? 《財(cái)富》雜志采訪了通過(guò)低消費(fèi)生活方式積累了七位數(shù)財(cái)富的百萬(wàn)富翁,這種生活方式為靈活工作和提前退休創(chuàng)造了可能性,。
富人如何保持富有,?顯然,要表現(xiàn)得好像他們并不富有,。在這個(gè)快時(shí)尚,、TikTok流行和次日達(dá)的世界里,將六位數(shù)的薪水揮霍在所有最新的消費(fèi)品上可能輕而易舉,。
但《財(cái)富》雜志采訪的高凈值人士以及年收入超過(guò)10萬(wàn)美元的群體卻持有截然相反的觀點(diǎn):他們會(huì)盡可能地壓縮可自由支配支出,,因?yàn)樗麄兏匾曔@些支出對(duì)自身財(cái)務(wù)狀況的影響。
雖然他們的朋友可能偏愛(ài)每周數(shù)次外出就餐,,但他們卻選擇自己做飯——事實(shí)上,,他們甚至選購(gòu)冷凍食品,因?yàn)檫@些比新鮮食材更為經(jīng)濟(jì)實(shí)惠,。
有些人選擇不購(gòu)置私家車(chē),,整理自己的“膠囊”衣櫥,在臉書(shū)(Facebook)市場(chǎng)上給孩子淘一些玩具,。
這些人——在某些情況下是無(wú)意識(shí)地——過(guò)著“消費(fèi)不足”或“低消費(fèi)”生活,。
當(dāng)人們開(kāi)始分享自己每周的雜貨店購(gòu)物清單或化妝柜,以抵制在 TikTok 等社交網(wǎng)站上經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)的無(wú)限購(gòu)物清單或愿望清單時(shí),,“低消費(fèi)”一詞便開(kāi)始在社交網(wǎng)站上傳播開(kāi)來(lái),。
來(lái)自“低消費(fèi)核心群體”的建議包括設(shè)定不買(mǎi)挑戰(zhàn)或著手清理堆滿(mǎn)不再使用物品的空間。
對(duì)于接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪的人來(lái)說(shuō),,這些習(xí)慣已然融入了他們的日常生活,。在他們成年后的大部分時(shí)間里,他們都堅(jiān)持著低消費(fèi)的生活方式,,而他們的銀行賬戶(hù)余額正在獲得回報(bào),。
“我在奧樂(lè)齊的冷凍區(qū)購(gòu)物”
作家兼企業(yè)家尚·薩維德拉(Shang Saavedra)和她的丈夫并非一夜之間積累了數(shù)百萬(wàn)美元凈資產(chǎn)。事實(shí)上,,他們?cè)诟髯缘耐陼r(shí)代就領(lǐng)悟到節(jié)儉生活的重要意義,。
這對(duì)夫婦在洛杉磯郊區(qū)租住著一套擁有四間臥室的房子,共用一輛開(kāi)了16年的二手車(chē),,在奧樂(lè)齊雜貨店購(gòu)買(mǎi)日用品——主要是在冷凍區(qū),。
薩維德拉的兩個(gè)兒子,一個(gè)5歲,一個(gè)2歲,,經(jīng)常穿舊衣服,,玩從臉書(shū)市場(chǎng)上淘來(lái)的玩具,樂(lè)于參與免費(fèi)活動(dòng),,而不是像加州的同齡孩子那樣經(jīng)常去迪士尼樂(lè)園游玩,。
盡管薩維德拉的生活方式在某些方面展現(xiàn)出了高收入家庭的特點(diǎn)——比如她的孩子就讀于私立學(xué)校,她本人在紐約置有房產(chǎn)——但這些支出符合她的理財(cái)理念:投資于教育和支持她慈善事業(yè)的資產(chǎn),。
去年的哈里斯民意調(diào)查顯示,,58%的美國(guó)人對(duì)于節(jié)日期間的財(cái)務(wù)狀況感到憂慮。與大多數(shù)美國(guó)人的境況大相徑庭,,薩維德拉說(shuō)她在感恩節(jié)與圣誕節(jié)期間的日常開(kāi)銷(xiāo)之所以會(huì)有所增加,,主要是因?yàn)閷⒏嗟馁Y金用于慈善捐贈(zèng)上。
現(xiàn)年39歲的薩維德拉之所以能夠分享自己的財(cái)富,,得益于她在職業(yè)生涯早期做出的明智理財(cái)決策——當(dāng)時(shí)她在CVS擔(dān)任董事,,在維多利亞的秘密(Victoria’s Secret)等品牌擔(dān)任分析師和顧問(wèn)。
婚前,,薩維德拉與室友同住,,而后與丈夫一同搬進(jìn)了紐約的一套租金受政府管制的公寓(這座公寓樓里的水管時(shí)常出現(xiàn)故障,導(dǎo)致停水),,他們經(jīng)常使用在公司加班時(shí)發(fā)放的餐券,。
