We live in a world designed to keep us buying. And there’s a direct line from the billions per year spent on clever marketing, to the overconsumption problem that our society shares today.
Marketing is a science, and it’s come a long way over the years. Brands will use every trick in the book to make you feel like you need something that you’ve never even thought of before. A big way they do that, for example, is through “big sales” that feel exciting and impossible to ignore.
Next time you find yourself face-to-face with a cart full of discounted items, check in with yourself to avoid accumulating more “stuff”. Not because buying things is inherently “bad”, but because our money, homes, attention, and energy are valuable!
- The sales price might not be that good. Would you pay the full price? Would you pay the sales price if that’s the only number you saw? Big brands love to include an “original” price that is just a marked-up version of what you currently see on the tag. Don’t fall for that trick; try to just react to the price you’d actually be paying.
- The item may not be that important. Would you rather have the money or the thing? It’s a simple question that can really bring you back to your values and let you know if you’re straying from them or maybe disrupting your progress towards a larger goal. Maybe the money would be better spent on something else, or you’d rather have the freedom to choose between a few more options down the line.
- You’ll probably be just fine without it. Did you consciously think about this issue before it was presented to you as an issue? Ads love to point out that your skin needs fixing, your clothes aren’t good enough, or that your habits need to change, but only you know for sure if that is true. Don’t buy something if you’re feeling shamed into it, only if you were genuinely looking for a solution to a problem you’ve already noticed.
- It may not be that urgent. Sometimes companies will broadcast that there’s only so much time or inventory left, but they’re fibbing a bit. How many times have you seen a countdown banner at the top of your screen, conveniently timed so you can just make it to checkout before the sale ends? False urgency is a tactic that makes you prioritize buying over second guessing or checking with your values. Ask yourself if it’s really that urgent, or if you’ll wait a couple days to check in with your values or make room in your home.
- The stuff might end up being more trouble than it’s worth. Do you have a plan for where this stuff will go, what it will do for you, and how you will dispose of it when you don’t need it or can’t use it anymore? Remember that waste is a design flaw, and you could end up paying good money for something that was designed for the landfill.
- You might already have something that’s even better. We tend to get used to the stuff we’ve had for years, but if it’s not broke, why fix it? New, shiny things eventually lose their luster, too. Check if you can be happy with what you already have, or if maybe you’re chasing a “new thing” dopamine hit. (Hint: we have tips for other, more sustainable ways to get that good feeling at the end of this post.)
In the end, supply is supposed to follow demand, not the other way around. By taking steps to curb our impulses towards endless consumption, we can turn big corporations away from endless production – and stop the world from overflowing with our “stuff”.
Read more about how to engage in a Low-Buy Challenge here and here. Follow us on Instagram (@unplasticgnv) to catch more of our anti-consumerist tips & tricks, along with shorter, visual versions of these blog posts!