This may come as a surprise to some of you, but I really love hiking. There is something about being out in the fresh air, stripping away the barriers of life, and challenging yourself in the midst of beauty that excites me.
It was probably my love of hiking that kept me around in Scouting long enough to earn my Eagle Scout (roughly equivalent to Chief Scout and Queen’s Venture awards). Yes, I’m one of those. The troop I was in went on several weekend hiking trips and at least one long hiking trip of 50 miles or more over the summer in the Appalachians. We even spent two full weeks hiking in the mountains of New Mexico.
Eliminating the excess
When you travel 10 miles a day hiking up and down mountains, living on what you carry on your back for a week or longer, you learn not to carry too much extra. The burden of a few ounces here or there can add up to unnecessary pounds you carry with you – each and every step of the way.
You might start the trip thinking your battery-powered fan is a clever way to stay cool. At the end of the trip, you wonder what that freeloader ever did to justify hitching a ride on your wearisome feet and knees.
So I got rid of them. Paring down to the essentials means getting rid of stuff you don’t need. It doesn’t happen all at once, but you slowly start to learn you don’t need a shirt for each day, food in bulky cans, or a full tube of toothpaste. If a flashlight takes two batteries, you need to carry four. If it only takes one battery, it’s half the weight (at least).
To me, the challenge was to get rid of the excess without affecting my readiness. While I could have only taken one battery, I didn’t think it was prudent. Eventually I even found a few things worth the extra weight, like a sleeping pad and sandals.
I promise this has to do with finances
Tom writes a popular series here called Insurance You Can Do Without. Much like the minimalist hiker’s approach to what you should carry on your back, you should only carry the financial weight of what you need in your bank account. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
Insurance You Can Do Without is about paring down and getting rid of unnecessary expenses. Once you finish eliminating, you should be down to the bare minimum (and maybe a luxury or two). This way, you are better prepared to achieve what you really set out to do, without being weighed down financially.
As you work your way through your finances, you will discover what is truly important to you. You may also discover when it’s prudent to keep a back up, just in case.
Many families don’t plan on needing life insurance, but keeping it is the right thing to do. Life insurance is for them. Even if you already have a policy, you may want to try to lighten your financial load. Clarifinancial is for you.
Aaron Pinkston runs Clarifinancial. I wrote a review of Clarifinancial previously and think they provide a great new way to find life insurance. If you like this article, you can check out his blog and follow him on Twitter!
Image by sarame287
Related Websites:
- Post 4th of July Roundup
- How to Avoid Nickel and Diming Your Way to the Poorhouse
- Evolution Wants a God?
Related Posts:
Thanks for this opportunity Tom! I hope people make it all the way through the metaphor to submit some comments;)
I’m going travelling around Europe on our motorbike this summer, not as bad as hiking, but definitely a limited amount of space for luggage!
We’ve also been paring down on what insurance policies to keep paying into too, with what we’re saving we can hopefully pay off the mortgage a bit quicker.
Kazza´s last blog ..Spanish Car Rentals Shortage To Continue 2010
Given your hiking experiences in New Mexico and other places, it made me think of the importance of having travel insurance when abroad.
I just did a quick quote online with Blue Cross, and they can insure a couple for $124 on a 15-day trip.
Did you buy travel insurance before going on your hiking excursions to New Mexico ?
The Rat´s last blog ..Free Coffee At McDonald’s: Coffee War Heats Up Big Time!
Well living in Canada – how could you not love hiking – wonderful country and great article BTW
Jim Nariel´s last blog ..The wonder of Easter Island
I love hiking- totally can relate to what you mean- keeping things ‘light’ and basic.
I did a 5 day hike on the Juan De Fuca Marine Trail a few years back (it’s beee-uuutiful and I highly recommend it)… it was amazing but my knees were paying for it. Getting rid of the excess will be my motto now whenever I go hiking. Except you need to keep the essentials, like bear spray! (eek!)
youngandthrifty´s last blog ..What’s your Latte Factor?
Great analogy’s…. I was just finishing up a post today about cutting the fat in finances and life and this reminds me of the same process…. What do you NEED and what do you WANT….
Forest´s last blog ..Get Over The Fear Of Cooking At Home…
Awesome post! I’m training for a hike myself here. If I manage it, it will be my first “real” hike of 10 miles a day for a week.
Anne´s last blog ..February 2010 Post Roundup
Great blog! I agree about keeping things light, but life insurance isn’t for you, it’s for your family. So that was right on! I recommend http://www.wholesaleinsurance.net for researching and comparing carriers, they have over 100 they work with. That way you keep your load light, but still protect the ones you love.
That’s a pretty interesting analogy. The problem is that sometimes paring down on the unnecessary expenses shall not be done unless it becomes necessary due to budget constraints.
Forex Manager´s last blog ..Forex Autopilot System
I have never heard insurance compared to hiking, but I like the change of pace!
Mike Rowan´s last blog ..Did you know about Tax Free Life Insurance Benefits