他們的目標(biāo)是將生活開(kāi)支縮減至僅靠其中一人的收入就能覆蓋,而將剩下的儲(chǔ)蓄起來(lái),,為將來(lái)?yè)狃B(yǎng)孩子做準(zhǔn)備,。
薩維德拉如今是一名企業(yè)家,致力于幫助數(shù)百名客戶(hù)實(shí)現(xiàn)他們的財(cái)務(wù)目標(biāo),。她在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示,,引導(dǎo)人們嘗試低消費(fèi)生活方式的最佳切入點(diǎn)是“從探究為何開(kāi)始”,。
薩維德拉解釋道:“低消費(fèi)生活的終極追求是什么呢,?倘若僅僅是為了低消費(fèi)而刻意節(jié)制,那么你很快就會(huì)感到筋疲力盡,,變得不快樂(lè),。但我和丈夫之所以選擇這樣的消費(fèi)方式,是因?yàn)槲覀冎荚谧非筘?cái)務(wù)自由與構(gòu)建幸福家庭,,正因如此,,我們所做的這一切才是值得的?!?/p>
“誠(chéng)然,,我仍會(huì)被奢侈品和獨(dú)特體驗(yàn)所誘惑,我們偶爾也會(huì)在一家極為奢華的餐廳共度浪漫的約會(huì)之夜。但要明白自己渴望某件事物的原因……這往往源自于對(duì)生活中尚未達(dá)成部分的遺憾,,很多時(shí)候,,它是一種心理上的需求?!?/p>
“我從不買(mǎi)新衣服”
維持一個(gè)家庭運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)所需的成本只會(huì)不斷攀升,。根據(jù)美國(guó)勞工統(tǒng)計(jì)局(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)發(fā)布的數(shù)據(jù),2023年美國(guó)家庭的平均月支出為6440美元,。
與一年前的數(shù)據(jù)相比,,這一數(shù)字增長(zhǎng)了8.3%,而與2021年相比則增長(zhǎng)了15.5%,,彼時(shí)美國(guó)家庭的平均月支出為5577美元,。
然而,盡管安妮·科爾(Annie Cole)擁有總計(jì)超過(guò)100萬(wàn)美元的資產(chǎn),,且收入也達(dá)到了六位數(shù),,但她已將每月支出削減至略低于4000美元。
幾年前,,科爾賣(mài)掉了她的本田普銳斯,,為自己和丈夫批量烹飪食物,自己動(dòng)手理發(fā),,每年在當(dāng)?shù)氐腉oodwill慈善商店購(gòu)買(mǎi)三次衣服——科爾上一次購(gòu)買(mǎi)新衣服是在一年前,,而且那次還使用了禮品卡。
這對(duì)夫婦旅行時(shí)使用的是時(shí)年36歲的科爾因公司出差累積的航空里程和積分,,他們?cè)诩倨谙硎芡讲铰眯泻陀斡镜让赓M(fèi)活動(dòng),。
這種生活方式不僅改變了科爾對(duì)自己工作年限的看法——她現(xiàn)已計(jì)劃在40歲出頭退休——還改變了她對(duì)工作本質(zhì)的認(rèn)識(shí)。
科爾是一名簽約研究員和個(gè)人理財(cái)專(zhuān)家,,她告訴《財(cái)富》雜志:“我很好奇自己是否確實(shí)渴望退休,。如今,我在做兼職工作,,這讓我有了不一樣的體悟,。當(dāng)我做全職工作的時(shí)候,我認(rèn)為'自己迫不及待地想要實(shí)現(xiàn)工作自由”,,而現(xiàn)在,,我?guī)缀跤X(jué)得自己已經(jīng)置身于那種自由之中?!?/p>
“我在做所有我想做的事情,,而且深知自己擁有退休的能力,感覺(jué)就像一個(gè)很好的財(cái)務(wù)緩沖,,'嘿,,當(dāng)你步入老年,你無(wú)需為生計(jì)擔(dān)憂,,同時(shí)你可以靈活地選擇以不同的方式生活和工作',。這本身就是一種幸福?!?/p>
自帶午餐和共享通勤
牙醫(yī)羅伯特·錢(qián)(Robert Chin)和伴侶杰西卡·帕爾(Jessica Pharar)在拉斯維加斯共同經(jīng)營(yíng)一家診所。為了節(jié)省燃料,,他們帶著自備的午餐一起從家出發(fā),進(jìn)行短途通勤,。
