Listen Money Matters - Free Your Inner Financial Badass. All The Stuff You Should Know About Personal Finance.

Minimalism can be defined many ways.  We’ll talk to Joel Zaslofsky about how to become a minimalist. He has embraced the lifestyle to learn why and how it has improved his life. What is a minimalist? Joel defines it as embracing what is important to you and stripping away the excess. He began down the path of minimalism five years ago when he and his wife were expecting their first child.  Prior to that, he was following the prescribed American path, college, wife, house, dog, kid. Having a child was the kick in the ass he needed. Joel wanted to be a good father and knew some of the extraneous things in his life needed to go in order to do that.  It’s not just stuff that needs to go. Toxic relationships need to be jettisoned too. Or just those that have become perfunctory. Joel started hard core and video games were the first thing to go. I’m not sure if I recommend this.  I’ve seen you pasty video game players walk into the sunlight and it’s scary for you and us too.  Tread carefully. Sugar was second an