Have you been hitting the shops lately? I wandered around the local shopping centre the other day to find that just about every retailer had posters up telling me that they had some wonderful bargains with huge price cuts.
This morning I wandered out to our letter box to find 18 pieces of advertising material. I can save money on everything from electrical appliances to pizzas.
On top of that our local newspaper was there. The first four pages at the front of the paper and last four at the back were just a wrap around crammed with more advertising for dozens of different great sales. There was also another couple of advertising brochures inserted inside the paper.
I won’t lie and say that there wasn’t anything in the catalogues that I wouldn’t mind if I had the money, but I’ve got to say that there wasn’t a lot that I really need. I’m certainly not going to be tempted to head out and spend money that I don’t have.
I think there’s something enormously satisfying knowing that, despite the promises of how good all that stuff will make me feel, my life really won’t be any poorer or less fulfilled for leaving it all on the shelves. Maybe it’s just age creeping up on me but life seems a lot better when we can say no to the lies of consumerism.
Posted by Rodney Olsen
Technorati Tags: Sales – Consumerism – Retail Therapy
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You can’t afford NOT to buy!
I hardly ever read the catologues because I really object to buying things just because they’re on sale. If I specifically want something, I generally know where to get it. If it’s on sale at the time, well that’s a bonus.
Bravo, Rodney, for your ability to say no. Advertisers really seek ways to tell us that if we buy what they have to offer, our lives will be so much better, happier..etc.
Thank God that what we need is enough..knowing that our wants can never be satisfied anyway,human nature being what it is.
we should know the difference between needs and wants
if there is something pricy that i am considering buying i usually try to sleep on it. In other words don’t buy it sleep overnight and see if you still want it the next morning.
Good for you Rodney. I hate advertising in pretty much all of it’s incidious forms. The way I see it, *I* can make the decision about which products I “need” and when. I don’t need an advertising executive to tell me that.
Rodney, with my latest wakeup call from my bank, I found my destruction of my debit card most ceremonial. It is a sad day. I was disowned by my bank. I can only say, “Thank God I am able to learn from my compulsions.”
Hi
I am not sure it is called consumerism as much as materialism.
My days as a poor student at uni were great for teaching me how to differeniate between a want and a need, and how to put off any impulsive desires to spend. When I had very little money but needed to eat and pay the rent then these lessons were easy to learn. I still use these skills today. I call them skills, others just call me a stingy git!
I’m always amused by ads that tell me I can “save 50%” on something. I can save a whole lot more if I simply don’t buy it at all! 🙂