盡管這對(duì)夫婦的收入達(dá)到了足以實(shí)現(xiàn)舒適生活的六位數(shù),,但由于成本上升,,他們對(duì)自己的財(cái)務(wù)狀況有了更為堅(jiān)定的認(rèn)識(shí),,因此他們轉(zhuǎn)為低消費(fèi)生活方式,。
錢(qián)告訴《財(cái)富》雜志,,他現(xiàn)在每月外出就餐一到兩次,,而不是每周數(shù)次,。他在開(kāi)市客(Costco)購(gòu)物,,以盡可能抵御通貨膨脹帶來(lái)的食品價(jià)格上漲,。
與《財(cái)富》雜志采訪的其他人士不同,,錢(qián)并不排斥購(gòu)買(mǎi)新衣服,,但他堅(jiān)持認(rèn)為,新衣服必須提供終身保修服務(wù)(比如巴塔哥尼亞(Patagonia)這樣的品牌),或者具備能穿好幾年的高品質(zhì)。
這對(duì)夫婦擁有一套公寓,,并將其出租,但他們目前所居住的房產(chǎn)是租來(lái)的,,以便在市場(chǎng)再次出現(xiàn)波動(dòng)時(shí),,能夠靈活做出購(gòu)房選擇,。
他們的目標(biāo)很簡(jiǎn)單:靈活性——無(wú)論這意味著能夠擁有更多共同休息的時(shí)光,,還是可能提前步入退休生活,。
“在未來(lái)的五年內(nèi),,我們期望能有一名助理或另一名執(zhí)業(yè)醫(yī)生,,因?yàn)樵\所的發(fā)展規(guī)模已經(jīng)足以支撐這樣的擴(kuò)張,,而且這將為我們提供更加靈活的休假安排。這可能是我們作為行業(yè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者所面臨的最大挑戰(zhàn),,我們難以抽出時(shí)間休假,,因?yàn)槿绻覀儾辉谶@里,診所就無(wú)法獲得收入,?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
? 《財(cái)富》雜志采訪了通過(guò)低消費(fèi)生活方式積累了七位數(shù)財(cái)富的百萬(wàn)富翁,這種生活方式為靈活工作和提前退休創(chuàng)造了可能性。
富人如何保持富有,?顯然,,要表現(xiàn)得好像他們并不富有。在這個(gè)快時(shí)尚、TikTok流行和次日達(dá)的世界里,將六位數(shù)的薪水揮霍在所有最新的消費(fèi)品上可能輕而易舉。
但《財(cái)富》雜志采訪的高凈值人士以及年收入超過(guò)10萬(wàn)美元的群體卻持有截然相反的觀點(diǎn):他們會(huì)盡可能地壓縮可自由支配支出,,因?yàn)樗麄兏匾曔@些支出對(duì)自身財(cái)務(wù)狀況的影響。
雖然他們的朋友可能偏愛(ài)每周數(shù)次外出就餐,,但他們卻選擇自己做飯——事實(shí)上,,他們甚至選購(gòu)冷凍食品,,因?yàn)檫@些比新鮮食材更為經(jīng)濟(jì)實(shí)惠。
有些人選擇不購(gòu)置私家車(chē),,整理自己的“膠囊”衣櫥,,在臉書(shū)(Facebook)市場(chǎng)上給孩子淘一些玩具。
這些人——在某些情況下是無(wú)意識(shí)地——過(guò)著“消費(fèi)不足”或“低消費(fèi)”生活,。
當(dāng)人們開(kāi)始分享自己每周的雜貨店購(gòu)物清單或化妝柜,,以抵制在 TikTok 等社交網(wǎng)站上經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)的無(wú)限購(gòu)物清單或愿望清單時(shí),“低消費(fèi)”一詞便開(kāi)始在社交網(wǎng)站上傳播開(kāi)來(lái),。
來(lái)自“低消費(fèi)核心群體”的建議包括設(shè)定不買(mǎi)挑戰(zhàn)或著手清理堆滿(mǎn)不再使用物品的空間,。
對(duì)于接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪的人來(lái)說(shuō),這些習(xí)慣已然融入了他們的日常生活,。在他們成年后的大部分時(shí)間里,,他們都堅(jiān)持著低消費(fèi)的生活方式,而他們的銀行賬戶(hù)余額正在獲得回報(bào),。
“我在奧樂(lè)齊的冷凍區(qū)購(gòu)物”
