26 Things I Don't Buy Anymore To Simplify My Life

[@mrreinark3388]

Not sure why but I like these videos quite a bit. I just like the simplicity of talking about conventional things. There is one thing on this list that I absolutely cannot remove though, coffee is too good to me! Most of the decaf I find is just not as good to me.

[@NomadOverNormal]

When you say you like videos like these, do you mean list videos in general? Or referring to to something more specific in my page? The format of my page is still evolving, and im trying to find the balance. This video is barely edited and did well - I can continue to grow that. But then my latest upload has a ton of editing work that went into it, which isn't that sustainable. Especially my next video is taking FOREVER to make because of how hard im going on it. Im very curious of your feedback as a viewer, and thank you so much for taking time out of your day to write this kind comment:)

[@mrreinark3388]

@@NomadOverNormal I haven't watched too many videos, but I will say, I liked the format of your videos. I usually don't watch list videos unless it is something that pertains to my interests, otherwise I find it hard to keep watching that video. However, with the two videos I was able to watch of yours that were lists, I watched them all the way through. I personally like the idea of lists that introduce simple life changes. The other video I watched of yours was about things you can obtain with your library card, and I liked the information you provided there. One of the things that I can point out that I absolutely like is that you show some clips of your personal activities that connect with the topic you are talking about. I liked, at 1:50, that you showed a clip of something where you were simply cooking. Another thing I liked was when you connected personal stories to the topics you were talking about, similar to the activities mentioned above.

[@tultrapfighter]

One critique about the ingredient argument. I think it's not so important to look at how many chemicals a food product has, but instead to know what those chemicals are and where they come from. That soy sauce you showed had the following ingredients: Water, wheat, soybeans, salt, lactic acid, sodium benzoate; of which 1/10 of 1% as a preservative. Water, wheat, soybeans and salt we all know and can be sure is probably safe. So, let's view lactic acid: Lactic acid is a product of dissimilation, this is where an organism breaks down sugars. In fermented products this happens because yeast (bacteria) break down natural sugars (like the starch in wheat and soybeans) to produce energy and various compounds, in alcoholic beverages this is ethanol (a type of alcohol), in dairy products they break down lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid and similarly bacteria used to ferment soy sauce break down starch in wheat and soy to produce lactic acid (and a little alcohol as well, listed by kikkoman to be around 2%). Lactic acid can also be naturally produced by the human body when our cells break down sugars and is easily metabolised, so this is definitely nothing toxic or "bad". And then, sodium benzoate: Sodium benzoate is a sodium salt derived from benzoic acid (a naturally occuring preservative in various plants) combined with sodium hydroxide (lye) (this helps it dissolve better in water by giving away it's sodium ion, because sodium salts are pretty much always soluble in water). It's used here as a preservative. In normal soy sauces, the salt content acts as a good enough preservative to keep the soy sauce safe, however this is low sodium soy sauce, where 40% of the salt is removed so it's use is necessary. One concern about sodium benzoate is that it can break down into benzene, which is a carcinogen. This can happen when combined with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). Presence of certain sugars has been shown to decrease the formation and exposure to heat and light can increase the formation. Some studies have also linked sodium benzoate with: Inflammation, ADHD, Oxidative Stress (The formation of free radicals, which are molecules or atoms with an unpaired electron, this is usually unstable and wants to react with other molecules/atoms, which can damage the chemical components in our cells). Though more research is needed to confirm these findings. Other studies have also linked sodium benzoate with medicinal properties, like treatment of mental disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. Due to the benzene risk, the FDA has issued a maximum of 0.1% concentration in food products, which is the amount listed on the label. The WHO has set the daily acceptable limit that a person can consume to max. 2.27 mg (milligrams) per pound of body weight. So let's do the math: In north america the average person weighs around 180 lbs. So an average person would have to consume 2.27 × 180 = 408.6 mg in per day to exceed safe levels. Let's just assume an ounce and fluid ounce is the same (which it isn't) for the sake of argument, because I unfortunately can't find the density of Kikkoman Low Sodium Soy Sauce. 408.6 mg is approximately 0.014 ounces. For a 10oz bottle, that contains 0.1% sodium benzoate, the total amount would be 0.1 oz. 0.014 / 0.1 = 0.14 or 14% You would have to consume 14% of a 10oz bottle in a day to exceed safe levels, or about 10 × 0.14 = 1.4 oz of soy sauce. (Approximately) You also named citric acid as a "bad chemical". Citric acid is a naturally occuring acid, most commonly associated with citrus fruits (citrus > citric), as it is the main acid that makes citrus fruits acidic, and gives them their sour taste. Citric acid is used in food for a couple reasons, to make food more acidic (as in, lower the pH, as certain compounds behave differently in different pH levels), to add taste (citrus sour), and as a preservative (as most microbes don't grow easily at certain pH). (pH indicates how much H+ a given solution can give off or absorb) (simply, low pH is acidic, high pH is basic, water has a neutral pH of ~7, so lower than that would be an acid, and higher would be a base.) Citric acid is produced industrially by various microbes, such as a strain of pennicillium molds (the same molds used to make pennicillin which is a medicine), that convert sugar into citric acid. Because it is produced by mold, it may trigger allergic reactions if any particles remain in the product. Other than that it is considered safe. So please, learn about what is inside your food and don't waste valuable money avoiding "scary chemicals" before doing research. I know not everyone is a chemist that would understand all this, so in that case, just google it and consult multiple sources before drawing any conclusions about any ingredients. Sorry for any grammar mistakes, English is not my first language.

