Are you a minimalist or a frugalist?

[oldhat]

It's a trick question, really, since I don't think too many people are completely one or the other. I'd describe myself as a minimalist with frugalist tendencies, and this sometimes creates conflicts, since my main impulse is to clear my life of as much stuff as possible. On the other hand, I often find myself being indecisive about shedding certain possessions, since I don't know if I might one day find a use for them. It's always struck me that one of the dangers of being truly frugal would be tipping over into being a packrat, for this very reason.

I'm curious as to how others rate themselves, and how they deal with these kinds of issues.

[JaneV2.0]

I'm not any kind of minimalist--unless you count obligations--but I can be frugal in areas like household heating or getting the best deal on purchases.

[mtnlaurel]

I am a Choose-ist.
I like to be conscious of what I Choose to bring into my life. It's very hard for me.

Because once it gets into my life, it's not easy for me to choose to get it out.
I love getting a deal and get a lot of Jazz from hustling... so I have to be careful with Frugality. Sometimes I bring stuff into my life I don't need just because of 'the deal'.
I am OK to pay more for quality products.
I don't think I could ever be accused of being a Minimalist - I have plenty in my life that I don't need, but I try to keep things to the point of where they serve a purpose - even if it is just to bring me joy.

[decemberlov]

This is a topic I find really interesting. And you're right it does seem like a trick question. I think I would have to say I'm more in the frugal category. I try and re-use almost everything I can and often save little things that I think might be useful...and yes sometimes my minimalist self gets in a fight with my frugal self telling me there's no need to save those extra shampoo bottles to use in the future for camping or whatever. I feel like I'm constantly trying to find that perfect balance between minimalist and frugal. I will say that more often than not though I remember how much of a pack rat my mother is and how I felt growing up with ridiculous amount of "junk" and the anxiety it caused me. Usually this is enough to keep me from keeping all those little things that I my find useful in the future.

I recent realized that the little containers that the Udis Muffins come in are the perfect little green houses and started saving them...but I set a limit and decided I will only keep 10 of them. will need mI don't have a huge garden and don't think that I will need more than that. I think setting a specific number to how many I'm allowed to keep is what it takes to keep that balance.

[mtnlaurel]

I recent realized that the little containers that the Udis Muffins come in are the perfect little green houses and started saving them...but I set a limit and decided I will only keep 10 of them. will need mI don't have a huge garden and don't think that I will need more than that. I think setting a specific number to how many I'm allowed to keep is what it takes to keep that balance.

That is a great idea. There is something about snazzy Containers that are so hard to discard, even to recycle.

[herbgeek]

Definitely not a frugalist, although a number of my decisions might make people think so. I go for value, not just low price. I spend relatively little on clothing for a professional, but I get nicer name brand items at a consignment store. No one would ever confuse me for a minimalist either, with all my gadgets, but I do go through everything regularly and purge if I haven't used it in a while. Its just that I do a lot of things, and have equipment for each of them. But it all gets used, and is neatly organized so that it may look minimalist to others. I'm also more of an intentionalist or choose-ist to use Mtn Laurel's term. I don't buy because someone else will be impressed. Something really has to capture my imagination if its not a true need purchase.

[Gardenarian]

I'm a frugalist. I do tend to save things in case they may come in useful some day, or for garden or crafts projects that I intend to make - someday.

I think there are two kinds of minimalists - philosophical ones and aesthetic ones (though many are both.) I think of the aesthetic ones as having those beautiful mid-century furnishings, bare floors, no curtains. The philosophical ones are the 100 items or less folks and the like. (I know I have more than 1,000 items - maybe 20,000, if you count books, buttons, art
supplies, and so on.)


One must still have chaos in oneself, to give birth to a dancing star - Nietzsche

[jennipurrr]

I suppose I would be a minimalist with frugalist tendencies also. I have little stockpiles of things I buy when they are a great deal but if I had my way I wouldn't do that. I have my linens stored for my rentals in my spare bedroom and it just ate at me until finally I lugged all the boxes to the attic. I really hate clutter and have people comment on my house being sparse. I like it sparse!

[Mrs-M]

Although I do classify myself as a minimalist at heart, my stronger side leans towards frugalism! I enjoy a pared-down existence when it comes to less, however, when it comes to frugality, I'm all over that!