作家兼企業(yè)家尚·薩維德拉(Shang Saavedra)和她的丈夫并非一夜之間積累了數(shù)百萬(wàn)美元凈資產(chǎn),。事實(shí)上,他們?cè)诟髯缘耐陼r(shí)代就領(lǐng)悟到節(jié)儉生活的重要意義,。
這對(duì)夫婦在洛杉磯郊區(qū)租住著一套擁有四間臥室的房子,,共用一輛開(kāi)了16年的二手車(chē),在奧樂(lè)齊雜貨店購(gòu)買(mǎi)日用品——主要是在冷凍區(qū),。
薩維德拉的兩個(gè)兒子,,一個(gè)5歲,一個(gè)2歲,,經(jīng)常穿舊衣服,,玩從臉書(shū)市場(chǎng)上淘來(lái)的玩具,樂(lè)于參與免費(fèi)活動(dòng),,而不是像加州的同齡孩子那樣經(jīng)常去迪士尼樂(lè)園游玩,。
盡管薩維德拉的生活方式在某些方面展現(xiàn)出了高收入家庭的特點(diǎn)——比如她的孩子就讀于私立學(xué)校,她本人在紐約置有房產(chǎn)——但這些支出符合她的理財(cái)理念:投資于教育和支持她慈善事業(yè)的資產(chǎn),。
去年的哈里斯民意調(diào)查顯示,,58%的美國(guó)人對(duì)于節(jié)日期間的財(cái)務(wù)狀況感到憂慮。與大多數(shù)美國(guó)人的境況大相徑庭,薩維德拉說(shuō)她在感恩節(jié)與圣誕節(jié)期間的日常開(kāi)銷(xiāo)之所以會(huì)有所增加,,主要是因?yàn)閷⒏嗟馁Y金用于慈善捐贈(zèng)上,。
現(xiàn)年39歲的薩維德拉之所以能夠分享自己的財(cái)富,得益于她在職業(yè)生涯早期做出的明智理財(cái)決策——當(dāng)時(shí)她在CVS擔(dān)任董事,,在維多利亞的秘密(Victoria’s Secret)等品牌擔(dān)任分析師和顧問(wèn),。
婚前,薩維德拉與室友同住,,而后與丈夫一同搬進(jìn)了紐約的一套租金受政府管制的公寓(這座公寓樓里的水管時(shí)常出現(xiàn)故障,,導(dǎo)致停水),他們經(jīng)常使用在公司加班時(shí)發(fā)放的餐券,。
他們的目標(biāo)是將生活開(kāi)支縮減至僅靠其中一人的收入就能覆蓋,,而將剩下的儲(chǔ)蓄起來(lái),為將來(lái)?yè)狃B(yǎng)孩子做準(zhǔn)備,。
薩維德拉如今是一名企業(yè)家,,致力于幫助數(shù)百名客戶(hù)實(shí)現(xiàn)他們的財(cái)務(wù)目標(biāo)。她在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示,,引導(dǎo)人們嘗試低消費(fèi)生活方式的最佳切入點(diǎn)是“從探究為何開(kāi)始”,。
薩維德拉解釋道:“低消費(fèi)生活的終極追求是什么呢?倘若僅僅是為了低消費(fèi)而刻意節(jié)制,,那么你很快就會(huì)感到筋疲力盡,,變得不快樂(lè)。但我和丈夫之所以選擇這樣的消費(fèi)方式,,是因?yàn)槲覀冎荚谧非筘?cái)務(wù)自由與構(gòu)建幸福家庭,,正因如此,我們所做的這一切才是值得的,?!?/p>
“誠(chéng)然,我仍會(huì)被奢侈品和獨(dú)特體驗(yàn)所誘惑,,我們偶爾也會(huì)在一家極為奢華的餐廳共度浪漫的約會(huì)之夜,。但要明白自己渴望某件事物的原因……這往往源自于對(duì)生活中尚未達(dá)成部分的遺憾,很多時(shí)候,,它是一種心理上的需求,。”
“我從不買(mǎi)新衣服”
維持一個(gè)家庭運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)所需的成本只會(huì)不斷攀升,。根據(jù)美國(guó)勞工統(tǒng)計(jì)局(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)發(fā)布的數(shù)據(jù),,2023年美國(guó)家庭的平均月支出為6440美元。
與一年前的數(shù)據(jù)相比,,這一數(shù)字增長(zhǎng)了8.3%,,而與2021年相比則增長(zhǎng)了15.5%,,彼時(shí)美國(guó)家庭的平均月支出為5577美元。
然而,,盡管安妮·科爾(Annie Cole)擁有總計(jì)超過(guò)100萬(wàn)美元的資產(chǎn),,且收入也達(dá)到了六位數(shù),但她已將每月支出削減至略低于4000美元,。
