Cait Flanders, a Canadian writer and author of "The Year of Less," discusses her transformative journey of paying off $30,000 in debt through minimalism. She shares her strategies for mindful consumption and emotional spending habits, revealing how shopping often serves as a coping mechanism. Cait emphasizes the importance of financial awareness and the positive reframing of shopping bans as opportunities for personal growth. She advocates for healthier stress management techniques and how a minimalist lifestyle can lead to deeper social connections.