[@xant8344]

You are completely right

[@NomadOverNormal]

I prefer holding myself to the standard of limiting my consumption of processed forms of anything. Getting sugars, chemicals and other nutrients in its natural form comes tied with other components of the food that you wouldn't get the benefits of if you extracted it and isolated it. IE, sugar isn't bad when eaten naturally, but processed sugar is one of the top causes of death in our country. While in a laboratory setting what you say may look good on a document, it doesn't consider the organic interworking of our body. Things like nutrient synergy, fiber content, nutrient loss in the extraction process, and added ingredients/fillers to save money aren't being considered with your explanation here. We read the label of 100% pure extra virgin olive oil, but we're being lied to with what actually is in there. Most of the time there is undisclosed canola oil, but it doesn't need to be reported because of loop holes. Getting my nutrients from as many whole food sources as possible allows me to limit my exposure to potential contaminents and puts my health in my own hands rather than trusting a corporation to be honest.

[@mbgdemon]

Dude, 1.4 oz of soy sauce is a totally reasonable amount to use when cooking a meal or eating a plate of sushi. I think you just supplied an incredibly good argument to avoid sodium benzoate-based soy sauce like the plague.

[@yooro3948]

you are the embodiment of "Sorry for any grammar mistakes, English is not my first language." where the creator writes the most clearly and beautifully written text and then adds "Sorry for any grammar mistakes, English is not my first language." at the end of it lol

[@vernongrayson9019]

How does this guy not use de bronners?

[@videosofwill]

I appreciate a lot of what you said and I agree with many points. I too hope to one day be able to buy healthier/natural grocery items. Unfortunately, those items do cost more, and I, like others that watch this, aren't making enough money to be able to purchase those items on my grocery runs. Also for the rent price thing, that depends a lot on location and what modes of transportation people have access to. I think it's important to recognize that some people don't have the luxury to pick a cheaper location because they do not have access to a personal vehicle to commute.

[@mia.e.morrison]

Totally agree! I think some caveats or considerations of other people's potential lifestyles would go a long way in making a video like this better. Even if it is all coming from a "my personal perspective" type of talking - it still sounds like advice.

[@NomadOverNormal]

@@mia.e.morrison appreciate that! Yeah, it's really hard to be inclusive for everyone. When I try to be, I end up sounding generic, unrelatable, and don't say anything of substance. I can only give advice and perspective from what ive experienced. This is a list of 26 things... I'd be shocked if someone wanted to emulate all 26, let alone could. My goal is to give people a "sense" of ways they might be able to better themselves through ideas I bring to the table. For now, this is the best way I know how.