幾年前,,科爾賣(mài)掉了她的本田普銳斯,為自己和丈夫批量烹飪食物,,自己動(dòng)手理發(fā),,每年在當(dāng)?shù)氐腉oodwill慈善商店購(gòu)買(mǎi)三次衣服——科爾上一次購(gòu)買(mǎi)新衣服是在一年前,而且那次還使用了禮品卡,。
這對(duì)夫婦旅行時(shí)使用的是時(shí)年36歲的科爾因公司出差累積的航空里程和積分,,他們?cè)诩倨谙硎芡讲铰眯泻陀斡镜让赓M(fèi)活動(dòng)。
這種生活方式不僅改變了科爾對(duì)自己工作年限的看法——她現(xiàn)已計(jì)劃在40歲出頭退休——還改變了她對(duì)工作本質(zhì)的認(rèn)識(shí),。
科爾是一名簽約研究員和個(gè)人理財(cái)專(zhuān)家,,她告訴《財(cái)富》雜志:“我很好奇自己是否確實(shí)渴望退休,。如今,,我在做兼職工作,這讓我有了不一樣的體悟,。當(dāng)我做全職工作的時(shí)候,,我認(rèn)為'自己迫不及待地想要實(shí)現(xiàn)工作自由”,而現(xiàn)在,,我?guī)缀跤X(jué)得自己已經(jīng)置身于那種自由之中,。”
“我在做所有我想做的事情,,而且深知自己擁有退休的能力,,感覺(jué)就像一個(gè)很好的財(cái)務(wù)緩沖,'嘿,,當(dāng)你步入老年,,你無(wú)需為生計(jì)擔(dān)憂,同時(shí)你可以靈活地選擇以不同的方式生活和工作',。這本身就是一種幸福,。”
自帶午餐和共享通勤
牙醫(yī)羅伯特·錢(qián)(Robert Chin)和伴侶杰西卡·帕爾(Jessica Pharar)在拉斯維加斯共同經(jīng)營(yíng)一家診所,。為了節(jié)省燃料,,他們帶著自備的午餐一起從家出發(fā),進(jìn)行短途通勤,。
盡管這對(duì)夫婦的收入達(dá)到了足以實(shí)現(xiàn)舒適生活的六位數(shù),,但由于成本上升,,他們對(duì)自己的財(cái)務(wù)狀況有了更為堅(jiān)定的認(rèn)識(shí),因此他們轉(zhuǎn)為低消費(fèi)生活方式,。
錢(qián)告訴《財(cái)富》雜志,,他現(xiàn)在每月外出就餐一到兩次,而不是每周數(shù)次,。他在開(kāi)市客(Costco)購(gòu)物,,以盡可能抵御通貨膨脹帶來(lái)的食品價(jià)格上漲。
與《財(cái)富》雜志采訪的其他人士不同,,錢(qián)并不排斥購(gòu)買(mǎi)新衣服,,但他堅(jiān)持認(rèn)為,新衣服必須提供終身保修服務(wù)(比如巴塔哥尼亞(Patagonia)這樣的品牌),,或者具備能穿好幾年的高品質(zhì),。
這對(duì)夫婦擁有一套公寓,并將其出租,,但他們目前所居住的房產(chǎn)是租來(lái)的,,以便在市場(chǎng)再次出現(xiàn)波動(dòng)時(shí),能夠靈活做出購(gòu)房選擇,。
他們的目標(biāo)很簡(jiǎn)單:靈活性——無(wú)論這意味著能夠擁有更多共同休息的時(shí)光,,還是可能提前步入退休生活。
“在未來(lái)的五年內(nèi),,我們期望能有一名助理或另一名執(zhí)業(yè)醫(yī)生,,因?yàn)樵\所的發(fā)展規(guī)模已經(jīng)足以支撐這樣的擴(kuò)張,而且這將為我們提供更加靈活的休假安排,。這可能是我們作為行業(yè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者所面臨的最大挑戰(zhàn),,我們難以抽出時(shí)間休假,因?yàn)槿绻覀儾辉谶@里,,診所就無(wú)法獲得收入,。”(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
? Fortune meets the millionaires who amassed their seven-figure fortunes through an underconsumption lifestyle, which has opened up doors for flexible working and early retirement.
