A new study published in the Journal of Macromarketing suggests that choosing to live simply — by consuming less and prioritizing relationships and community — may be linked with greater wellbeing. Drawing on a nationally representative sample from New Zealand, the research finds that people who practice voluntary simplicity report higher levels of both happiness and life purpose. The study indicates that the benefits of this lifestyle are strongest when simplicity fosters a sense of social connection, personal growth, and community engagement.
In the face of rising environmental degradation and unsustainable consumption patterns, there is growing interest in how alternative lifestyles can benefit both people and the planet. The United Nations has warned that current rates of material use are putting ecosystems and societies under serious strain. Voluntary simplicity has been proposed as one potential response. It encourages people to reduce their reliance on material goods and find satisfaction in non-material areas of life such as community, self-reliance, and personal meaning.
Although earlier research has shown a link between voluntary simplicity and increased wellbeing, much of that work has focused on specific groups who already identify with the lifestyle. Less is known about how this relationship plays out in the general population, or which aspects of voluntary simplicity are most connected to wellbeing. The new study sought to fill those gaps by using a comprehensive, recently developed scale to measure voluntary simplicity in a large, diverse sample.
“Growing consumer affluence and higher living standards have resulted in warnings of alarming trends of environmental degradation from human consumption. Between 2000 and 2019, global domestic material consumption increased by 66 per cent, tripling since the 1970s to reach 95.1 billion metric tons,” said Professor Robert Aitken and Associate Professor Leah Watkins, both of the University of Otago.
“At the same time, international research suggests that there’s a point where more money and things stops making us happier, that once basic needs are met and financial stress is reduced, extra income and more material consumption bring only marginal gains in life satisfaction, and in some cases, it can actually increase stress. So, we set out to understand more about the relationship between consumption and wellbeing – specifically is living more simply, which is good for the planet, also good for our wellbeing, and how does this relationship work.”
For their study, the researchers analyzed data from 1,643 participants in the New Zealand Consumer Lifestyles Study. The sample was designed to mirror the country’s population in terms of age, gender, income, education, and ethnicity. Participants completed several questionnaires that measured their lifestyle choices and wellbeing.
To assess voluntary simplicity, the researchers used a 21-item scale developed by Rich, Wright, and Bennett (2020), which includes behaviors like reducing resource use, buying locally, growing one’s own food, and contributing to the community. Through statistical analysis, the researchers refined the scale to five key dimensions: resource use, local purchasing, community contribution (referred to as beneficence), material simplicity, and self-sufficiency. A sixth category related to work-life balance was removed, as it did not apply consistently across the sample, especially among retirees and students.
Two separate types of wellbeing were measured. The first, hedonic wellbeing, captures overall life satisfaction and happiness, using the widely accepted Personal Wellbeing Index. The second, eudaimonic wellbeing, refers to a sense of purpose, growth, and self-realization, and was measured using the Flourishing Scale. These two dimensions provide a more complete picture of psychological wellbeing.
The researchers found that voluntary simplicity was positively associated with both hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing. People who reported higher levels of simplifying behaviors tended to feel more satisfied with their lives and more fulfilled in terms of personal growth and purpose.
The relationship was strongest for the aspect of voluntary simplicity that emphasizes community and sharing — what the researchers call “beneficence.” Those who regularly engaged in community-related activities and shared their time or resources with others reported the highest levels of wellbeing. This suggests that it is not simply the act of consuming less that contributes to happiness, but the social and psychological experiences that accompany a simpler lifestyle.
Other aspects of voluntary simplicity, such as frugality or growing one’s own food, appeared less strongly connected to wellbeing on their own. These behaviors still contributed to overall scores, but they were not as predictive of happiness or purpose when considered individually.
“We expected frugality and reduced material consumption to have a positive effect, but what really stood out was why,” Aitken and Watkins told PsyPost. “It wasn’t the act of spending less itself that drove happiness – it was what people did instead. Sharing resources, joining community gardens, and participating in peer-to-peer lending created a strong sense of belonging, purpose, and autonomy. That social connection is what really makes the difference.”
In addition, the researchers examined how demographic factors influenced the relationship between voluntary simplicity and wellbeing. Gender showed a significant moderating effect. Women who engaged in voluntary simplicity reported stronger links to both types of wellbeing than men did. Age and income did not show strong moderating effects, although there was a small trend suggesting that older individuals and those with lower incomes might benefit slightly more from this lifestyle. These effects, however, were not statistically significant.
Interestingly, the analysis also broke down specific aspects of hedonic wellbeing. Voluntary simplicity was most strongly associated with satisfaction in areas like achievement and community. More modest associations were found with health, living standards, and personal relationships. Satisfaction with safety and future security did not appear to be strongly affected by voluntary simplicity.
“Consumer culture promotes happiness as being typically associated with high levels of income and the capability it affords to acquire and accumulate material possessions,” the researchers explained. “However, our research shows people are happier when they live more simply because it frees up time and resources to connect with others, live in line with their values, and participate in their communities.”
“Voluntary simplicity basically the conscious choice to live with ‘enough’ rather than excess. It’s not about deprivation or giving up everything you own, but about reducing unnecessary consumption to focus on what truly matters, relationships, purpose, and meaningful experiences. These connections and shared experiences – not just the absence of stuff – are what boost wellbeing. We hope showing people evidence of the advantages of a simple way of life can inspire people to limit their own consumption as well as to engage in more sustainable and collaborative forms of consumption.”
But there are some limitations worth noting. As a cross-sectional survey, it cannot determine whether voluntary simplicity causes higher wellbeing, or whether people who feel more fulfilled are simply more likely to adopt a simpler lifestyle. Longitudinal studies would be needed to clarify cause and effect. Social desirability bias may also have influenced some participants’ responses, especially given that voluntary simplicity is often framed as a morally positive lifestyle.
The researchers also point out that more work is needed to understand the psychological processes behind these findings. In particular, the study suggests that satisfaction of psychological needs — such as autonomy, competence, and connection — may be a key reason why simple living feels fulfilling. Exploring how these needs are met through different simplifying behaviors could clarify why some aspects of the lifestyle matter more than others.
“Recent warnings confirm alarming trends of environmental degradation from human consumption ‘that pose existential threats to natural systems, economies and societies’ (Wiedmann et al., 2020), so reductions in per capita consumption are urgent and necessary,” Aitken and Watkins said. “To do that we need to better understand the relationship between consumption and wellbeing, including the values that drive behaviours like voluntary simplicity and the impacts of factors like personality – so these are areas for future research.”
“Marketing has been incredibly successful at linking identity and happiness to material goods. But those same tools – storytelling, imagery, and aspirational branding – could be repurposed to make simple living or ‘enough’ aspirational. Social marketing messages can associate simple living with positive emotions and outcomes rather than messages that focus on the possible negative effects of overconsumption, this would be more likely to motivate behaviour change. So investigating messages and framing around simple living are other areas of ongoing research interest.
“Living simply reduces consumption, which in turn lowers the demand for resource-intensive production,” the researchers added. “That means fewer raw materials extracted, less waste, and a smaller carbon footprint. Voluntary simplicity isn’t just good for personal wellbeing, it directly supports planetary health. Living simply is one of the most powerful ways to care for both people and the planet.”
The study, “Consume Less, Live Well: Examining the Dimensions and Moderators of the Relationship Between Voluntary Simplicity and Wellbeing,” was authored by Leah Watkins, Robert Aitken, and Loic Pengtao Li.