[@PeymanSayyadi]

I agree with not buying online courses, but only the ones that have no exams. Coursera doesn't usually give you a certificate unless you pass many exams; I have learned a lot there.

[@rabokarabekian409]

It is surprising to me how many of these things I already do. Here's my additions. 1) Learn not to try to impress. I make above average pay for my area, but live in a long-paid-off 1972 house trailer and only pay lot rent. 2) Learn up to date, truly scientific medical information = not gimmicks and weak "studies". I've been keto 22 years now. I do coffee, but it don't mess with me. I add nothing to it. 3) Learn to only buy what is on your written grocery list. 4) Learn how to do as many repairs as you can. I replaced a central ac fan for about $170, while a contractor wanted almost $800. Learn to use and rent special tools. 5) Learn using free weights and get the cheapest indoor bike you can. I bungee a laptop to the handlebars = hillbilly Peloton. On the other hand, my wife is exactly opposite in all this. Oh well, the 2 of us have balanced out for 47 years.

[@RobertGaron]

WOW thank you for sharing this with us. I’m interested to hear more about some thoughts to how you and your wife, as thinking differently, have made things work?

[@Somebodyherefornow]

i disagree about the wall art. you could have really good wall art

[@wezmasta]

he said "meaningless wall art" and does have really good wall in from of Picasso and his own work

[@wezmasta]

this comment is like you heard the words wall art, commented n moved on to the next video

[@KawaiiCat2]

There is good wall art like Monet, Picasso, Andy Warhol and then you have those crappy stuff from a department store that’s just some weird logo

[@thatguy8005]

I got all my wall art from the Goodwill… for next to nothing

[@usfbull523]

I can tell that you put a lot of thought and effort into these videos, and that they have a look of quality to them that seems to imply very good production value. While I do think that they deserve to be watched in their entirety, I think it would be nice if you had chapters in your videos the way many creators do nowadays, especially when the video is essentially a list of things or ideas relating to a central theme. I often skim through the chapter headings in such videos to look for parts that seem particularly relevant or interesting to me. Your videos are very good so far (from what have seen). Adding chapters would be a nice convenience but not strictly necessary, I suppose.

[@adamburditt3941]

After I graduated, I lost access to my student discount for spotify premium, so I decided to use music that I owned. I bought an old iPod and it's totally refreshing to actively curate your own music library again. I'm planning on doing it to phase out all my old subscriptions.

[@julianzacconievas]

A bit of a mixed bag here, mostly good though. Chris, I feel you have good intentions and general good advice, but there are a couple of things I would like to say to you. First, I think you may be overlooking how unaffordable some of your advice can be for a large part of the population. Most families simply can't make the change to more expensive products, even as an investment in health/future [ever heard the saying that a rich man only buys boots once, but a poor man has to buy them forever? It's not because the poor man doesn't know he'd be better off buying the expensive ones, it's because he can't ever afford them: being poor is expensive]. At least they can't afford them without considerably changing other aspects of their lives first. The second thing I want to point out is the tendency in this video to talk about products as good or bad. There is nuance to consumption and use: what is "bad" for you or your partner might be the only product that solves a need for someone else. A sauce isn't "bad" because it has stabilisers; non-organic foods are (if at all) only marginally better for us, as far at reliable evidence goes, and considerably more expensive. On this, artificial sweeteners are proven time and time again as positively contributing to our health, as they directly address the problem of being overweight. The evidence even points at them being a bit better than water for our health, as hard as that is to accept. Similarly, a soap that doesn't agree with your skin could be the only soap I can use - but more importantly, cheap soap is actually better than no soap, as people seem to wash their hands for longer and rub harder when there is soap on them. Sure, if you wash your hands properly with just water, soap usually doesn't add that much value to your everyday hand-wash, especially if we use warm water and dry our hands very well after. But we are collectively BAD at washing our hands, so it is always helpful to use soap as a cue to better hygiene (this is particularly true for kids)... Catch my meaning? I think you have a really good philosophy, and I would truly appreciate you leaning a little harder on evidence-based knowledge, rather than intuition, and addressing (or maybe just mentioning) that there is nuance to generalised life advice. I subscribed based on another video of yours I found today. I'll be watching a few more videos for sure. All the best (if you read this).

