The Less is More Philosophy

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

In the Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn, the "bible" of frugal living to many, Amy receives a letter from a reader who finds a card in the street that reads "Less is More." The reader holds on to this car and uses it as a philosophy, until she finds out that the card actually came from a packet of cigarettes (Less tar = more flavor).

In spite of the card's real intention, the less is more philosophy is a good one to adapt. Using less, taking less, and even having less can lead to a happy life. I know that this goes against everything that our instincts tell us. To survive and thrive, we want more, more and more. Advertisements tell us that products contain more, do more or will help us get more in some way. In fact, "MORE, MORE MORE!" is the new slogan for our Comcast cable company. We will be happy with more. We need more. We deserve more. Of course, we know, that simply isn't true, although it is still usually hard for us to live with less than we think we deserve.

I am guilty of this, just as most people are. Although we try to practice the less is more philosophy, there are certain areas that are more difficult for us. Toys are one of them. Although in comparison, my kids may have less toys than many of their local peers do (and 75 percent of those are second-hand), the fact remains that they have an astronomical amount of toys when compared to the handful either my husband or myself had growing up. They could certainly be happy with less.

I'm going to assume that all of our basic needs are met. We have food, shelter, clothing and the means to take care of ourselves (soap, laundry facilities, food prep, transportation, etc). I'll even throw in some basic entertainment, since there should be some rest and enjoyment (toys, books, games, videos, music, sports, whatever suits your family). But be careful here. Is the latest DVD really going to add to your happiness over the long term?

Less stuff equals:

• More savings
• More space
• More appreciation and use of the things you have
• More resources to help others
• More care for the environment

Can you think of any more "Mores?"

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

Related Articles:

Don't Believe Frugality = Happiness? Try This!

Being Frugal Can Make You Healthier

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, online content manager, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania in the middle of the woods but close enough to Target and Home Depot.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger