In this journey we need to work with our mindset and what we believe, especially about what it really means to live on less. While projecting what our reality would be if we took 47% less of our income, there was a real sense of fear.
Living on less for most of us means constant sacrifice, saying no to everything, barely getting by, and not having what we enjoy. And with that you can get the picture; sure, you have had nightmares with it or even have experienced it.
It is a struggle to live on less, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a step backward or a sign of failure on our part as adults and not even as caregivers of our family. We need to start looking at our situation not as a loss but as an opportunity to reshape our lifestyles.
What Living on Less Actually Looks Like
Living on less is not equivalent to living without. I thought it was like that for a long time but have learned that living on less is more about concentrating on the things we want more of and eliminating what is not necessary or essential.
Instead of looking at this journey as a hard time in which we will be lacking or missing things, the truth is that it is a time to have less of the things we don’t currently like. For example, we make fewer reactive decisions, we experience fewer financial emergencies, and there will be less stress and guilt when we look at our budget.
What it really means to live on less in daily life
Embracing the lifestyle change to live on less will bring more than reduced expenses. We will become more aware of our spending and will be able to make informed choices. Impulse buying will become less frequent, and it could even be a thing of the past.
A common misconception is that living on less means having cheap things, but in reality it means we make purchases that will serve their purpose and not just collect dust and clutter our homes.
That awareness will also help us to look at our routines and simplify them so we do what is needed and what we want to do with less stress and less worry. For example, when you’re more aware of your clothes shopping habits, you’ll have fewer clothes, which will simplify laundry day. And I’m always in for less laundry.
In general, living on less will give us more predictable months in terms of our spending, schedules, and busyness. When we start making adjustments to our lives, we will be able to manage those more complicated months easier. And if you track or plan in any way, it would even help you in the coming years.
What to avoid while trying to live on less
This journey can actually bring more stability and fullness to your life than restrictions. Here are two things that I want to warn you about because they are very popular and seem like easy solutions, but they can be challenging to implement at once.
Minimalism is very popular, and it has some good principles, but at once you’ll be stressed, and it will do more harm than good. It is better after growing your awareness and being sure of what you want for you and your family; then you can start to apply some of this.
I’m a former librarian; I love books, and one of our family values is to love reading and motivate independent learning. A minimalist rule related to books won’t work for us. We actually have more than 6 bookshelves full, and there are books everywhere in our home. That is important for us; it brings joy and is helping us build the family we want.
On the other hand, I’m not very interested in fashion, so I own a minimal number of shoes. And that makes me happy and is more than enough for me. Again, it is not bad to have the amount of your possessions in order, but the general rules may take something significant, and that’s where less starts to feel the wrong way.
The other thing to avoid is “frugality hacks.” Now let me be clear: I consider myself a frugal person. I have and will share money-saving tips while we are living on less. But living on less doesn’t mean skipping basic comforts or adopting extreme habits that don’t make sense for everyday family life.
Cutting expenses is hard, and we would rather not add more stress while doing it by implementing hacks that will make living in our home more complicated. If a meal prep plan is too difficult to follow and implement, you’ll end up spending even more money and wasting more food.
In my case I tried making my own cleaning supplies, a great idea for multiple reasons, but you know what happened. I don’t enjoy cleaning, and now I also had to make the supplies. I didn’t have motivation to do either. What work instead? Finding good-quality cleaning supplies and a simple routine.
Some people look at our family life and say we are minimalists and frugal. I choose from these ideas what will really work for us. I don’t go all in trying to change everything at once.
The Role of Values and Priorities
This is where living on less really starts to make sense. Numbers alone don’t guide good decisions. A budget can tell you how much you spend, but it won’t tell you why something matters to you or your family.
Without values and priorities, living on less quickly turns into constant cutting, frustration, and second‑guessing. Values help clarify what less actually applies to.
For example, living on less may mean fewer activities but more presence at home. It may mean fewer convenience expenses, but less stress and rushing. It may mean fewer extras, so your core needs feel fully covered and secure.
When values are clear, decisions feel lighter. You’re no longer asking, “How do I cut more?” but instead, “What do we actually want to protect?”
Living on less only works when it’s aligned with what matters to you. Otherwise, every choice feels like deprivation, even when it isn’t.
A Note from Our Experience
When our income changed, what we feared most wasn’t just the numbers; it was the idea of what our life would become. We expected constant stress and a feeling of always falling behind. What surprised us was that, over time, living on less didn’t make life smaller. It made our decisions clearer.
It wasn’t perfect or easy. We had moments of resistance and missteps. But little by little, the emotional weight lifted as our choices became more intentional and aligned with what mattered most to us.
Less Pressure, More Purpose
If there is one principle that has helped us the most, it’s this: less pressure, more purpose.
Less pressure to keep up with others.
Less pressure to optimize every dollar.
Less pressure to appear successful.
And in its place:
- more purpose in spending
- more intention in daily choices
- more alignment with family values
This principle works as a filter. When faced with a decision, you can ask:
- Does this reduce pressure or add to it?
- Does this support the life we’re trying to build?
- Does this align with what we value most right now?
Living on less isn’t about lowering your standards; it’s about raising your clarity.
