Learn how to Control Your Spending and Live on Less with Cait Flanders on the Words and Money Podcast

W+M 026: An Interview with Cait Flanders

Cait Flanders is the blogger behind Blonde on a Budget (now CaitFlanders.com). Cait started her blogging journey to document her debt repayment. She had $28,000 of consumer credit card debt and actually shares a little bit (or maybe a lot a bit) of her story with us. After paying off her debt, Cait adopted a minimalist lifestyle where she gave away 75% of her things and commenced a two year shopping ban which will be wrapping up this July. Learn all about it in this episode!

Listen to the show:

What we talk about:

The story behind Blonde on a Budget (Now caitflanders.com)
How Cait racked up $28,000 of debt and what state of mind she was in when she realized something needed to change.
The first step she took to reverse the consumer debt trap she was in.
How the Shopping Ban began.
We talk about why we shop and how to flip our mindset when shopping.
Cait's post on why she's Moving Into Her Car this year.
Killing the Pinterest generation.
Cait answers the Quick and Dirty Q&A:
- Flipping the belief and start living on less and save the rest.
- Know that minimum payments (from your credit card) will catch up with you.

Takeaway: How To Get Started on Living Minimally

Start with one round of decluttering
- Do one drawer at a time and be extremely vigilent
- Put stuff in 3 piles: Keep, Donate, Throw Away
For consuming things going forward:
- Just really pause and question every purchase you're going to make and everything you're going to consume rather than act on impulse.
- Question yourself: Is this adding value to my life? How does this make me feel? Do I really want this?