I don’t know how long I’ve stalled writing this post, but it’s been long enough because it’s been on my mind for the past few weeks (maybe even months) ever since I read a certain post from iskafan.
A lot of people spend carelessly, but there’s a group that try to live as minimalistic as they can in their spending, so much such that some people who don’t know might think they’re stingy. I think I touched a little about it mistakenly in thrifty which I wrote as an entry for Galen’s weekend experience prompt.
So I guess I’m writing this post to kind of explore minimalism, the different kinds of it, and to question where minimalists draw the line from minimalism to stinginess. Where that thin line minimalism transitions into stinginess is at.
By definition according to wikipedia, a minimalist lifestyle is “intentionally living with fewer possessions — focusing only on the ones you need”. Doesn’t this sound a lot like what you base your accusations of stinginess on? Sure sounds like it to me.
People practice minimalism mostly to help them cut down on their spending. The most common way is by buying only what you need. You could also replace having to buy hard copies of books for soft copies you can easily download online. This one is something I’m personally practicing right now. If you practice “buy quality and not quantity”, you’re practicing a minimalist lifestyle without even knowing it. Even as little as using reusable cups or spoons.
I’ve seen people accuse others of being stingy simply because they didn’t want to show off in their spending or because they didn’t want to buy something that everyone else thought they should have.
I’ve been in a few situations myself where people have called me stingy because I refuse to spend my money in a way they saw fit. People seem to forget that what is necessary to them might not be to you, and seeing that a minimalistic lifestyle cuts out what you don’t need, they just can’t seem to grasp that you’re practicing minimalism.
Truth is that people exhibit minimalism in different ways. The entire time I’ve been talking about it in this post, I’ve been writing from a financial angle. But there’s more to it. A minimalistic lifestyle doesn’t just help you get a hang of your spending.
Minimalism comes in different forms
The key thing about all forms of minimalist lifestyles is that all forms try to live on less of whatever is not necessary and making more room for what is. So it’s not entirely about living on less, but making more room for what is important. But “what is necessary and what is not” is what defines what type of minimalist a person is.
Aesthetic Minimalists consider aesthetics as the important prize and try as much as they can to achieve the best looks with the smallest effort, purchase or input. The try to achieve the “less is best” look. I don’t have much to do with this group as I’m not that involved with aesthetics. Lol
What I’m focusing most of this writing on though is the Essential Minimalist. When I hear the word minimalist, this is automatically what I assume is being referred to. This is the group I’ve been talking about from the start of this post - Essentials. I like to think I’m shaping myself into an essential as this group try to cut down on their expenses by only speeding on needs instead of wants, and that greatly improves their finances.
Stinginess on the other hand involves saving money at all costs, even at the cost of your own health and happiness. So to a certain extent, you might start to neglect even your needs, and this is contrary to what minimalism is about. Minimalism, especially essential minimalists ensures that their needs are covered. It is only extra and unnecessary stuff they cross out.
So I guess the thin line separating the two is on where your frugality ends - which should cover your needs.
Living a minimalist lifestyle is highly encouraged, but we need to watch it and not do it to the extreme of becoming cheap and stingy. Ensure that as you save, you don’t deny yourself of things that make you happy.
all images were taken by me and cover image was designed by me in canva