Minimalism vs. Savvy Living

By Melissa Tosetti

Very often I post quotes related to Savvy Living on social media and by far, the ones that are most popular are associated with clutter.  More specifically, the burden of clutter and getting rid of it.

Many of the quotes I post are based on the Minimalist movement.  If you’re not familiar with the term, “Minimalism,” Joshua Becker wrote a description of it in his article, What is Minimalism?, and in it stated,  “At its core, minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it. It is a life that forces intentionality. And as a result, it forces improvements in almost all aspects of your life.”

The idea of being intentional and focusing on what is most important to you is the philosophy of Savvy Living.  So, what is the difference between Minimalism and Savvy Living?

While there are many similarities between the two, it’s my interpretation that Minimalism focuses on the escape of consumerism and maintaining just the essentials.   Whereas Savvy Living is about each individual saving money on the things that are not important to them so they can spend their money on the things that are important to them – all while building a strong financial foundation.

We’ve found over the years of working with clients that for some, antiques are very important to them. However, by definition, Minimalists are not collectors and if they do have antiques, it’s likely just one or two sentimental items.

For others, clothes are very important, and a form of artistic expression for them, so that is where they want to focus their spending.  The Minimalists I have the pleasure to know are proud of their streamlined wardrobes.

So, Savvy Living does allow for the accumulation of things, unlike Minimalism. It just requires that you acquire those things with purpose because you truly love them and as the result of your conscious decision to pick this over that.

Whether you pursue Minimalism or Savvy Living, the benefit of either path is achieving your goals so much faster as you live with intention.