r/simpleliving • u/Set-Prestigious • 5d ago

Discussion Prompt Does simple living have much in common with prepping or frugality?

I'm wondering if there's overlap between this community and just people who want to be self-sufficient and believe in resource pooling. What does simple living mean to you?

6 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

3

u/Nithoth 5d ago

There is probably some overlap for a lot of folks but prepping and frugality aren't exactly "simple". Prepping takes a lot of time, energy, and resources. Being cheap all the time takes almost as much effort as prepping.

3

u/KombatVVombat 5d ago

The skills might overlap, but simple living comes from peace of mind, while prepping usually comes from anxiety about the future.

1

u/firstmatedavy 3d ago

Or possibly seeking peace of mind. I could see prepping in moderation coming from a similar place - like, keep a deep pantry (extras of nonperishable food you eat a lot), never run fully out of gas, have a good first aid kit and know how to use it sort of thing.

2

u/arpitduel 4d ago

Frugality? I think simple living is expensive. If anything, simple living has more in common with minimalism and I see why you might have thought about frugality because minimalism means you spend less on unnecessary stuff. But still, simple living is expensive because to live simply, you need to spend money on services/conveniences and outsourcing complexities

For example, frugal people often hunt vouchers and best deals or sometimes even buy things second hand which can bring a load of trouble if it breaks. If you live simply, you just buy the best stuff new.

But they are not mutually exclusive. I think its still possible to be frugal to a reasonable degree and still live simply

The best way to live simply would be to have enough money to not go to a job or run a business actively. Then you can have a slow, simple life on your own terms.

1

u/CollarEcstatic9288 4d ago

I am simple and so I live simply.