Re: shedding certain possessions, IMO, keeping things somewhat simple and minimalistic from the start, helps aid one in succeeding in that department. Minimalism, at least in my experience, particularly when done tastefully, trumps all! The old saying, "more isn't better", serves well in this case.

[Spartana]

I am a minimalist and a frugalista. I don't hoarde anything and do without back-ups (and even primary's) of many things. If something breaks I first try to find something else I have around to use in it's place. If that fails I just buy a budget replacement. Example: When my one can opener broke awhile ago I just used a knife to open the can until I could hit the Walmart to buy another can opener - which I haven't done yet because I haven't had to open another can in the last few months so have totally forgot about it. So unless I use something enough to justify buying it in the first place - or replacing it if broken - then I choose to not have it. I'd rather have both the free space and the extra money then have to buy and then store something because MAYBE SOMEDAY IN THE DISTANT FUTURE I'll need that one thing, that one time. Minimalist and frugalist!

[SteveinMN]

I think I'm one of those esthetic minimalists Gardenarian mentioned. Certainly if money were no object, my house would look like the homes in an issue of dwell magazine. Monochrome, simple lines, very few loved and used items on the flat surfaces. I will pay more for design, too. Little irks me more than an object that is difficult to use because the designer did a poor job of it or it's ill-suited to my purpose. And, if I have to look at it every day, I'd better like what it looks like.

However, money is almost always an object, so we do with DW's still-good but pillow-laden sofa and chair set. We're slowly updating this house from mid-70s standard to something that does not look like a 20th-century time capsule. And maybe someday when I have more time (!) I'll transcribe several hundred LPs and CDs onto a monster hard drive so I would need only five boxes in the living room instead of nine.

[redfox]

I'm a wildly sensuous frugalista!! I love beauty, texture, comfort, and visual complexity in my life. Our home is all of these, at frugal prices, since most of our belongings were acquired second hand, or one of us made them. Definitely not a minimalist.

[Tiam]

I think I could be called a wannabe frugalist and a really wannabe minimalist but failing miserably at it.

[Tradd]

I'm a moderate minimalist with frugal tendencies. :)

For example, I don't have a ton of clothes, but what I have are better items.

[Zoebird]

I am interested in minimalism, and frugality goes along with that, but i wouldn't exactly consider myself frugal.

That is, I see frugal as really seeking the best possible deals. My frugal friends spend a lot of time looking for the best possible deals on things. One of them even shops which cow share to join (even though there are wait lists) because X cow share costs Y per year and only Z per milk, A per yogurt, etc. The planning and process that it takes to get those 'the best' deals. . . it's a lot. I think my friends who do this are very, very savvy.

But for me, the amount of time that they put into it (which they enjoy), is not how I want to spend my time. Still, I do some coupon-ing, I do look for deals (ie, price book, etc), and I do my best to get the best deal that I can find within the time that I spend on it, etc.

I'm more likely to be minimalist -- choosing to have less, and spending more on those items if I have to. I mean, I did finally decide on the rain gear that I wanted (for the daily wear), and I actually found the items that I want on sale. The raincoat was $225 and on sale for $99. The boots that I want were $225 and on sale for $79. So, you know, I do ok. But, it just happened to be on sale, you know? I might have saved up to pay full price for them, or taken a lesser sale if i'd happened to find one on the sites where I usually look for them (happened to be the "home sites" for these products where I foudn the best sale right off, though).

From there, I went through the coats/jackets that I have that do not work in this environment and found new homes for them (people who don't go out in the rain, for instance). This way, once these new items arrive, the extra stuff goes out.

And, I'm due for a declutter anyway. I'm feeling antsy because I'm so overdue in my own mind.

[Tammy]

Minimalism first and foremost. Frugal most of the time, but i like quality, which isn't always frugal.

[catherine]

Man, I can't believe how much time I've spent trying to figure out the answer to this question.

I think Tiam's answer sums me up completely:

I think I could be called a wannabe frugalist and a really wannabe minimalist but failing miserably at it.

My overarching MO is to just not to buy stuff unless I really really have to. That's frugal. That's also minimalist.

BUT, when I DO buy something, while I do look for bargains, often I'll say to myself, "Hey, I never buy myself anything so I might as well get something decent." So that doesn't make me frugal.

