Foster conscious buying habits

"but it's only a small thing"

We all have our own way that informs how we engage with the world of retail, how marketing affects us, if we are swayed by peer pressure, and other such elements. It can be useful to become aware of any patterns that you tend to follow and consider if they are useful ones to maintain.

Situation: you are standing in a supermarket about to pick up a large pack on offer, “three for the price of two”. Sounds like a good investment, right? But then,

• do you actually eat this thing that often?
• Do you have space to store it for an extended period of time?

All good questions that makes sense, but is it truly a bargain? Unfortunately, the dream of spending less often gets the better of us, even if that extra pack ultimately may go to waste and just buying the one item you set out to get may have been the less expensive option.

Situation: you are visiting a museum somewhere and there is a gift shop near the exit that you’ll have to pass through. You end up browsing the things on display and are still very much in a mindset that says “I want to remember this day”. The little trinket might be nice to look at but

• will it fit your space at home?
• Is it going to be just another thing that collects dust?
• Have you considered where it will go?
• Is there room for it?

Let’s face it: most such things are tat to start with and you would not have even thought of buying one of those if they had not been shoved in front of you when you were most likely to pick it up, thinking “it’s just a small thing”. Sadly, those small things add up and will probably end up in a box somewhere, only to create more stuff to look after.

You see, clutter at home starts with temptation elsewhere, and more often than not it is artificially created temptation with a single goal in mind: making you spend your hard-earned money for the benefit of the shops you walk into, just because their display looks enticing.

Being aware and making conscious choices based not on “want” but on “need” is a skill you can learn, that can be encouraged through practice.

(that said: you ARE allowed some trinkets, of course, as long as they are meaningful)