How do the rich stay rich? Apparently, by acting like they’re not. In a world of fast fashion, TikTok trends and next-day delivery, it might be easy to splash a six-figure salary on all the latest consumables.
But the high net worth individuals and $100,000+ earners Fortune spoke to said the opposite: They try and keep their discretionary spending as minimal as possible, preferring the impact it has on their finances.
While their friends might enjoy eating out a couple of times a week, they choose to cook for themselves—in fact, they even buy frozen groceries because they’re cheaper than fresh.
Some choose not to own cars, mend their own ‘capsule’ wardrobes and find some of their children’s toys on Facebook marketplace.
These individuals—in some cases unconsciously—are living an ‘under-consumption’ or ‘low consumption’ lifestyle.
The phrase began to spread on social media sites like TikTok after individuals started sharing their weekly grocery shop or make-up cabinet to counter the infinite shopping hauls or wishlists often found on the app.
The advice from the ‘underconsumption core’ community included setting no-buy challenges or decluttering spaces packed with items you’re not using.
For the individuals Fortune spoke to, these habits are already second nature. And having lived the underconsumption life for most of their adult years, their bank balance is reaping the rewards.
‘I shop in the frozen section at Aldi’
Author and entrepreneur Shang Saavedra and her husband didn’t build a multi-million dollar net worth overnight. In fact, it was in their respective childhoods that they learned the value of frugal living.
Renting a four-bed home in the suburbs of Los Angeles, the pair share a 16-year-old secondhand vehicle and do their grocery shop at Aldi—predominantly in the frozen section.
Saavedra’s sons—aged five and two—often wear hand-me-down clothes, play with toys found on Facebook marketplace and enjoy free activities instead of the Disneyland trips their Californian peers often take.