[@mia.e.morrison]

Good advice, I'd say. Thanks for sharing it! Hope he reads

[@S8BASTIAN]

just found your channel, love your advice. like how u only hang pictures u took of and don't make impulsive purchases. subbed!

[@cultivatelife]

Completely on board with this life style! Happy to to have found this channel. I'd like to add: No bottled water. I bought a reverse osmosis filter and use a glass bottle in silicone sheath and/or a stainless steel tumbler for hot tea. I'll add a 1/4 tsp. of either redmond's real salt or celtic sea salt per liter of water on days where I'll fast. I also strive to buy only things I need that are quality items that will last.

[@NomadOverNormal]

This inspires a "hydration health" video! We use either Redmonds or Celtic salt too! Have you found a place to buy them in bulk online? It's a struggle and Whole Foods is always out:( I want to pick up a Berkey water filter, reverse osmosis is also an option ive heard good things about that.. also less space!

[@cultivatelife]

NIce! Usually I'm able to find it at my local Sprouts market without issue. For online, I'd go with iherb. Stay away from Amazon at all costs, too many fakes! @@NomadOverNormal

[@404hopenotfound]

city water is very safe to drinking in the us you dont need to filter or use bottled water @@NomadOverNormal

[@pizzapartytime1826]

I get bottle of water.sometimes 🎉can’t hold a reusable one.

[@tombouie]

I would suggest surveying all your local charity thift stores & try shopping there. Wealthy/well-off folks in the community tend to donate a lot to highly effective/efficient charities. It's quite amazing.

[@KevinGriffin-b2s]

Some of these make sense. Some are a bit idiosyncratic. I personally follow the news because I think being informed is important. I'm also careful about vetting my news sources.

[@sydneygroves239]

I think a lot of good comes from watching the news. It is important to know what is happening around the world, and how our decisions impact the world.

[@mia.e.morrison]

Agreed, yes. I think his points are valid about it being inflammatory (and often biased) and so learning to read the news well is important, rather than consuming and reacting in the moment. But that part definitely rubbed me the wrong way.

[@Sam-bl5gt]

Agreed. ​I thought he was going to go for the angle of- 'don't doom scroll the news sites, read the newspaper' instead he forms his opinions on other people's anecdotes?!?! Questionable

[@itsROMPERS...]

Number 16: Yes! I also don't buy trendy brands, like Nike or Under Armor or even Patagonia because you can get good versions of all that stuff much cheaper, so the only reason people buy that is to store other people how cool they are, "i only buy the top brands".

[@itsROMPERS...]

@@Unjust1 is that right? I just know in regular stores items with those logos all seem to cost more. And I'm too weak to shop at Marshalls or whatever. Anyway, i concur with the basic idea, i don't pay for logos, and i wouldn't wear them even if they were cheap. I don't want to shill for corporations.

[@kapilbhat]

When it comes to buying you are the same as me....I loved watching this video.

[@halomexx2581]

Everyone must watch this. I already do most of these things.

[@NomadOverNormal]

thanks halo

[@layomibanque]

I do have healthy snacks in the house plus when I do eat out I look for healthier options

[@KnufWons]

How is citric acid bad? That’s just concentrated sour

[@Somebodyherefornow]

why i like this video: i like specific videos about like, not “be healthy” youtubers, but like youtube videos that say “dont do this specifically” or “do this specifically”, except i guess if they are too specific, which this is not

[@telluwide5553]

You have some nice content about some intriguing topics. Hope you make more! Well done!

[@plastiquemonk]

the energy drink one has been a sort of necessary evil for me; i have ADHD and caffeine is a form of self medication for it. i do make sure to delay using it to a couple hours after waking for hormonal balance and every now and then just lay off it entirely when i dont have important work to do

[@dag118]

We have not eaten out in years. Maybe over a decade. We buy quality food and enjoy cooking together at home.

