Oil and Garlic had a great comment on my post about Confusing frugality with minimalism, asking if I could write a post about the differences between Simple Living, Frugality, Living Green and Minimalism
MINIMALISM: Is it really necessary?
Default answer: Don’t buy it.
You’ve lived years without it, therefore it is not a necessity.
But if you do buy something, you buy one of each, not 50.
And you try to find ways to reduce the bulk, clutter and weight on your life.
Generally speaking, you have as little furniture as possible for your life. No extra decorative things like a cute table in the corner.
Price is of no object in this area, because buying slim, sexy, sleek devices to help cut down on the amount of stuff in your life, is not a cheap option.
Neither is trying to trick out your pad to look like a zen retreat. Those tiles & that gorgeous dark wood do NOT come cheap!
FRUGALITY: Love quality stuff but only for a good price
Default answer: If I need it, can I get it for free, cheaper, borrow it or substitute it?
It’s a lot like Minimalism actually.
You put priorities on what makes you happy in life (shoes, handbags, clothes..) but you aren’t squeamish about buying large items like furniture.
You don’t mind having decorative furniture that may not have a really solid, functional purpose, but just makes you darn happy to have it.
It’s all about being smart with your purchases, which may include substitutions or not purchasing at all.
If not, buying the best quality for its value is the height of frugality.
Price is not the #1 factor here, but it IS a factor.
The balance of quality and placed or perceived value for what you are going to use the item for.
SIMPLE LIVING (a.k.a. VOLUNTARY SIMPLICITY): Going back to the basics and living with very little
It’s very close to minimalism in my opinion, but the slight difference may be that Technology is at a bare minimum or non-existent.
Some say that the internet is the best thing that ever happened to Simple Living since sliced bread, because we have now reduced our reliance on paper and physical objects.
But others, say that being on the internet and playing on Twitter, Facebook, Blogging or doing otherwise impractical pursuits (as in, they don’t yield any tangible, practical results for your life), is not simple living.
Think: Amish. Luddites. These are people who will avoid any and all kinds of technology.
They try not to own any cellphones (I hear the Amish have a cellphone for a village, because it helps them communicate when a group is out on the farm), and they certainly do not use the internet, have an e-book reader or an iPod.
Luddites are people who don’t own any tech-y items, not because they don’t know how to use them, but they’re making a CHOICE to avoid technology.
Much like Minimalism, Simple Living is too broad of a concept, depending on your interpretation.
Personally, simple living = minimalism to me.
GREEN LIVING: Thinking about the pikas and the polar bears first.
Making choices that are eco-friendly and green, such as choosing a more brand of shampoo just because it doesn’t contain any kind of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in it.
It may not be the cheapest or the most frugal option, but it’s when you put the environment in your #1 slot.
For example, buying sustainable, ethically-raised, organic meat is not cheap, but it’s a green choice.
The Replacing a Kitchen Table Example:
Minimalism
You have a kitchen table but it isn’t quite cutting it.
So you donate it, sell it, or give it away, and figure out a new option.
You find a way to live without one by using stools at the kitchen counter instead.
….or you buy the sleekest, most aesthetically pleasing one out there that can fold up into a picture frame on the wall.
Frugality
You decide to replace your kitchen table for whatever reason (too small, too rickety).
Although you’d like one, you wouldn’t spend the cash for a picture frame table, but you’d do any of the following:
- Ask around if anyone has a good but old kitchen table they want to get rid of
- Check out thrift shops & Craig’s List for cheap options of solid kitchen tables
- Find a great kitchen table at a garage sale with good bones & refinish it
- Go to Ikea to price out what a new table would cost instead of a EQ3
Simple Living
You have a kitchen table, but it’s rickety or too small.
You figure out a way to stick with what you have instead of replacing it.
Maybe you decide to add another small table to it (cheaper overall), or you pull off the legs and redo them into something sturdier.
This is an option a lot like being Frugal, but instead of wanting a picture frame table and not wanting to spend the cash, you just don’t want that extra fuss and muss.
The only difference between simple living and frugality, is that some people shun as much technology as possible.
Green Living
You find the most eco-friendly, sustainable, fair trade-made table out there on the market.
It will probably cost much more than just a simple wood table, but you know that it’s been handcrafted by people who need the money, and are earning a decent wage instead of a penny a day.
It is most likely made out of reused plastic bottles, reused cardboard or bamboo.
In my opinion…
All of these styles strive towards the same goal: being smart about your purchases.
It’s just the objective or motivation behind each purchase is different.
The best combination for me, is when they all intersect.
