. Advertisements market a life of joy through possessions, beer, soda, and cars. Oh, the things you can buy to make yourself better! Finally, those words and images stopped working. I wasn’t compelled to go to the mall after seeing an ad, and I became more hostile when I’d see them.

4. Increasing patience with impatience

Before I changed my life, long lines were infuriating. There was an incompetence to everyone around me. The checkout person wasn’t going fast enough and the shopper had too much in the cart. Over time, lines became an opportunity to breathe and think briefly. Similarly, I developed patience with others’ impatience, anger, and entitlement.

5. Departing the rat race

Entitlement is a nasty, nefarious quality. Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to see. Someone usually has to say it to your face (someone did for me). Frugality has enabled me to look for qualities in myself and others that aren’t about how much they can buy. Another’s worth is no longer tied to net worth.

How have you changed since you embraced frugality?
What did you learn?
How might you grow if you suddenly lived more minimally and mindfully?

Was Albert Einstein A Minimalist?

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Albert Einstein Laughing

Let me preface this essay by saying I’m not a “genius,” “theoretical physicist,” or “great thinker,” but I decided to pick up Einstein’s biography to learn about someone who’s been called all three. In 2008, the famed biographer and writer, Walter Isaacson, published Einstein’s story in a whole new light. His book catalogues the many triumphs, tribulations, and everyday struggles of the man who has become so revered.

As I read this 704-page tome, the very essence of Einstein came alive. Isaacson is a skilled writer, but he was homing in on something unique about his main character. Einstein extolled and lived for a simple life.

Albert Einstein is remembered for his brilliant discoveries in the field of physics. Without going too far into the weeds, he theorized about relativity and gravity. He felt they overlapped and coalesced. For instance, that light would bend in travel because of the sun’s gravitational pull. At the time, these were maddeningly complex ideas with little experimental support. Despite the novelty and unknowns, he stuck his neck out — time and time again. He didn’t bend or sway to convention, and it ultimately made him famous around the world.

Throughout the book, Einstein is heralded for derision of power, authority, and status quo. Even greater, he seemed to attack the fundamental strictures and culture of materialism. It’s clear that his simple living values made him a better, more unique thinker. Without a doubt, Einstein was an early pioneer for minimalism in the face of excess. And here are 5 reasons how he was a minimalist:

1. He idealized simple lifestyles

Einstein was fascinated with bohemian living. Even in early letters to his first wife, he professed that they shouldn’t ever be trapped by society’s expectations. He seemed to love the idea of eschewing what so many wanted. Einstein loved bohemianism, as he found creativity and passion in literature, music, and science. He commingled the three and crafted magical mental imagery of difficult physical constructions. Self-described bohemians were countercultural, just like the beatniks, hippies, and hipsters of generations to come.

2. He disliked bourgeois pursuits

He consciously avoided upper class trappings. This is captured perfectly by a quote in the book. When traveling to another city, he stayed on an office couch instead of a hotel. His friend said, “This was probably not good enough for such a famous man, but it suited his liking for simple living habits and situations that contravened social conventions.” Fame didn’t mean he would suddenly change his way of living. The rebel inside him allowed for success.

3. He gave away much of his wealth

He feared that fame and wealth might affect and degrade people’s ability to live creatively. Einstein gave generously and even dedicated all the Nobel Prize winnings to his first wife. He didn’t crave wealth, nor did he live by its swings. Einstein enjoyed good coffee, cigars, and conversation. Money allowed for those staples, but otherwise was relatively unnecessary. The power of wealth could’ve purchased many conveniences and statuses, and yet he downplayed its ability. Take this passage from the book: “From Prague, Einstein took the train to Vienna, where three thousand scientists and excited onlookers were waiting to hear him speak. At the station, his host waited for him to disembark from the first-class car but didn’t find him. He looked on to second-class car down the platform, and could not find him there either. Finally, strolling from the third-class car at the far end of the platform was Einstein, carrying his violin case like an itinerant musician.”

4. He ignored conventions

Much like the Mark Zuckerbergs of today, Einstein didn’t follow social norms for dress. Comfort was the more important factor. His hair grew unruly in later life. It was iconic for him, as he was this renowned genius, but I believe that this was a subtle rejection of cultural mores. Einstein wanted to show he was unique in both thought and modest dress.

5. He took time for independent thought

Above all, Einstein’s genius was in his ability to isolate and focus. For days and weeks at a time, he could hole up in his study and work. He didn’t eat regularly, nor did he pay attention to much around him, but in that solitude, he solved some of the greatest questions of all mankind. His habits often made him cold and cantankerous, but it also cultivated a lifelong independence. Simple time alone was vital to discovery.

I’m nearly finished with the book, but these discoveries were too hard to hold back. I figured I’d share them with you as soon as I could. Within these passages, quotes, and stories, I see a man that feared the trappings of privilege. He was a social advocate, scholar, and seeker.

In a way, I wonder if I share something with Einstein: a fear of ever having more than enough. I fear what money can do, and how some people embrace elite statuses at the cost of others. If Einstein were alive today, I’d ask whether he feared he might lose his creativity if he lived more lavishly. My guess is that he would say “yes.”