While multi-millionaire Saavedra’s life has some hallmarks of a high-income household—her children attend private school, and she owns property in New York—these expenditures fit with her financial ethos: investing in education and assets that support her philanthropic endeavors.
Contrary to the majority of Americans—58% of which told a Harris Poll survey last year they worry about their finances during the festive period—Saavedra says her day-to-day expenses during Thanksgiving and Christmas predominantly increase because of philanthropic gifting.
The 39-year-old’s ability to share her wealth is courtesy of shrewd money decisions in her early career—when she held a director position at CVS, and analyst and consultancy roles at the likes of Victoria’s Secret.
Before marriage, Saavedra lived with roommates and then moved into a rent-controlled apartment with her husband in New York (a building where the plumbing often cut out), often using meal vouchers handed out by working late in their corporate roles.
They aimed to reduce their expenditures to a single income and save the rest, in preparation for having children.
Saavedra, now an entrepreneur helping hundreds of clients achieve their financial goals, told Fortune in an interview that the best way for people to try an underconsumption lifestyle is to “start with why.”
“What is the end goal of underconsumption? If you just do underconsumption for underconsumption’s sake you’ll burn out and get unhappy very quickly,” Saavedra explained. “Because my husband and I oriented our consumption towards financial freedom and family it’s made it so worth it.
“Of course I still am tempted to go for luxury items and experiences, and every now and then we have a nice date night at a very nice restaurant—but understanding the reason why you want something … comes from a pain for an unfulfilled part of your life and oftentimes is a psychological need.”
‘I never buy new clothes’
What it takes to run a household is only getting more expensive. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average monthly household expenditure in 2023 was $6,440.
This is a steep increase compared to only a year prior—up 8.3%—and up 15.5% from 2021, when monthly expenditures sat at $5,577 a month.
Yet despite the fact Annie Cole owns assets totaling more than a million dollars—and is earning six figures—she has trimmed her spending down to a little under $4,000 a month.
Cole sold her Honda Prius a couple of years ago, batch cooks meals for her and her husband, cuts her own hair and clothes shops three times a year at her local Goodwill—Cole last purchased new clothes a year ago, and with a gift card.
The couple travel using air miles and points accrued when Cole, 36, was traveling for a corporate role, spending their vacations enjoying free activities like hiking and swimming.
The approach has not only changed Cole’s outlook on how long she will work—retirement is pencilled in for her early 40s—but the nature of work itself.
“I’m so curious if I will actually want to retire,” Cole—who works as a contracted researcher and personal finance expert—tells Fortune. “Now that I’m working part-time I think about it differently. When I was working full-time I thought ‘I can’t wait to be work-optional’ but I almost feel like I’m living it now.
“I’m doing all the things I want to do and knowing that I could retire feels like a nice financial cushion of ‘Hey, you’re taken care of as you get older and in the meantime you have the flexibility to live and work differently.’ That’s a blessing in itself.”
Packed lunches and shared commutes
Dentist Robert Chin and his partner Jessica Pharar own a practice in Las Vegas. They commute the short drive from their home together to cut down on fuel, with their packed lunches in tow.
The couple transitioned into a lower-consumption lifestyle courtesy of rising costs and a firmer idea of what they wanted their finances to look like—despite the pair earning comfortable six figures.
Chin tells Fortune he now eats out one or two times a month instead of a few times a week, and shops at Costco to avoid inflationary grocery prices as best he can.
Unlike the other sources Fortune spoke to, Chin isn’t against buying new clothes but maintains that they must have a lifetime guarantee (from the likes of Patagonia) or that they will last for years.
The pair own a condo which they let out, but rent their current property to have the flexibility to purchase when the market begins to move again.
Their goal is simple: Flexibility—whether that means taking more time off together or potentially retiring earlier.
“In five years we’d like to have an associate or another practitioner both because the office has grown enough to support that and also because it affords us the flexibility to take time off more readily. It’s proabably the biggest challenge of us being leaders in the business, our ability to take time off is really difficult because if we’re not here the practice doesn’t make money.”