First of all the clarification: A person can choose to want and have less. Choosing to want and have less are not because one lacks money, but one wants some advantages of simple living like the following….

1. Even if you choose a simple life you are still a consumer, however, you try to escape the excessive and aggressive consumer behavior being thrust on you by the media. You still have a bed, a television, a laptop, a sofa, a cupboard, a bookshelf, a music system, a cell phone, a landline, one car…..but you try to minimize what you need and therefore what you have.

2. Less car, less home, less..…surely means less debt. It also means more money in the kitty for retirement. This could also mean the ability to walk out your job at age 54 because your boss said something demeaning. The ability to walk away from a job DOES NOT MEAN YOU will walk, but the confidence that you CAN WALK is a very big source of satisfaction.

3. Less time spent in caring for the Rs. 40k watch, or the Rs. 100k music system! Simple things cost less and deliver similar results, so the need to worry is not here. You can lead a more relaxed life. So less time in worrying about cleaning, maintaining, using carefully….in a worst case scenario a cheaper possession can be just replaced.

4. Less desire to earn to show off: A person with a greater need to earn (for showing off) is under greater stress to earn money. Not that all big money comes from crime, but the temptation to commit small or big crimes comes from the insane pressure to match up with a few other individuals in life. Earning money should be a pursuit to meet your goals, not a scorecard to compare with friends.

5. Less pressure to upgrade, keep up with the Joneses, willingness to use a non Apple product, – all have their own advantages.

6. Part of the living simply brigade is also de cluttering your life – which itself reduces stress.

7. When you have 5 white shirts and 4 black pants there is less stress when you stand in front of the cupboard wondering what to wear!

8. When you start to simplify you look like a very generous person – ACTUALLY YOU ARE NOT – you are just giving away your past excesses! However giving away things (instead of keeping it in the closet for another day!) becomes a habit, and who knows you may become generous!!

9. Learning to see through empty claims – in all industries and especially in the financial industry saves you tons of money!

10. Being a better human being for the whole world, and leaving a lesser carbon footprint.

11. Most of our cities are bursting at the seams because everybody wants a 5 bhk, a SUV, a……at least you can put less stress on the environment by teaching your children to travel by public transport !!