Spend less; live more simply | Buddhist Action Month 2015

Amalavajra, Triratna's European fundraiser writes with further ideas for looking at your relationship to money.

"The third Buddhist precept is 'with stillness, simplicity and contentment I purify my body.' So:

Meditate every day for the rest of June to gain the stillness and clarity to know what matters to you. Committing to a regular slot, eg 20 minutes first thing each morning, helps to actually do this. Try this led meditation.
Sit comfortably and do nothing more than watch the birds or clouds, or drink a hot drink, for at least 5 minutes a day.
Go on a retreat. Try this site for Triratna retreats in the UK.
Commit to being electronic device- and web-free for certain periods, e.g. mealtimes, after 9pm or Sunday mornings.
Have no-shopping days/weeks/or months (excluding essentials like food). Vajragupta had a no-shopping year in 2014! She talks about it here (from 4’44) in the context of dukkha and sitting with the urge to buy.
Eat a meal a day without TV/book/radio/music
Have a half-day each week, eg a weekend morning, with nothing planned and without doing anything ‘productive’.
Make something with your hands, such as a cake, a card or present for a friend, or a shrine.