The Anti-Consumer Plan
Posted on June 8, 2007 - Filed Under Deep Thoughts, Mother Nature, Consumerism |
There are definitely things in my life that I have purchased because I wanted them, not because I needed them. Some I still love and most I have since gotten rid of or have definitely regretted the purchase. My husband and I often watch the financial guru, Suze Orman, and her tv show segment called “Can I afford it?” This segment is great! Obviously, what others want to purchase can often seem silly to us because we don’t desire those same items, but it has definitely placed a spotlight on consumerism for us, and our (me and my husband) need to not be those people. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m sure most of those people wanting $4,000 chandeliers for their home are wonderful people, but I just need my life to be more simple and less full of stuff.
There’s a great book by Peter Walsh titled, It’s All Too Much, and he outlines how we associate all that stuff we have with emotions, specifically needs we are trying to fill. You had a bad day at the office so you go and shop it away. Somehow shopping has become a way to soothe us when we can’t cope. Walsh instructs his readers that their need to purchase items they don’t need will not go away unless they actually address why they are overshopping. Some of his studies are people who wanted the perfect home and in an effort to keep up with the neighbors they had maxed out all of their credit cards and are wading in debt. For me, buying things always made me feel like I was making up for lost shopping time. All those hand-me-downs from a step-sister five years my senior can really help you make a lot of friends. Yeah, I know, at least I had clothes, but still, my point is how the little things that happen to us is what shapes our fun little consumerist neuroses.
Okay, so I have a plan. Interested? I’m calling it the anti-consumer plan and I’m definitely not alone. Let’s not buy any newly made items that aren’t necessary. We can buy toothpaste, food, cleaning stuff (natural, of course), and anything needed for our jobs or school or any mandatory purchases. Any other items we want, can only be purchased if they aren’t new, like used CDs or recycled products such as a dresser at a thrift store. I really think this would be a great way to lessen the footprint we are leaving on the earth and to exit the consumer machine that we have been worshipping at the alter of for some time now. So I think we should start now and go the rest of the year. Imagine how inexpensive and thoughtful and creative the holidays are going to be.
Any thoughts or suggestions on wonderful, already used or recycled products we should be buying? I highly recommend www.reusablebags.com. Just think how peaceful of a year this is going to be with one less thing to worry about. I think I may use my extra money to travel more…
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4 Responses to “The Anti-Consumer Plan”
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A great idea! I’ve been a fan of the Center for a New American Dream (http://www.newdream.org/) for several years now, and became a member about a year ago. I’m a fan of their “No Junk Mail” campaign. I also like AdBusters (http://www.adbusters.com) magazine which has a “Buy Nothing Day” campaign aimed at the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday.
I do have reusable bags for grocery shopping, but sometimes forget to take them in! I’m going to try to do better. I do recycle all my plastic bags, and use my paper bags for newspaper and print recycling.
If you have kids, it’s very hard not to purchase mass amounts of “stuff” but we try to do consignment sales as much as possible. You save money, and help the “Reduce. Reuse. Recycle” chain.
You’re the second person in a week to recommend Suze Orman, so I think I’d better check out her stuff. Of course I’ve heard of her, but I’ve never gotten into her. Thanks for the tip. :]
I’ve been working hard to simplify even though we just purchased a new house and have a LOT of opportunities to shop. It’s been tough, but I think it’s going okay.
kk
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