When you can make a smart choice about buying something that is worth the money while thinking about the polar bears or the cute little endangered pika pictured below.
Hope that helped somewhat!
Meg
on Feb 8th, 2010
@ 3:25 pm:
My husband and I are definitely a bit of them all — which is probably why we still don't have a kitchen table since we got rid of an ugly freebie we had a few years ago. We even turned down one from my mom since it wasn't our style and didn't fit our needs (and therefore didn't want it cluttering up our house no matter how much my mom insisted we could just stick it next to a wall with a vase on it or something). Definitely a great example of different takes on the table issue. We've had all those thoughts and are just patiently waiting now until we find/make what we have in mind — and have the proper place to put it.
There is definitely a strong overlap between these seemingly different things. I think it's "Waste not, want not." That's certainly my motto and would explain why they all appeal to me.
If I may…
Minimalism: Don't waste space. This can be seen several ways. There are the open space minimalists who view open living space as a plus not to be wasted on clutter, and then there are the "tiny house" minimalists who want to minimize home/personal space but probably enjoy more public open spaces. Either way, space is wasted when you fill it up, not when you leave it empty (which some people see as a waste of space).
Frugality: Don't waste resources. Money is usually the most apparent perhaps, but frugality is the antonym of wastefulness so it can be applied broadly.
Simple living: Depending on how you define it, don't waste time doing things you don't enjoy or don't waste the experience of doing things simply (as many people enjoy the slower pace of things). In some simple living movements there's also a strong, "don't waste electricity and then waste more time/electricity by running around on a treadmill" theme.
Green: Don't waste our resources because we only have one planet. The less we use, the less we pollute.
Meg
on Feb 8th, 2010
@ 3:28 pm:
P.S. The green living people would also be likely to head to a thrift store. Buying used is almost always a greener choice — and a lot cheaper in most cases, too. That said, I have my eye on some "new" furniture built from reclaimed wood. <3 but $$$.
Hasina
on Feb 8th, 2010
@ 7:50 pm:
Your article is very well articulated. I've been wanting to write something like this forever, but you say it so much better
Minimalism definitely has nothing to do with cost. Here's my personal interpretation:
Minimalism is related to stuff (limiting your stuff to the essentials, often with an emphasis on aesthetics)
Frugality is related to cost (watching your spending, with an emphasis on quality)
Simple living = a mix of minimalism and frugality, but no emphasis on aesthetics or quality
Green living = social and environmental awareness
cynthia
on Feb 8th, 2010
@ 7:52 pm:
I guess for most of us, we're a little of each. What matters most is it's suitable for us, and we're satisfied and happy with the way things are. Having said that, it's nice to read a post that actually differentiates things and puts them in nice little boxes. Thanks! =)
Greg
on Feb 8th, 2010
@ 11:54 pm:
This is such a great discussion, and how you have explained it here is perfect.
After reading this I would classify myself as a "minifrug simplist "
Greg
E_Z
on Feb 9th, 2010
@ 12:16 am:
I think that covers that off really well. Nice post. Definitely frugal.
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on Feb 8th, 2010
@ 8:00 pm:
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on Feb 9th, 2010
@ 10:31 am:
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nicole 86
on Feb 9th, 2010
@ 11:20 am:
Hi,
a great post to think how I am related to money and stuff.
First thing , I would make clear my life priorities and then it is easier to find how to spend money.
However, as for me, I find very difficult to distinguish between aesthetics and cost. If I need something, I would choose a beautiful item, whether it is seconf-hand or expensive, but I keep in mind that I need an item I will use often, for a long time and with pleasure.
Moreover, I do not feel i own items, just I use and enjoy them but I can lend them or let them go if i think someone would use them in a better way.
Money is a means to have experience, I wish I could live in a big city to be next to libraries and museums and city gardens.
Some people need space, others need curtains to fell good. Every one must think over before taking actions.
nicole from France
oilandgarlic
on Feb 9th, 2010
@ 10:58 pm:
Oilandgarlic here….Thank you for posting this! I love your definitions. Examples help a lot. I think I'm a minimalist in terms of decorating. I need empty spaces and no clutter. However, some of the best space-saving stuff isn't frugal or even green. I never thought of the simple living/luddite aspect but I do shun technology in some respects. I could never give up internet, blogging, etc…. but I do crave a slower pace of life.
evrydaymnmalist
on Feb 10th, 2010
@ 12:32 am:
You're so very welcome. Thanks for the idea!
I think I am a bit of everything except the Luddite part for Simple Living.
Although now that you mention it, I don't really care much for my cellphone. People are obsessed with it, but I couldn't care less as long as it works and has a number pad on it.