An in terms of the minimalism stuff, while I don't buy new stuff anymore, I have a lot of accumulation I haven't gotten around to decluttering. So that doesn't make me a minimalist.

[Maxamillion]

I'm a frugalist. Think I've got to much clutter to be a minimalist. ;)

[Gregg]

Definitely not a minimalist. I have no desire to ever count how many things are in my house or my life. The past several years have been a slow and steady decluttering period, centered around kids growing up and leaving home. That has been good, but a lot of the stuff that went away was here for them anyway. As far as frugal, well, growing up a rancher's son is a good way to learn that you never throw anything away because it could be useful someday. Keeping that mantra would have been a good way to push DW right into divorce court. I have overcome. Mostly.

[JaneV2.0]

I've mentioned before that frugalista Amy Dacyczyn kept a trove of "might be useful someday" supplies in her barn. Seems like a practical approach to me.

I can appreciate minimalism--especially in art or design--but it definitely isn't in my nature to live an ascetic life. I'll save that for an immaterial world, should I ever inhabit one.

[Gardenarian]

My overarching MO is to just not to buy stuff unless I really really have to. That's frugal. That's also minimalist.


Me too.

[oldhat]

I've mentioned before that frugalista Amy Dacyczyn kept a trove of "might be useful someday" supplies in her barn.

That's all well and good if you happen to have a barn. Not to criticize Amy, who is someone I greatly admire.

Speaking of which, I came across this Youtube video not too long ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUFyD-FTf-E

[Spartana]

I've mentioned before that frugalista Amy Dacyczyn kept a trove of "might be useful someday" supplies in her barn. Seems like a practical approach to me.

I can appreciate minimalism--especially in art or design--but it definitely isn't in my nature to live an ascetic life. I'll save that for an immaterial world, should I ever inhabit one.
Come on down to my place - my half of the house is an ascetic's dream life of empty drawers, closets and minimal amount of belongings and decorations, and my sister's is a horders paradise :-)! If I ever need something...well it'll be somewhere in her "Stash O' Stuff" which completely takes up the whole 2 car garage floor to ceiling, her larger master bedroom, the third bedroom floor to ceiling, and much of the backyard and patio. Oh and she still has 2 kayaks left in paid storage somewhere until we can make room. Talk about opposites.

I am definetly an ascetic in both my life style (like to punish and deprive my poor old body to see how long I can withstand things) as well as my surroundings (minimal stuff) and decor. Although I prefer Shaker style to modernism in design. Or maybe mediterranean with tile floors, simple sheers on the windows and maybe one beautiful piece of large pottery and a couch.

[Spoony]

Frugalist, trying to become a minimalist. It's very hard for me. Moving from four-bedroom, three-car garage home on two acres with five outbuildings to a two-bedroom, one-car garage condo. I thought it would be easier to let go of my "stuff," but it's been a struggle. I know in my heart that this move will be very freeing (not a distress sale, I'm doing this voluntarily after 15 years of handling the property by myself), but the actual process has been very stressful.

[JaneV2.0]

Come on down to my place - my half of the house is an ascetic's dream life of empty drawers, closets and minimal amount of belongings and decorations, and my sister's is a horders paradise :-)! If I ever need something...well it'll be somewhere in her "Stash O' Stuff" which completely takes up the whole 2 car garage floor to ceiling, her larger master bedroom, the third bedroom floor to ceiling, and much of the backyard and patio. Oh and she still has 2 kayaks left in paid storage somewhere until we can make room. Talk about opposites. ...
.

She's got me beat--I have plenty of room left in my garage, and I'm still decluttering.

[Jill]

Frugalist. I want a cozy, feathered nest but will make stuff out of what other people consider trash or buy stuff for next to nothing at thrift stores.

[Aqua Blue]

I would like to think I am a moderate minimalist, but I am currently in the process of moving, and I have to admit I am not a minimalistLOL! Not even a moderate one. altho, I am moving from 1800sf and a 2car garage with large shop and store room to a 1300 sf house with a much more modest 2 car garage. Also, most of the stuff stored in the storage in the garage belongs to siblings.

[Spartana]

She's got me beat--I have plenty of room left in my garage, and I'm still decluttering. Well my sister's hanging on to her things because she plans to have a garage sale soon and get rid of everything. Of course she has said that for years now so I'm not holding my breath :-)!