[@NomadOverNormal]

How do you spice up your cooking for those “special” nights where you just want a little extra? Super curious and always looking for inspo ahha

[@gabrielchuede6688]

i think one problem with society is that we dont have good information on whats good, durable and reliable. all is marketing and you cant trust companies because they just want to sell their product and if the product of other company is better they wont say it. buying out of price is not good either, much times the expensive is no better than cheaper is just the manufacture is expensive since no one buys it. we should be able to tell whats the better material/tecnology for certain product with ease. we also cant be specialists of all areas so we should be able to take advice of specialists, but for reasons above explained we cant trust them. other thing i would like to mention is that, today, is cheaper to buy things in multiple installments, we just need to discover a way to separate the amount of money so we cant use what we dont have.

[@tultrapfighter]

as someone currently following a science education, i totally agree that companies are not honest about their products. However there are a multitude of sources online that explain much about ingredients. If you have concerns about what chemicals are in your products, look at multiple sources online. And if you know anyone educated in scientific fields, ask them to review anything you have concerns about. Knowledge is power.

[@thinktank8286]

Gear/Equipment: How do you compensate for planned obsolescence compatibility since so much of the buys these days are forced upon the consumer with software or hardware.

[@NomadOverNormal]

For professional gear: I've never once performed a firmware update on any kind of video/audio/lighting gear. I also don't own a lot. For adobe software, I update once every... idk, 1.5 years or so. For personal tech: I had an iPhone X going strong up until a few months ago when I stupidly dropped and shattered it in the stupidest way. I'd still own it and it would have been working fine otherwise if I could. I hear planned obsolescence, but I think a majority of that term comes from people feeling FOMO of missing out on whatever new feature there is. And I don't really care about my phone having a higher quality camera or 120hz screen type stuff.

[@inclebnito]

Really enjoyed your video. Found it beneficial.

[@itsROMPERS...]

I have plastic Tupperware that's at least 30 years old. Glass it's heavy and it breaks.

[@mia.e.morrison]

True, I've noticed that about glass Tupperware, too. Chipping and breaking. I think having a mix can be nice. And especially finding/buying used stuff, rather than new, since there is plenty in the world already that can be saved from landfill rather than adding more new plastics. Glass can be nice for reheating and using at home only but anything portable or packed is best in something more durable, in my opinion.

[@MarcusRideout]

Awesome video, man! Thanks for sharing :-)

[@NomadOverNormal]

Thanks for watching!

[@Gabifuertes]

Debt can be used for leverage if the interest is low enough...

[@brynna77]

you can also get concentrated soaps & dish soaps. The cost of cleaning products is artificially high bc the water in them is heavy & costs more to transport.

[@NomadOverNormal]

What brands do you recommend? My gf is super sensitive, and I’m looking to improve even better than the “best” at the grocery store. I’m only so educated on the subject.

[@flowwithali]

Love this! Agree with sugary sauces just not decaf coffee! I could never lol. PS Your GF sounds like a great influence.

[@d.b.scoville]

The point about news is such a weird self report. It’s true that there can be numerous problems with the news but burying your head in the sand and just relying on word of mouth is not the solution. You show a misunderstanding of journalism and history at large. (The phrase “hindsight is 20/20” doesn’t mean you can’t appropriately react in the moment)

[@NomadOverNormal]

news media is not history.

[@mia.e.morrison]

not sure that's what the commenter was saying :/ was hoping you might have a more thoughtful response to this, because I was feeling similarly about that section.

[@tretmizz5656]

Great video 😊

[@patipetals]

New subscriber, love your channel ❤

[@NomadOverNormal]

Thanks for subbing! how'd you find my page??

[@patipetals]

@@NomadOverNormal KZbin suggestion 💎

[@Ser-Vive]

just as a response to #1, that advice is not for people with disordered eating. If you're not eating 3 meals a day your dietician isn't going to care if you're eating junk food. And if they do you may need a new dietician because putting something in is always better than nothing.

[@rootssixtysix]

50 years ago, these "lifestyle changes" were just called life.

[@NomadOverNormal]

It’s sad isn’t it? We’ve been conditioned out of this by over consumption to the point where we now have to have people like me, making videos to get people back into check.

[@itsROMPERS...]

