Drowning Ourselves In Overconsumption
In many ways this idea feels like it has snuck up on us. Even though it has been years in the making, maybe the reality of our current economy is the wakeup call we needed. Of all the industries that can contribute to overconsumption, I would wager that fashion and technology are two of the largest categories. Companies are making their products with less durable components and materials. I don’t know how many times I have told people that “they don’t make it like they used to” and they nod their head in agreement. Washing machines and radios use to last 30+ years, now you are lucky to get 3-5 years before it breaks down. With the cost of the replacements, people are ok throwing away the broken but fixable device and moving on to the latest model.
Fashion trends through clothes, hair, makeup and accessories change like the weather. Instead of wearing something until is worn out or outgrown, we buy an outfit for one event and then never wear it again. Buying not only brand-new items but the expensive brand-named items just to fit in now has trickled down to our kids mentality as well. Keeping up on the social media platforms as well as websites like Pinterest, we are constantly feeling like we are in shopping mode. Looking for the newest idea in how to decorate our house for each holiday or how to plan the next party event in perfect harmony and theme.
Buying our phones, vehicles, pets, vacations, and furniture on payment plans tells us that we are choosing the immediate pleasure over the feeling of delayed but earned accomplishment. This mindset of looking for the newest purchase through the lens of the monthly expense, instead of paying the total bill up front is chipping away at our financial peace. It insures we keep spending our tomorrows paying for our yesterdays.
It is not easy to look at our neighbor, coworker, friend or family sporting the newest home renovation, car, outfit, fancy tech device, or vacation. Most people would immediately feel the twinge of irritation, frustration, or jealousy. But before we go shopping, we need to ask ourselves what is our end goal? What are we working towards in the next 1, 3, and 5 years. Now maybe you are swimming in extra money each month and so this is hard to relate to. If that is the case, then congratulations! But for the majority of people, we know that we are 1 or 2 lost paychecks away from total disaster.
People not only shop to keep up with the Jones but also when we are sad, bored, depressed, anxious, lonely, or because we feel like we earned it. To start standing up to this destructive habit, we have a few things to change. First is our mindset. In probably 90% of our shopping we don’t actually “need” the item. We might think we need that new green dress, or kitchen gadget, or gift item, but if we take a few days to turn on the creativity again we will realize the grey dress in the back of our closet is pretty nice, we can slice our avocados with a knife and not an avocado slicer, and the amount of inexpensive homemade gift options is vast.
The next thing to change is where we go shopping first. There are very few items that we probably should buy brand new. Before opening the Amazon or Temu app, going to Target, Walmart or Costco, check on Facebook marketplace or Craigslist. Check out the local thrift stores. Most of them have so many donations they are throwing away a large portion of them. In many cases you end up spending anywhere from 50-75% less on these items and they serve you just as well. When we look around our home at the items we picked up for free, refurbished, or hand-me-downs, we don’t just see money that is not going out the door. We see our savings increase, or if you are not there quite yet, than you may see your debt getting paid off sooner.
By rewiring our brains to not be so buy-happy we build confidence in our “emotional decisions” and can look back on our yesterdays and know that we aren’t paying for it today. When you take back control of your purchasing, you will realize how much more capable you are in other areas of your life. Maybe even start decluttering and downsizing your household inventory. Most people’s homes are bursting at the seams. Minimalism may not be your goal, but by organizing and decluttering an area of your house, it will always leave you feeling lighter and happier.