There are several things I wish I knew by the age of 20. Thankfully, I managed to catch a good husband, as that is a decision with far reaching consequences. I’m slowly learning other good things, but I’m glad I didn’t mess up a big one.

As for other important stuff—like goal setting, buying a home, and always having a roll of duct tape handy– I’m learning as I go. But like I said, it would have been easier to read about some of these tricks in a manual during my teenage years. Life would’ve been easier, and it’s a shame that all the insight comes to me so late. Reading autobiographies of great people should be mandatory in your early years.

Today I will take a break from the fluff and tell you something useful. I assume that you agree that a simple life is worth pursuing, because readers of this weblog are pretty smart (even though you still read here). The “hows” and “whys” of simple living –that is, a life that is single focused on glorifying God and lives consciously with this in sight— are worth talking about. In fact, various brands of Consumer Christianity (e.g. where Jesus can be your Savior and not your Lord) is a byproduct of the church being silent on these issues. It allows you to live however you want as long as you’ve got OK theology.

My husband and I often stay up late talking about life, living, and God’s providence. One detail I’ve learned along the way is that a penny saved is much more than a penny earned. But what’s even better is to reduce your need for pennies in the first place. While working to produce a supplemental income is wise (especially if the plan is entrepreneurial in nature), one shouldn’t overlook the value of reducing expenses as a wise contribution as well.

Over the years, I’ve sought to enhance the family economy by contributing income. I’ve taught first grade, held piano lessons in my home, dabbled in real estate, and done odd jobs. Looking back, however, my greatest contribution has been saving money by reducing expenses.

Entire books have been written on the subject, but I think it can be boiled down to two key behaviors: staying home and practicing contentment. Leaving the house costs money and discontentment costs you more than just money. These two thoughts could be developed fully, but it is beyond the scope of a blog post.

As an aside, financial independence (or F.I.) is a goal of many people pursuing simplicity. Not so that they can afford more stuff, but so that they can be free from the corporate rat race. When you reduce your reliance upon others for your livelihood, you reduce the complexities in your life—as most people don’t have the same goals as you have. The good life for most people involves generous amounts of money, not more time with their families. (Most people won’t say this aloud, but if you look at our societal structure, it is obvious.) Achieving FI on a modest income, though, isn’t for the unimaginative. It takes some creativity.

FI is when your passive income exceeds your expenses. Common practice is to do all you can to maximize your income, but there is another way. There are only two variables in the equation (income and expenses), yet people often think that the income factor is the only variable. It’s not. Reducing your expenses is also a variable, and if you think of it this inverse way, the gap between the two is a lot smaller.

In my opinion, it is easier to reduce your expenses than it is to generate more capital. (For diehards, the deprivation is a game and brings satisfaction, not a sense of woe. “Look kids! A jump rope made out rolled, tied garbage bags! Woohoo!”) Plus, reducing your need for stuff is more in line with living simply. Generating more income without scrutinizing your outflow often leaves you on a hamster wheel that is difficult to get off.

Perhaps I haven’t mentioned anything new by telling you that staying home more and being content will help you live life more simply. However, maybe it is new to you that reducing your expenses is a profitable goal worth looking at. Whenever you can reduce your dependence on either the government or people with opposing goals, this is a good thing. As for us, we continue to take steps toward that end, but it sure would’ve been better if we’d started walking that direction about 10 years ago, like say, when I was 20.