"I learn everything i need to know from ANECDOTES?" Somebody needs to plan an intervention for this guy.

[@iblackfeathers]

the irony here is coffee yet no calcium supplements. the acidity and caffeine in the coffee causes nails to become brittle snd affect bones and nails, etc. so calcium supplements are necessary in addition to calcium in the diet.

[@KnufWons]

What do you consider “toxic”?

[@NomadOverNormal]

I forget what I called toxic in this video. Cleaning supplies? I’d say most bathroom and household cleaners. All the way to dawn dish soap and soft soap hand soap. I really like how effective dawn is, but since finding a good brand “free & clear” I haven’t really missed dawn… and hopefully my skin health rewards me for that down the road.

[@xant8344]

This video would be way more useful if you weren't afraid of chemistry and instead knew what you were talking about. Like 4 good tips and 20 ignorant but well intentioned ones.

[@itsROMPERS...]

"citric acid"? You consider oranges and lemons to be poisonous?

[@NomadOverNormal]

Only processed versions of the compound, not the compound in its natural form.

[@Marslighthouse]

What do you think is different? Whether it is processed or not it's the same compound.

[@itsROMPERS...]

@@NomadOverNormal citric acid is citric acid, it's a CHEMICAL, there are no "versions" of it. I think maybe you need to do more studying before you make your videos. You seem REALLY young.

[@transfixit]

A solid two third of this list just makes you a regular European

[@CraigHocker]

22. apparently not a homeowner. and 24. apparently has rent control if he's not worried about the rent getting jacked up.

[@NomadOverNormal]

I wish I had rent control!!

[@Somebodyherefornow]

I SO AGREE ABOUT THE SOAPS OMG YASSS

[@NomadOverNormal]

Wow my number one fan, thank you very much!!! And in regards to wall art, perhaps I could have clarified better.. I forget. But I believe I meant home goods style wall art. The mass produced kind. If you buy a piece that you LOVE like in my example, I believe that’s different.

[@Somebodyherefornow]

ah yes i would agree with that!@@NomadOverNormalmass produced goods arent that good.

[@MuhsinunChowdhury]

bro stole the mic 💀

[@tetrapharmakos8868]

Advice for rich people only, with a sprinkling of magical thinking. No thanks.

[@zimmejoc]

Buy once, cry once.

[@stefangherman8408]

I want in the next 2 to 3 years to buy my own house and I want to save 200.000 euros.

[@PS3PCDJ]

3:18 Bro, that's just a lemon juice.

[@NomadOverNormal]

and sugar is also found in fruit. I'm trying to bring awareness to staying away from as many processed preservatives as possible in this instance.

[@GetFitEatRight]

Dawn is unbeatable and its a not that bad for you. Just let that one go, it works way too well.

[@styssine]

How did you get a house debt free?

[@styssine]

Ah, had to watch longer, you didn’t

[@storytimewiththecrimsondm1318]

C: while this is interesting, and parts of it save money, other parts are a bit expensive to normal folks

[@NomadOverNormal]

Yes, the keys to this video are to simplify, the intention wasn't to save money. I can make another video speaking to this

[@john14x42]

bro in your profile picture you are wearing an adidas hat...

[@NomadOverNormal]

This is true! And a carhartt coat. I’m not going to throw away good items and replace them just so I don’t have to have a logo. That would be wasteful. My next one, if I were to purchase one, wouldn’t have one.

[@Somebodyherefornow]

@@NomadOverNormalwow this is a very good reply 😊 investing more (i will watch every video)

[@Cliper452]

Subbing b4 you get 2 a mil

[@NomadOverNormal]

Haha thank you very much

[@itsROMPERS...]

You don't buy liquor because you already have a lot?

[@tired_buthappy]

You make some good points, but your smug attitude is off-putting.

[@NomadOverNormal]

People seem to enjoy my cadence, and I try to come to each subject with deep empathy. I'm sorry that you misunderstood my passion for smugness!

[@HoldLeadersAccountable]

Go Vegan its better for us all!

[@NomadOverNormal]

haha!

[@denker2959]

I'd rather be a healthy human being