Oh, one more thing, read his biography: Einstein: His Life and Universe.

5 Ways To Fix America’s Food Problems, And Still Eat Frugally

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Mark Bittman at The Englert in Iowa City

Mark Bittman’s diet advice is minimal and frugal: eat real food and more plants. As the first-ever op-ed food columnist for The New York Times, he’s paid to provide thoughts on various topics related to chowing down. But his job goes well beyond recipes and healthy eating strategies. Bittman recognizes powerful, systemic concerns that affect our world. From climate change to GMOs to organic foods, he’s got an opinion on nearly everything.

Two weeks ago, a friend invited me to see Bittman speak. I didn’t know what he’d preach about. I didn’t know what his style would be like. I hadn’t ever read his columns. I didn’t even read the flyer. All I knew was that he wrote recipes and cared about climate change.

We settled into our balcony seats, and the lights lowered. Eventually, a balding man with tiny spectacles walked onto the stage — a sheet of papers in tow. Bittman gulped from a bottle of water and placed his speech on the podium. I was initially disappointed — expecting him to speak extemporaneously. That ruffled attitude dissipated, as his spoken words were potent.

He explained that we are living at a time of great peace and prosperity. But our tragic irony is that amidst this wealth, we are not providing adequate care for the disenfranchised parts of society. We can produce faster than ever, but we can’t reliably provide clean water and air for everyone. And when these basic elements to sustain life are threatened, only the wealthy can afford to move and buy water filters.

Children are constantly being exposed to toxic advertisements for sugar-laden fizzy beverages that rot their teeth, spike insulin levels, create excess adipose tissue, increase incidence of cancer, and lead to various other medical complications. Bittman makes it clear that we are doing our children and future generations a disservice by advertising these unhealthy drinks and providing vending machines in K-12 schools.

We aren’t educating children to be critical consumers in school; rather, we are schooling them to insert dollar bills into the coffers of multinational corporations. Their reward is a carbonated gurgle that makes them temporarily feel good. The sugar targets evolutionary epicenters for life, but is overabundant in today’s processed world.

Food is just the tip of the melting iceberg for Bittman. Our way of life is being threatened by climate change. As global temperatures increase, crop yields will be threatened, waters will rise, and food scarcity issues will worsen. The research is abundantly clear, and yet, we haven’t taken any action. He seems to understand that sugar, corporations, and schools all play a part in affecting our food decisions. But even greater, that climate change complicates everything.

Bittman is controversial in his views. He takes firm sides and argues his points until others relent. I’d take greater issue with his debate-style personality, but I agree with him too frequently to care. He’s right, and people need to listen up.

While a polemicist and op-ed columnist, Bittman is not a pessimist. He recognizes these problems and provides solutions — however grandiose they might seem. The following are five takeaways from his talk:

1. Eliminate empty calories

We need to reduce empty calories from our diet. We need to stop eating treats and sweets in such great abundance, and eliminate sugary drinks (they’re awful for us). And we need to start eating nutritious foods. As a frugal blogger, this is vital to saving money, too. Junk food is junk, and not worth our money (or time working to afford them).

2. Support government research

Research on nutritional needs and diets is complex and onerous. For average readers, it’s entirely inaccessible. What are the researchers suggesting, should I have more or less salt? Are all high-fat diets bad? How much sugar do we need? All of these questions get answered in various ways by esteemed PhDs. But some research is better than others. Bittman emphasizes that we need to support government-funded — not industry-funded — studies. By removing corporations (or eclipsing their findings), we can find out how we should really take action.

3. GMOs aren’t that important

Despite being the popular object of vitriol, GMOs aren’t that bad. They aren’t linked to cancer or other health concerns. They aren’t dangerous. Meanwhile, this hatred of an acronym distracts us from real concerns such as antibiotics. They’re in chickens, cows, and lots of other livestock. Antibiotics leech into water sources, are ingested, and spawn radical bugs that cannot be killed. They’re awful and need to be done away with.

4. Transparency is vital for choice

Industrial agriculture companies constantly fight against labeling foods to enhance greater transparency. From calories of meals to GMO-free designations, they fight labeling because it cuts into profits. When people are made aware of what they’re ingesting, they make wiser choices and buy other products. To be able to “choose” healthier options, people must know what they’re buying first.

5. Local influences global

What Bittman excels at is framing food in a systemic perspective. Food is about socioeconomic status, race, culture, geographic location, and much more. It’s not just what’s for dinner. The choices we make today are influenced by the advertisements of yesteryears. One of the greatest changes we can make today is supporting more local options. Buy nearby crops, go to farmers markets, and support your neighbors. These choices will reduce climate change, likely be healthier, and make for more vibrant communities. Additionally, the hope is that local change affects national and international policy. We have to start small and build out.

I highly recommend you check out Mark Bittman’s recent book, How to Cook Everything Fast, for fun, frugal recipes that don’t take long to make!

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